Art Jam: Selma native Ben Brooks opens Friday for Mike Cooley of Drive-By Truckers

Selma native Ben Brooks has a dream hometown show Friday, opening for Mike Cooley of Drive-By Truckers at Art Jam.

"What an honor and a privilege it is to share the stage with someone I've looked up to for so long," Brooks said in a release from organizers Blackbelt Benefit Group.

Art Jam is Friday at Walton Theatre, 1000 Selma Ave. Doors open at 7 p.m. General admission tickets are $35 and are available online at eventbrite.com/e/art-jam-w-mike-cooley-tickets-446297988297.

Brooks, an independent singer/songwriter in Nashville, will perform material from his album Jean on Jean, and some new singles. Among them is "Long Hard Winter," which he's scheduled to release next year on Feb. 17.

Brooks grew up playing across Selma and Montgomery. Locals may remember him from the band The Big Nekkid, with Morgan Academy classmates Roger Jones, Will Sommerville and Morgan Duncan.

Cooley, another Alabama native from Tuscumbia, has been a guitarist and vocalist for the Athens, Georgia band Drive-By Truckers since 1996. Known for Southern rock and Americana, he has songs like "Eyes Like Glue," "Loaded Gun in the Closet," and "3 Dimes Down."

Prior to Friday's concert, there will be a sponsors-only dinner.

In 2009, Blackbelt Benefit Group began as a rib cooking benefit to help tornado victims. It's since grown into a nonprofit group.

“Blackbelt Benefit Group is such a great organization and does so many positive things for the city of Selma, I’m just proud to be a part of one of their events.” Brooks said.

Montgomery Advertiser reporter Shannon Heupel covers things to do in the River Region. Contact him at sheupel@gannett.com

This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Selma's Ben Brooks opens Friday for Mike Cooley of Drive-By Truckers