By Parker Stevens
Parker served as Development Associate for Appalachian Voices from January 2010 to December 2011, coordinating our membership and directing two Riverkeeper festivals for the organization. She left to head up the Appalachian Women’s Fund based in Boone, N.C.

Photo by Nobu Tanaka

Thanks to everyone who came out and helped make the third annual Music on the Mountaintop a success! The festival brought in thousands of music lovers from Boone and beyond to enjoy two days of great bands, beautiful weather, and a good cause.

Appalachian Voices was part of the “Green Village” along with vendors selling handmade crafts and local organizations like Mountainkeepers and the ASU Energy Center. We talked to tons of folks – some had never heard of issues like mountaintop removal, and others had seen it for themselves. We got to meet some of the musicians, like the guys in Big Daddy Love who educate people about mountaintop removal through their music. By the end of the day, most festival-goers were sporting an “I Love Mountains” temporary tattoo!

The lineup was fantastic! Keller Williams was a huge hit along with Sam Bush and Railroad Earth. There was no shortage of good music. You can see some of the performances online.

After a lot of hard work and even more festival fun, the numbers are finally in. Appalachian Voices received $5,500 from Music on the Mountaintop! Thanks to Jimmy Hunt, the MOTM team, and everyone who helped make this year’s festival a success. We hope to see you all back on the mountaintop in 2011!