Kentucky musician Ben Sollee will perform at Murray State University on April 29 in the return of a student-run concert series.
Sollee is a jazz and folk musician from Louisville, Kentucky. He is known for blurring boundaries with his musical style and for his “outside-of-the-box cello playing,” according to his website’s about page. Sollee will take the stage of Lovett Auditorium for the first Lovett Live event since 2024.
Lovett Live is a student-run concert series that brings education and entertainment to the same stage. It has been dormant since the spring of 2024, but it’s making a return this semester thanks to the Racer Live Lab course and music business students in the Music and Entertainment Industry Student Association.
JL Cinotto, a senior music business major in the Racer Live Lab course, said Lovett Live provides an up-close experience with a rising artist.
“Lovett Live was an annual event here on campus pre-COVID, but since then it’s been sparse,” Cinotto said. “We’re hoping that with an incredible artist such as Ben Sollee, we can really bring it back and continue to do Lovett Live regularly.”
Penelope Roy, a junior music business major in the Racer Live Lab course, said Sollee was chosen because of his blend of musical genres.
“We thought that the genre of his music, a folky jazz, would suit the area well,” Roy said. “Many of us (students) also saw him and some of his songs performed in the Fall of 2024 when he and the Louisville Symphony showcased some of his work. He mainly plays folk, country, jazz, and a mixture of all three at times.”
Alongside the interest in his music, Cinotto said Sollee’s Kentucky roots bring a deep connection to an audience at Murray State.
“Ben Sollee was chosen for his incredible talent and uniqueness,” he said. “Hearing jazzy folk tunes played with a guitar as accompaniment is common, however with a cello is something you don’t see too often. Along with that, Ben Sollee is a Kentucky native, which makes it extra special for us as a Kentucky institution.”
Students in the Racer Live Lab have been in charge of organizing and executing every aspect of the event — with MEISA helping out by providing printing for physical posters, creating social media content and providing volunteers for the day of the show.
“Marketing, posters, audio/visual set-ups, the set, and the booking (is) all done by students enrolled in the Racer Live Lab, or by a music business student,” Roy said. “Lovett Live has been a tradition at Murray State, and … we are really excited to be bringing it back.”
The event’s motto is “Closer to the Music.” Audience members can expect to be seated on the stage to be close to the artist with a full acoustic setup.
Doors are set open at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 29, and the event will begin at 7 p.m. Student tickets are $5, and general admission will be $10. For more information, visit @msulovettlive on Instagram and Facebook.
