Ben Sollee
Ben Sollee is a cellist, singer, composer and environmental activist from Kentucky. Since 2009, he’s traveled more than 5,000 miles by bicycle, cycling to live shows with Kay — his rugged cello — strapped to his bike (currently a Surly Big Dummy). As a result of bike touring, he’s spoken about sustainability and community-building at South by Southwest and Tedx San Diego. “Dear Companion,” his 2012 album, spoke to the negative impact of mountaintop removal coal mining in Central Appalachia and benefitted Appalachian Voices, an organization working against mountaintop removal. Sollee has toured Europe, twice played Telluride Bluegrass Festival, performed in a Paul Simon tribute at Carnegie Hall and been a part of Lincoln Center’s American Songbook series, melding Appalachian mountain music with Bach and the blues. He also scored the documentary Maidentrip (Mountainfilm 2013), which is about young solo sailor Laura Dekker, and his songs have been featured on the TV shows “Weeds” and “Parenthood.”