Here is the biography of Brynda Mattox:
Brynda Mattox is a talented actress, producer, and activist with a long history of community involvement and artistic pursuits. Born in the coal mining community of Blue Diamond, Kentucky, she was raised by older educators who instilled in her a sense of responsibility and a strong work ethic.
Mattox began her acting career at a young age, appearing in the senior play "I Remember Mama" and playing clarinet in band and orchestra. She was chosen to play in the Kentucky All-State Band and received the prestigious Lexington Community Award from Henry Clay High School.
After graduating from high school at 16, Mattox attended Transylvania University, where she continued her artistic pursuits, singing with the choir and in a select group called the Madrigal Singers. She was a member of Phi Mu sorority and kept her clarinet and piano skills sharp.
Mattox was instrumental in integrating her college in the fall of 1963 and marched with Martin L. King, Jr. in the March on Frankfort, KY in March 1964. She was Chairwoman of the Accent on Religion Week while serving as co-president of the Student Christian Association.
After graduating from Transylvania, Mattox received a full scholarship to Yale Divinity School, where she started one of the first after-school programs for at-risk children in America. She also initiated the Yale Cabaret Theatre and performed in several productions, including Tennessee Williams' "This Property Is Condemned."
Mattox worked as a youth counselor in the London Methodist Church and became a special teacher for advanced and slow learners in the London Borough of Hillingdon. She traveled extensively throughout Europe and the former U.S.S.R. and was in Israel during the Six Day War in 1967.
Upon her return to America, Mattox became deeply involved with the Judson Poets Theatre in Greenwich Village, where she worked with the late Rev. Al Carmines and was a majorette in his hit show "A Look At The Fifties." She was also a Recreation Supervisor in Bellevue Hospital, where she established programs for hard-core unemployed individuals and brought live entertainment to prisons and hospitals.
Mattox directed the University of Kentucky Summer High School Drama Institute for several years and was instrumental in taking "Gorey Stories" to Broadway, where she played the role of Lady Celia in the original production. She also created the role of Brenda Sue, a ditsy Dolly Parton wannabe maid, in the television talk show spoof "Tea With Michael Raye."
In addition to her acting career, Mattox has been an activist for many causes, including social justice, education, and the arts. She has worked with organizations such as Hospital Audiences, Inc. and the American Legion Auxiliary, and has been involved in numerous charitable endeavors.
Mattox is currently working on her memoir, "Appalachian Princess," and is also writing a ballad about her early childhood in the coal mining community of Blue Diamond, Kentucky.
