The mountains of West Virginia were on the minds of a lot of famous faces in Tennessee last night. Emmylou Harris, Kathy Mattea, Dave Matthews, Patty Loveless, Buddy Miller, Patty Griffin, Big Kenny and Alison Krauss all performed at a benefit concert at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium to launch the Music Saves Mountains Campaign. The eclectic group of musicians are collectively taking a stand to stop the destructive -- and dangerous -- practice of mountaintop coal-removal mining, which causes disease, pollution and permanently alters the landscape.

"[The Appalachians], the oldest mountain range in North America, are responsible for seeding all the wonderful greenery we have across this great land of ours, and are responsible for seeding the rich music we call 'country music,'" Emmylou tells Nashville's Tennessean newspaper.

Kathy, whose most recent album was appropriately entitled 'Coal,' agrees. "It has polarized communities, brother against sister," says the West Virginia native. "I do not stand against coal. I do not believe that adding one more strident voice to this conversation is the best way I can be of service here, and yet something must change."

Other artists joining the Music Saves Mountains Campaign include Gloriana, James Otto and Justin Townes Earle. For more information, or to join the campaign, click here.

More From TheBoot