Artist: Ben Sollee and Jordon Ellis
Hometown: Louisville, Kentucky
Song: “Breaking Up Christmas” (Live)
Editor’s Note: Kentuckians Ben Sollee and Daniel Martin Moore teamed up to rally an all-star cast of authors, musicians, and storytellers for a 50+ track album to raise funds for Kentucky tornado relief. With contributions from internationally known artists to local treasures, the compilation is packed with new releases, b-sides, live recordings, and bedroom demos that will delight music fans and collectors. Happy Hollerdays 2021 is available exclusively on Bandcamp for purchase as a digital download with all proceeds benefiting the Team Western Kentucky Tornado Relief Fund.
In Their Words: âHappy Hollerdays 2021 was meant to be a few shows to begin an annual concert series celebrating and incorporating the very best of Kentuckyâs and Appalachiaâs music, literature, and dance, all while raising funds and awareness for important causes. This year, the beneficiary was set to be Kentucky Natural Lands Trust. But things changed on the night of the first show, December 10th. Horrific storms swept across the state and the region. Many lives were lost, communities devastated. We werenât sure whether to go on or not. The lands trust, to their enormous credit, was first to suggest that we divert the funds from the shows to storm relief efforts. The idea grew from there. By the 15th weâd decided to release recordings from the shows as a further fundraiser. Then we started sending messages out to friends asking if theyâd like to contribute. Within 48 hours we had a staggering 52 tracks ranging from home recordings to live performances to phone demos to studio records.â — Ben Sollee and Daniel Martin Moore
