Kathy Mattea to Perform LIVE at the Pines Theater

LUFKIN, TX. The Angelina Arts Alliance and The City of Lufkin are proud to present Country music legend Kathy Mattea to perform live at the historic Pines Theater on Friday, November 22 at 7 pm.

Hailed by The Washington Post as ‘one of Nashville’s finest song interpreters,’ Kathy Mattea has enjoyed the kind of success many artists only dream of: two GRAMMY wins, four CMA Awards, four #1 country singles, and five gold albums (plus a platinum collection of her greatest hits). The dream almost ended, though, when Mattea entered her 50s and began to find her voice changing. What followed was a three-year journey through life challenges, soul-searching, and professional uncertainty, a trying time of personal anguish that threatened to silence her permanently, but instead brought her unexpected joy.

“The hardest thing was facing the question of whether I would still be able to sing well enough to enjoy it. That was the acid test for me, and I had to be willing to walk through a process that bumped me up against the very real possibility that, in the end, the answer might be ‘No’,” said Mattea.

Mattea dug in with a vocal coach, re-committed to her music, and emerged with the most poignant album of her career, Pretty Bird. Working with her old friend, music roots wizard Tim O’Brien, producing, Pretty Bird is a chronicle of her journey, song by song, back to singing for the sheer joy of it.

It’s an emotional, moving collection, one that draws its strength not only from Mattea’s touching performances, but also from her uncanny ability to weave seemingly disparate material into a cohesive whole. From a playful take on Oliver Wood’s ‘Chocolate On My Tongue’ to a tender rendition of Mary Gauthier’s ‘Mercy Now,’ from a British traditional to a Bobbie Gentry classic, these are the songs that helped Mattea reclaim her voice, and she inhabits each as fully as if it were her own.

Exquisitely arranged and delivered with the kind of subtlety and nuance that can only come from a lifetime of heartbreak and triumph, Pretty Bird is a title Kathy Mattea inhabits quite literally, and it’s a welcome reintroduction to one of country and Americana music’s most enduring and beloved figures.

Most recently, Kathy Mattea uttered the first words in Ken Burns' epic Country Music documentary, a chronicle of the genre's evolution throughout the 20th century as told by some of its biggest stars. And eventually, before the 16 1/2 hours were over, it also tells her story.

"The day I learned about Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys, I went home and I was like a changed person," says the singer, who also cites Brenda Lee and Loretta Lynn as major inspirations,” said Mattea.

“The Pines Theater in partnership with the Angelina Arts Alliance is thrilled to be able to bring this amazing talent to Lufkin. As part of a continued effort to create a cultural destination in Lufkin and draw more people downtown by presenting high quality talent at the Pines Theater, this show is a special performance apart from the regular season. We believe our community and all of deep East Texas will embrace this artist and that tickets will sell-out quickly,” said Jennifer Allen, Angelina Arts Alliance Executive Director.

For more information and to purchase tickets visit the Temple Theater Box Office on the Angelina College Lufkin campus, Monday through Friday 11 am – 5 pm or call (936) 633-5454, or go online at www.angelinaarts.org . Details and video clips for this performance and the entire new season are on the Arts Alliance website. Follow Angelina Arts Alliance on Facebook for late-breaking news, photos, videos and ticket giveaways.

The Angelina Arts Alliance is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization whose mission is to present a wide array of diverse, quality performing arts, along with educational and family performances which collectively enrich, engage and educate the community.