Sue asked me about Kathy Mattea. She said she loved, and still loves her music and wished she heard her more often. What a talent Kathy Mattea was and is. She had great success on the country charts, and that's all well and fine, but she was so much more. Kathy Mattea was a flat out complete talent, with a great voice that was as good and pure as any woman ever in our format. (She also may have the most mispronounced last name in Country history)
Country Hits Didn't Get Much Bigger Than This
This article will be a bit different than most of the others I have written, which I feel is fitting because she was different than most of the others. Mattea's story isn't told by number one songs, platinum albums or charted success. It's told by her singing talent and what she was. What she was - was good. Very, very good. One of her great gifts was, you knew it was her singing, and you knew the song going to be meaningful above all else. You knew you were listening to a person who was - just good! She along with the great Suzy Bogguss of the same era, are among the best pure singers we have ever had.
Great Country Song
Mattea is blessed with a great singing voice that is hard to categorize. She sounds good singing any type of music and any tempo. Her roots of country, folk, and bluegrass gives her amazing versatility that is the envy of many. She had been singing, performing and recording for a number of years before she finally broke through for all of us to meet in 1986 with her first big song, Love At The Five And Dime, with the legendary Don Williams singing backup. The song was loved by listeners and so was the album, Walk The Way The Wind Blows, and critics loved it too. And they have loved her ever since.
The Studio Phone Rang Off The Hook During The First Play On The Radio
Over the next decade or so, she was a staple in our format recording incredible songs, winning awards and being a fantastic representative of our format. She was and is respected by virtually everyone for her passionate performances on many terrific songs. Eighteen Wheels And A Dozen Roses was a monster hit and a real listener favorite winning single of the year. Where've You Been was also single of the year and is a song that brought fans to tears - and still can and does. There was an incredible believe-ability to her, her songs and her song choices.
Great Song - Bigger Sound - New Direction
I always felt Mattea believed a very important principle. She seemed to know you can't continue to record the same album over and over again. Her sound was a series of well thought out reinventions and all of them great. She recorded amazing songs like, the emotive Where've You Been, and then terrific uptempo and empowering songs like, Walking Away A Winner. The latter, a slick reinvention and a song that propped her up, without tearing others down within the song. Great move and a wonderful example of real savvy. I always felt back then that I was listening to a real grown up adult singing and that really resonated with many fans. Empowering songs through her own strength, without hatred and bitterness towards others within the song.
First Hit Song -
Yes there are numbers if you must, 30 singles, 4 #1's, Grammy, ACM and CMA awards. There are tons of Gold Albums, and a couple Platinum ones too. She's collaborated with a who's who of music from about every genre, as the list is long. Many wanted, and were honored to have their voice next to hers, as she is universally respected as one of the best pure vocalists ever in our format. I was honored and proudly played all of her songs on radio stations all over the country. I was also proud also to have her in our format for every reason. Her talent, her grace, and who she was.
Yes, there were others with more #1's and more sales, as there always is. But I can't say enough good things about Kathy Mattea.
Read my articles about other GREAT Country Women here!
