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Kathy Mattea performs at the Music on Half Shell Concert Series at Roseburg’s Stewart Park Tuesday.
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ENLARGE
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Erik Ranger of Roseburg plays with his kids, from left, Joshua, 3, Mela, 1, and Lily Ranger, 4, during singer Kathy Mattea's performance Tuesday night at Music on the Half Shell in Roseburg’s Stewart Park.
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Standing center stage, with the river behind her and the sun setting in the distance, Grammy-award winner Kathy Mattea looked into an audience that spilled over the Stewart Park hill.
“I wish you could all see how beautiful you are,” she told the crowd of more than 8,000.
While performing at the Music on the Half Shell summer concert series Tuesday night, Mattea said she could feel the community’s warmth.
“You really get the feel of the place with the water and the trees and the lay of the land,” she said.
Mattea performed past hits and songs from her new album “COAL,” inspired by a journey to understand her family’s history in the coal industry. Her grandfathers were miners and her parents were raised in coal camps.
Mattea has won Grammys for Best Female Country Vocal Performance and Best Southern/Country/Bluegrass Gospel Album.
While most of the crowd sat for the concert, Chris Bennett spun, twirled and swayed with friends and strangers next to concert speakers throughout the show. Bennett has danced at Half Shell concerts for more than a decade and enjoys encouraging patrons who are a little shyer to get on their feet and move to the music. She said Mattea’s peaceful, mellow music matched the landscape.
When country music fans Stephanie Wills and Nicholas Gaskill arrived for the show, people had already packed the space near the stage. With the performance out of view, they were content listening to the music on blankets and camping chairs with a dozen friends and family members.
“I wish you could all see how beautiful you are,” she told the crowd of more than 8,000.
While performing at the Music on the Half Shell summer concert series Tuesday night, Mattea said she could feel the community’s warmth.
“You really get the feel of the place with the water and the trees and the lay of the land,” she said.
Mattea performed past hits and songs from her new album “COAL,” inspired by a journey to understand her family’s history in the coal industry. Her grandfathers were miners and her parents were raised in coal camps.
Mattea has won Grammys for Best Female Country Vocal Performance and Best Southern/Country/Bluegrass Gospel Album.
While most of the crowd sat for the concert, Chris Bennett spun, twirled and swayed with friends and strangers next to concert speakers throughout the show. Bennett has danced at Half Shell concerts for more than a decade and enjoys encouraging patrons who are a little shyer to get on their feet and move to the music. She said Mattea’s peaceful, mellow music matched the landscape.
When country music fans Stephanie Wills and Nicholas Gaskill arrived for the show, people had already packed the space near the stage. With the performance out of view, they were content listening to the music on blankets and camping chairs with a dozen friends and family members.
During intermission, 28 Half Shell volunteers fanned out in the crowd with red buckets to gather money. As buckets returned backstage, volunteer Linda Jones collected the donations in a garbage bag.
“People in this community are very generous,” Jones said. “They know that donations are an important part of keeping it going.”
This summer marks the 17th year of the free concert series, hosted by volunteers and sponsored by area businesses.
“I think it says something really nice about a community when they keep a tradition up like this for a long time,” Mattea told the crowd. “It’s my conviction that the arts keep people together and they remind us who we are, and I’m happy to be a part of your tradition tonight.”
Roseburg resident Debra Atkinson waited in line with more than 50 people after the show to meet Mattea. She said she has been a fan of the singer for more than a decade and plans to keep her autographed slip of paper in a scrapbook.
“We are blessed,” she said, calling the show an inspirational bonding of community members.
Mattea agreed.
“It was like being at a big family reunion,” she said, standing in front of the river after the show.
You can reach reporting intern Desiree Aflleje at 957-4211 or by e-mail at daflleje@nrtoday.com.
“People in this community are very generous,” Jones said. “They know that donations are an important part of keeping it going.”
This summer marks the 17th year of the free concert series, hosted by volunteers and sponsored by area businesses.
“I think it says something really nice about a community when they keep a tradition up like this for a long time,” Mattea told the crowd. “It’s my conviction that the arts keep people together and they remind us who we are, and I’m happy to be a part of your tradition tonight.”
Roseburg resident Debra Atkinson waited in line with more than 50 people after the show to meet Mattea. She said she has been a fan of the singer for more than a decade and plans to keep her autographed slip of paper in a scrapbook.
“We are blessed,” she said, calling the show an inspirational bonding of community members.
Mattea agreed.
“It was like being at a big family reunion,” she said, standing in front of the river after the show.
You can reach reporting intern Desiree Aflleje at 957-4211 or by e-mail at daflleje@nrtoday.com.
