Kathleen Alice "Kathy" Mattea (pronounced ma-TAY-a) (born June 21, 1959, South Charleston, West Virginia) is an American country music and bluegrass performer who often brings folk, Celtic and traditional country sounds to her music. Active since 1983 as a recording artist, she has recorded seventeen albums and has charted more than thirty singles on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts. This total includes the number one hits "Goin' Gone", "Eighteen Wheels and a Dozen Roses", "Come From the Heart" and "Burnin' Old Memories", as well as twelve additional Top Ten singles.
West Virginia University, Nitro High School, Eighteen Wheels and a Dozen Roses, Where've You Been, 455 Rocket, Sellersville, PA, United States, Vienna, VA, United States
Nationality
American
Spouse
Jon Vezner
Parents
John Mattea, Ruth Mattea, Eighteen Wheels and a Dozen Roses, Where've You Been, 455 Rocket, Sellersville, PA, United States, Vienna, VA, United States
Siblings
Michael Mattea
Awards
Country Music Association Award for Female Vocalist of the Year, Grammy Award for Best Female Country Vocal Performance, Country Music Association Award for Single of the Year, Academy of Country Music Award for Female Vocalist of the Year, Country Music Association Award for Music Video of the Year...
Nominations
Country Music Association Award for Entertainer of the Year, Country Music Association Award for New Artist of the Year, Academy of Country Music Award for New Female Vocalist of the Year, Grammy Award for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals, Country Music Association Award for Album of the Year,...
Movies
Maverick, New Ladies of Country, Country Legends Live, Sellersville, PA, United States, Vienna, VA, United States
Star Sign
Cancer
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Quote
1
[about singing coal mining songs set in her native West Virgina] I kind of thought maybe I didn't have the authority so sing these songs, but I felt drawn to do it. It was like going back and picking up a piece in your jigsaw puzzle that was missing and you didn't even know it was missing. My grandfathers were both coalminers. I thought coal mining was their story. I came to understand that I was heavily influenced by coal, even though nobody was coming home covered by coal dust in my house. So many of the little vignettes I grew up hearing got tied together in a larger narrative, and I began to see where I came from in a different way.
2
[on the song 'Black Lung'] I'm a trained singer; I've practiced for years. Contrast that with Hazel Dickens who wrote that song about her brother and doesn't have an ounce of training. It's a seamless connection from the emotion to what comes out of her mouth. I've been moved to tears by her version of the song. I had to not perform that song. That taught me how much I don't know about singing. That was the gift really of all this music. All of the songs were very simple but, for me, it was almost like there was a little wall deep down in me I had to push down and open up a level of vulnerability. It's really about honoring the stories. I had to strip away a layer of my own ego to do it.
3
Unions help people, who may be in the position of having no power, to discover a power bigger than each individual. When people stand together anywhere in the name of what they have in common and in the name of dignity, there's a principle that starts to work through them, and that is the beauty of unions.
4
Music can help us communicate with each other. I can make an argument for thirty minutes that won't convince you, but I can sing you a song in three minutes that will change your heart. The arts knock on the brain from the back door. It makes us feel something first and then teaches us something. That's a vehicle for change. If I do my job right, it's like going on a journey and each song opens up a nuance of the journey, and the momentum keeps pulling you forward.
5
Someone said to me early on that you have to stay in touch with the love of doing it. It can't be about fame and money and all that. If you stay in touch with the joy and fulfillment, time and the world fall away, and there's nothing but the music. That will lead you where you need to go, and the rest will take care of itself. If you get rich and famous and hate the music, then you haven't done anything. That's a special kind of misery.
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Fact
1
New album coming on August 29th entitled "The Definitive Collection." It will feature 20 of her greatest hits from when she was on the Mercury Records label from 1983 until 2000. [August 2006]
2
Released her newest studio album entitled "Right Out Of Nowhere". On it, she does covers of The Rolling Stones' "Gimme Shelter", Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Down On The Corner", and the traditional "Wade In The Water". [September 2005]
3
Was a member of a local bluegrass band while attending college.
4
Signed a new recording contract with Narada Records in 2001, and has since released 3 studio albums, the most current one was released in September 2005.
5
Did a remake of Raffi's song "One Light, One Sun" on the Raffi tribute album entitled "Country Goes Raffi", which was released in 2001.
6
Released 11 studio albums and one greatest hits album through Mercury Records before being released from her contract there in 2000.
7
Split with Mercury Records in 2000, having been there for 17 years since 1983. She released 11 studio albums and 2 greatest hits albums through them.
8
Signed with Narada Records in 2001, which is a division of Virgin Records. She has so far released 3 studio albums with them: 'Roses' in July 2002, 'Joy For Christmas Day' in September 2003, and 'Right Out Of Nowhere' in September 2005.
9
In 1988 and 1989, scored four No. 1 hits on Billboard magazine's country singles chart. They include "Goin' Gone" and "Eighteen Wheels and a Dozen Roses" (both 1988) and "Come From the Heart" and "Burnin' Old Memories" (both 1989). In addition to "Love at the Five and Dime", Mattea's other top 10 hits include "Walk the Way the Wind Blows" (1986); "You're the Power" and "Train of Memories" (1987); "Untold Stories" (1988); "Life as We Knew It" (1989); "Where Have You Been", "The Battle Hymn of Love" and "She Came from Fort Worth" (1990); "Time Passes By" (1991); and "Walking Away a Winner" (1994).
10
She has been a fixture on the country scene since 1983. Her first major hit was "Street Talk", released late that year; a string of minor hits followed before her breakthrough hit, 1986's "Love at the Five and Dime."
11
Kathy Mattea studied engineering at West Virginia University. She worked as a tour guide to the Country Hall Of Fame.
Soundtrack
Title
Year
Status
Character
One Hit Wonderland
2012
TV Series documentary performer - 1 episode
The Marty Stuart Show
2009
TV Series performer - 1 episode
Biography
2007
TV Series documentary performer - 1 episode
CMT: 100 Greatest Music Videos
2004
TV Movie performer: "Romeo"
Our Country
2003
Documentary short performer: "Turn, Turn, Turn To Everything There is a Season"
Dateline NBC
1994
TV Series documentary performer - 1 episode
Maverick
1994
performer: "Amazing Grace"
Billy Ray Cyrus: Dreams Come True
1993
TV Special documentary performer: "Romeo"
22nd Annual Country Music Association Awards
1988
TV Special performer: "Traveling Down the Same Road Those Who Came Before"
Actress
Title
Year
Status
Character
The Griffin and the Minor Canon
2002
TV Movie
Mother (voice)
Rachel and Andrew Jackson: A Love Story
2001
TV Movie
Narrator (voice)
Touched by an Angel
2000
TV Series
JJ
Maverick
1994
Woman with Concealed Guns
Self
Title
Year
Status
Character
Glen Campbell: I'll Be Me
2014
Documentary
Herself - Musician
Charlie Daniels: A Twin Pines Christmas
2009
TV Movie
Herself
The Marty Stuart Show
2009
TV Series
Herself - Special Guest
CMT Insider
2009
TV Series
Herself
Biography
2006
TV Series documentary
Herself
WoodSongs Old-Time Radio Hour
2006
TV Series
Herself
On Stage at the Kennedy Center: A Holiday Concert for the Troops with Marvin Hamlisch
2003
TV Movie
Herself - Performer
Roger Miller Remembered
1998
TV Special
Herself
Miracle on Highway 31
1997
TV Movie
Herself
The 18th Annual CableACE Awards
1996
TV Special
Herself - Presenter
America's Music: The Roots of Country
1996
TV Mini-Series documentary
Herself (1996)
1995 VH1 Honors
1995
TV Movie
Herself
The South Bank Show
1995
TV Series documentary
Herself
Riders Radio Theater
1995
TV Series
Herself
In a New Light '94
1994
TV Special
Herself
The Roots of Country: Nashville Celebrates the Ryman
1994
TV Special
Herself
Vicki!
1993-1994
TV Series
Herself
The Women of Country
1993
TV Movie
Herself
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
1993
TV Series
Herself
Billy Ray Cyrus: Dreams Come True
1993
TV Special documentary
Herself
Burt Reynolds' Conversations with...
1992
TV Movie
Herself
Hot Country Nights
1991-1992
TV Series
Herself
The 19th Annual American Music Awards
1992
TV Special
Herself
Montana Christmas Skies
1991
TV Special
Herself
25th Annual Country Music Association Awards
1991
TV Special
Herself
The 26th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards
1991
TV Special
Herself
Voices that Care
1991
TV Movie documentary
Herself - Lead Vocals
24th Annual Country Music Association Awards
1990
TV Special
Herself - Performer
The 25th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards
1990
TV Special
Herself
An All Star Salute to Country Music
1990
TV Movie
Herself
Hee Haw
1984-1989
TV Series
Herself
The Pat Sajak Show
1989
TV Series
Herself
The 24th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards
1989
TV Special
Herself
The New Hollywood Squares
1989
TV Series
Guest Appearance
22nd Annual Country Music Association Awards
1988
TV Special
Herself - Performer
Archive Footage
Title
Year
Status
Character
Biography
2007
TV Series documentary
Herself
Dateline NBC
1994
TV Series documentary
Herself
Nominated Awards
Year
Award
Ceremony
Nomination
Movie
1994
Grammy
Grammy Awards
Best Country Collaboration with Vocals
Known for movies
Maverick (1994) as Woman with Concealed Guns
Glen Campbell: I'll Be Me (2014) as Herself - Musician
Billy Ray Cyrus: Dreams Come True (1993) as Herself
22nd Annual Country Music Association Awards (1988) as Herself - Performer
$10 Million
