Kathy Mattea to perform at Tennessee Fall Homecoming 2010

Multi-Grammy award winner Kathy Mattea

(Norris, TN) -- Merging history and music, multi-Grammy award winner Kathy Mattea will bring her hot-pickin' acoustic band Coal (also known as the Be Sharp Miners) to the Museum of Appalachia this fall for the Tennessee Fall Homecoming.

Mattea and band will perform on Saturday, Oct. 9, as part of this three-day celebration of traditional mountain, folk, Gospel, and bluegrass music.

One of the oldest and most authentic festivals of its kind in the nation, the 31st annual Homecoming will be held Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, October 8-1, 2010, at the Museum of Appalachia.

Mattea's new album, Coal, celebrates her West Virginia coal-mining roots. A top contender for a Grammy award this year, this album is her tribute to "my place and my people."

This will mark Mattea's first appearance at the Tennessee Fall Homecoming.

Also new this year: The Quebe Sisters Band, family band from Texas playing triple fiddles, and Balsam Range, International Bluegrass Music Association nominated Emerging Artist of the year.

Barry Scott & Second Wind, bluegrass Gospel group and Grammy nominee. Barry is a former member of Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, a perennial favorite also on this year's Homecoming schedule.

Joining the "first-ever" Homecoming lineup is Barry Scott & Second Wind, bluegrass Gospel group and Grammy nominee. Barry is a former member of Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, a perennial favorite also on this year's Homecoming schedule. Southern Raised, a family band from Missouri, and the Berea College Bluegrass Ensemble from Kentucky will give debut performances.

Grammy winner David Holt, with Josh Goforth, returns to Homecoming after an absence of several years. David is a multi-talented musician and storyteller, proficient in 10 instruments from the banjo to a paper bag.

The Grassabillies, "rockin' bluegrass" band from Knoxville, is one of more than a dozen new bands and individuals discovered during auditions this spring.

Returning performers include Brand New Strings, Leroy Troy, Cody Shuler & Pine Mountain Railroad, Paul Williams & the Victory Trio, Cain & Annabelle, and Ramona Jones and Friends. Musicians and days of performance are updated weekly on the Museum website.

Homecoming also includes demonstrations of pioneer skills, a large craft fair with authentic Appalachian artisans, and traditional Southern foods.

Heritage Day, a special interactive program for schoolchildren, will be Thursday, Oct. 7. This day of music, games, and learning is open to public and private school groups, home-schooled groups, individual parents and children, and three-day Homecoming ticket holders.

Through Sept. 15, music fans may purchase discounted Homecoming tickets at the Museum, by phone, by mail, or on line.

The Museum offers a picturesque backdrop for this annual festival, with dozens of authentic log buildings, display halls filled with artifacts, and garden and farm animals surrounded by split-rail fences.

All proceeds received from Homecoming are used to further the Museum's mission to preserve the Appalachian Culture & Heritage. A non-profit organization since 2002, the Museum is an official affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution.

For more information on Homecoming and other events throughout the year, call the Museum at 865-494-7680, email museum@museumofappalachia.org or visit the website at museumofappalachia.org. The Museum is located 16 miles north of Knoxville at I-75, exit 122, then one mile east.

Posted: September 1, 2010