Steamboat Pilot & Today

A sold-out concert by Kathy Mattea has been rescheduled because of a death in her family.

Strings in the Mountains will give refunds to any ticket holders who cannot make the rescheduled Aug. 20 concert. To get a refund, tickets must be returned to the Strings box office by noon Tuesday.

Strings executive director Bet--se Grassby received a phone call announcing the concert cancellation Wednesday morning. She worked with the organizers of Mattea's other three Colorado dates to reschedule the show. Mattea was scheduled to play a free concert in Fruita and a festival in Arvada this weekend, along with her Steamboat date.

"It's a tragedy," Grassby said. "But Kathy's fans are extremely important to her. That's why she is working so hard to make it back out here."

Mattea already had left Nashville, Tenn., for Colorado, and she asked her bus driver to turn around when she found out about the death early Wednesday morning.

Mattea wanted to attend family memorial and funeral services during the weekend.

"We deeply regret this unfortunate turn of events," Mattea's personal manager wrote in a press release. "I know Kathy appreciates everyone's understanding of her personal situation, and (she) looks forward to seeing everyone in a couple weeks."

Mattea's rescheduled show will fill out the Strings in the Mountains music festival's final weekend with music, Grassby said. Jackie Greene will play Aug. 19, Mattea will perform Aug. 20, and Asleep at the Wheel will play Aug. 21.

"It will be an amazing week--end for music lovers," she said.