Georgia Musicians Form To Oppose Walmart Plans

Musicians connected to R.E.M., the Drive-By Truckers and other Georgia bands have joined forces to perform live and in a video as part of an effort to stop a planned Walmart store from being built in Athens.

The song “After It’s Gone” was recorded by a group of Athens musicians known as the Downtown 13.

The Athens Banner-Herald reports that Drive-By Truckers frontman Patterson Hood wrote the song with collaboration from Mike Mills, one of the founding members of R.E.M.

The musicians recently performed the song live on the roof of Wuxtry Records in downtown Athens.

Calls to Arkansas-based Wal-Mart Stores Inc. on Thursday morning were not immediately returned.