GRAMMY AWARD-WINNER KATHY MATTEA AND BILL COOLEY OPEN DIANA WORTHAM THEATRE MAINSTAGE SERIES SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 24 AT 8:00 P.M.

One of the most respected country stars of her era, Kathy Mattea and guitarist/arranger Bill Cooley join Diana Wortham Theatre’s Mainstage Series with The Acoustic Living Room, a unique show arranged by these two musicians to offer fans a different take on old favorites, creatively coordinated covers, and new originals – Saturday, September 24, 2016 at 8:00 p.m.

Kathy Mattea brings elements of folk, bluegrass, gospel, and singer/songwriter intimacy to her music and explores the most basic human essence through timeless melodies and uplifting narratives. Known for Top 20 radio hits such as the signature ballad “Where’ve You Been?,” the bluesy “455 Rocket,” and the iconic “Eighteen Wheels and a Dozen Roses,” her 18 albums, including her latest, Coming Home (2012), combine folk and Celtic influences, and have garnered multiple Country Music Association, Academy of Country Music, and Grammy Awards.

Bill Cooley, “one of Nashville’s most respected sidemen” according to Guitar Player magazine, has had his original songs recorded by Kathy Mattea and Reba McEntire, among others. As an arranger, Cooley collaborated on three of Mattea’s more recent albums: Joy for Christmas Day (2003), Right Out of Nowhere (2005), and the Grammy-nominated Coal (2008). Cooley’s first album, titled Unravel’d, was released in 1997 and nominated for Instrumental Album of the Year at the Nashville Music Awards.

The entrance for the Diana Wortham Theatre is marked by the location of the theatre’s marquee between 12 and 14 Biltmore Avenue. Patrons enter the theatre through the breezeway between Marble Slab Creamery and White Duck Taco, and into a large interior courtyard with multiple glass doors which lead to the theatre’s lower lobby and box office. The intimate theatre seats just over 500 and boasts exceptional acoustics and sightlines, making it the premier performance space in Western North Carolina. The Mainstage Series is supported by a grant from the North Carolina Arts Council, a state agency. The Mainstage Series 2016/2017 Season Sponsors are the Asheville Citizen-Times, Blue Moon Water, Creative Energy, 67 Biltmore Downtown Eatery & Catering, the North Carolina Arts Council, and the Renaissance Asheville Hotel. To obtain more information on the Mainstage Series or to purchase tickets, call the theatre’s box office at (828) 257-4530 or visit www.dwtheatre.com.