By Paige Compton
Student Writer

With her powerful and deep as "coal" voice, Kathy Mattea rocked the Madison-Morgan Cultural Center in historic downtown Madison on Sunday, October 5. Mattea, a country/bluegrass Grammy award-winning singer/songwriter with a unique style, took the stage with her cinnamon red shoes ready to play. With humorous anecdotes, such as stories of legwarmers and crocs, she interacted with the crowd and even invited them to sing along at times. The audience appeared to fall in love not only with her music, but also with her down to earth personality. The bluegrass songs Mattea and her band played were from her album, entitled "Coal," reflecting how she grew up in a coal mining town in West Virginia. Her grandfather was a coal miner and the songs she shared chronicled the sad, harsh life coal miners lead. Listening to her band, the audience found equal talent. There is true chemistry between Mattea and band members Bill Cooley on acoustic guitar, David Spicher on standup bass and Eamonn O'Rourke on fiddle and mandolin. They played with energy that captivated the crowd, and it seemed they never missed a note. They all complimented each other perfectly, and there were solos for each member throughout the performance to highlight every unique sound and talent. Everyone in attendance enjoyed Mattea's truly inspirational performance and look forward to seeing her again.