Indie acts lead charge of new CDs

Ben Sollee and Daniel Martin Moore may be better known for their solo folk-flavored careers, but they joined forces for "Dear Companion," a CD focused on strip mining in their native Kentucky. Jim James of My Morning Jacket produced the disc.

Joe Pug is out with his first full length CD, "Messenger," (Lightning Rod). Pug who is touring with Justin Townes Earle, left the University of North Carolina for a music career and is now based in Chicago.

Memphis singer Nancy Apple is out with "Shine" (Ringo) with odes to Wanda Jackson among others. The disc was recorded at Sun Studio in Memphis.