Abby Ellin's blog

Chuck Leavell and Mick Jagger at a jam session.

Chuck Leavell has been tickling the ivories for more than 30 years now, jamming with folks like The Rolling Stones, The Allman Brothers Band, and Eric Clapton, among others. Leavell, who lives outside Atlanta, is also a published author and tree farmer, and a serious environmental activist. In 1999, he and his wife, Rose Lane, were selected as The National Outstanding Tree Farmers of the Year. He’s also played a solid role in forming the forest component of the past two US Farm Bills. Earlier this year, he co-founded The Mother Nature Network, an environmental website.