Kathy Mattea's new CD 'COAL'

Subject: Kathy Mattea's new CD 'COAL'
From: katlaughing
Date: 19 Jun 08 - 12:00 AM

Just heard Kathy Mattea and her musicians on Woodsongs Old Time Radio Hour, singing cuts from her new CD entitled "Coal." Good stuff and beautifully done. Check it out: Click Here. It was nice to hear them honour Jean Ritchie at the beginning and to hear a pre-recorded Woodsongs intro by her.

Here's the Track List:

Track List:

The L&N Don’t Stop Here Anymore
Blue Diamond Mines
Red-Winged Black Bird
Lawrence Jones
Green Rolling Hills
Coal Tattoo
Sally In The Garden
You’ll Never Leave Harlan Alive
Dark As A Dungeon
Coming Of The Roads
Black Lung

Subject: RE: Kathy Mattea's new CD 'COAL'
From: GUEST,Texas Guest
Date: 19 Jun 08 - 12:28 AM

Kathy Mattea has long been one of my favorites. I'm very partial to female singers anyway, but I'd put her right up there in a group of women I would label, "The Best." Thanks for reminding me of the
"L&N," that song has been on my "to do" list for some time - guess I need to get it done. Yay Kathy! Cheers.

Subject: RE: Kathy Mattea's new CD 'COAL'
From: catspaw49
Date: 19 Jun 08 - 12:36 AM

I love it when they find their roots..............

Spaw

Subject: RE: Kathy Mattea's new CD 'COAL'
From: Janie
Date: 19 Jun 08 - 01:20 AM

Thanks for the heads up, Kat. I haven't followed her much. I have heard some of her music that I liked very well, and some that I thought way over produced.    We were raised in the same small community in West Virginia, but I was grown and gone before her family moved there. All the songs you list are favorites of mine from the folk/old-time/union/bluegrass music revival of the 60's and early 70's (it was all one seamless piece) of my younger days before I left the area. I wonder if she knows (and she well may) of the many musicians who were literally in her backyard who did fine interpretations of these songs?

I'll look forward to taking a listen!

Texas Guest - I love "L & N." It is a great song in and of itself. In addition, for me, it evokes memories of a good friend in West Virginia with whom I have lost touch, Sam Hickman, who did a hauntingly splendid rendition.

Coal Tatoo was the 2nd song I learned to play on the autoharp.

Green Rolling Hills is a good song that got overplayed and over-identified with Emmylou Harris, at least in West Virginia. It would be great if Kathy Mattea doing it could perhaps result in the song standing on it's own. (Does that make sense to anyone other than this old Hillbilly?)

Janie

Subject: RE: Kathy Mattea's new CD 'COAL'
From: Janie
Date: 19 Jun 08 - 01:22 AM

'Spaw, I you said what I shied away from saying.

I hate to give a buckeye credit for anything....

Subject: RE: Kathy Mattea's new CD 'COAL'
From: WFDU - Ron Olesko
Date: 19 Jun 08 - 09:38 AM

"I love it when they find their roots.............."

Kathy Mattea NEVER lost her roots. She has always acknowledged and celebrated her folk traditions in her music. She has recorded songs from a number of contemporary and "traditional" songwriters from the folk community over the years.    Her new CD is a gem.

Subject: RE: Kathy Mattea's new CD 'COAL'
From: GUEST,DonMeixner
Date: 19 Jun 08 - 10:06 AM

You can see live renditions of some of these tunes on YouTube. Kathy Mattea has been a favorite of mine for many years.

Coal Tattoo is a major part of my playlist and has been for 40 years. A great song.

Don

Subject: RE: Kathy Mattea's new CD 'COAL'
From: topical tom
Date: 19 Jun 08 - 10:39 AM

I have always loved the singing of Kathy Mattea, a great voice and feeling for a song.Thanks for the heads up, Kat.Most enjoyable.

Subject: RE: Kathy Mattea's new CD 'COAL'
From: pdq
Date: 19 Jun 08 - 10:53 AM

Two song written by Jean Ritchie and three more by Billy Edd Wheeler. Produced by Marty Stuart. Sounds like a perfect start.

Subject: RE: Kathy Mattea's new CD 'COAL'
From: katlaughing
Date: 19 Jun 08 - 11:11 AM

Thanks for your comments, folks. If you all want to hear the same show I did, just scroll down on THIS PAGE to Kathy's name and pick your loading speed to the right and enjoy!

Subject: RE: Kathy Mattea's new CD 'COAL'
From: Janie
Date: 19 Jun 08 - 11:13 AM

Thanks!

Subject: RE: Kathy Mattea's new CD 'COAL'
From: katlaughing
Date: 19 Jun 08 - 11:22 AM

You're welcome! I forgot to say it is well worth listening to, not only for the songs, but also to hear Kathy talk about how she came to choose them, her own family history, etc. Really neat stuff!

Subject: RE: Kathy Mattea's new CD 'COAL'
From: GUEST,TJ in San Diego
Date: 19 Jun 08 - 11:24 AM

When I first heard Kathy Mattea's voice, I fell in love with the sound of it. I knew she had to be, at heart, a folk singer. It even came through in songs like "Sixteen Wheels and a Dozen Roses," despite the arranging and studio enhancements. Had she been born a few years earlier, she would likely have become an icon on the folk scene. As it is, thankfully, she brings that flavor to much that she does. This latest effort seems to reconnect her with those traditional roots. Hopefully, it will be well received, encouraging more of the same.

Subject: RE: Kathy Mattea's new CD 'COAL'
From: pdq
Date: 19 Jun 08 - 11:56 AM

Merl Haggard reverted to a "rootsy" sound with "If I Could Only Fly" in 2000. Since then he has done several outstanding records including gospel.

Marty Stuart is best doing traditional Country. "Busy Bee Cafe" clear back about 1982 has Doc Watson and other traditionalists.

Rick Skaggs and the White Family, to whom his wife Sharon belongs, kept traditional Country in the Opry shows.

Even Porter Waggoner's last two records were almost Folk, and quite good, one mostly covers of his friend Damon Black's songs.

Mary-Chapin Carpenter has tried to stay close to "roots music".

Emmylou Harris started out in Grenwich Village as a latter-day Folkie, going on to save Country from the commercial pap it was becoming during the late 50s through the late 70s.

Subject: RE: Kathy Mattea's new CD 'COAL'
From: GUEST,Russ
Date: 19 Jun 08 - 12:12 PM

I looked at the track list and could hardly believe my eyes.

If she had only done "WV My Home" my joy would be complete.

Russ (Permanent GUEST and WV expat)

Subject: RE: Kathy Mattea's new CD 'COAL'
From: Wesley S
Date: 19 Jun 08 - 01:10 PM

I've wondered about the production of this CD. It would be nice if it was a stripped down folkie sounding recording. But I'm worried that it will sound like it came from Nashville - instead of West Virginia.

Subject: RE: Kathy Mattea's new CD 'COAL'
From: katlaughing
Date: 19 Jun 08 - 02:04 PM

Listen to it, Wesley, on the program. I think you will be pleasantly surprised. The woman has integrity.:-)

Subject: RE: Kathy Mattea's new CD 'COAL'
From: Fortunato
Date: 19 Jun 08 - 02:15 PM

Katlaughing,

Thanks for bringing this to the Mudcat. One very good use of our threads here is the international attention we can bring to music that we respect and wish to see propigated. Artists like Kathy Mattea can bring the songs of Jean Ritchie and others to the attention of an audience who would otherwise never know them.

Additionally we start waves that wash up on many and many unknown shores adding to the strength of folk and roots music world wide.

chance

Subject: RE: Kathy Mattea's new CD 'COAL'
From: GUEST,DonMeixner
Date: 19 Jun 08 - 02:25 PM

Kathy Mattea is hardly a Nashville icon even tho' she is a better performer and singer than most who wear that label. She has always been Too Folky to be the next Faith Hill or Shania Twain. For a good example of what she does I say again, Look at the live stuff on Youtube that she recorded at Joe's in NYC.

Be surprised.

Don

Subject: RE: Kathy Mattea's new CD 'COAL'
From: katlaughing
Date: 19 Jun 08 - 02:44 PM

You are most welcome, Chance, well put. I do LOVE this part of Mudcat, so much and have learned so much this way.

Isn't serendipity interesting...last night I didn't like what was airing on the two internet stations I listen to the most, so I decided to try one other which I listen to very infrequently. I was just in time for the whole Woodsongs show, featuring this CD for the whole show. It was a treat!

Subject: RE: Kathy Mattea's new CD 'COAL'
From: Bee
Date: 20 Jun 08 - 02:22 PM

This CD will be a present for my husband - he adores Kathy Mattea's singing (and I like it too).

Subject: RE: Kathy Mattea's new CD 'COAL'
From: GUEST,Greycap
Date: 20 Jun 08 - 08:35 PM

I love concept cds, and I know I'm gonna like this one.
Norman Blake, Billy Ed Wheeler, Merle Travis.... got all this son & grandson of mining stock'll go for.
Win - win situation.

Subject: Kathy Mattea 'Coal'
From: Dave Illingworth
Date: 18 Jul 08 - 03:28 AM

I know there has been a thread on this, but being a bit thick
(especially computer-wise) I don't know how to access it.
Anyway, many thanks to those who mentioned and praised Kathy Mattea's
"Coal" CD.
I have long admired her voice and choice of material, although I possess only a few albums. "Coal" could be the best thing she has done. Fine songs, well sung, with just the right economic acoustic backing. Hopefully the UK folk magazines will give it the respect it deserves. Definitely one of my records of the year, so far.
So thanks again.

---

Message moved.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Kathy Mattea's new CD 'COAL'
From: Midchuck
Date: 18 Jul 08 - 07:07 AM

I just got this from Amazon yesterday. It's every bit as good as everyone above says. And not an electrified instrument anywhere, near's I could tell.

But, since I don't want to wreck my grumpy image: Why in HELL did they need to make the liner notes so totally unreadable? You literally have to use a flashlight to tell who plays what on what cut. Or are my eyes getting that old that fast?

Peter.

Subject: RE: Kathy Mattea's new CD 'COAL'
From: bankley
Date: 18 Jul 08 - 11:09 AM

credit to Marty Stuart for production...... for a fairly young man, he's been at it with the giants and legends since he was 13.... he's a lot of fun too

Subject: RE: Kathy Mattea's new CD 'COAL'
From: Arkie
Date: 18 Jul 08 - 12:35 PM

Have listened to the CD several times and will listen again as soon as I get it back from my son. It is what one might expect from Kathy Mattea and from Marty Stuart. Throughout her career, Mattea has seemed to place substance first in her selection of songs. Stuart has put art and respect back into the Nashville music world in spades. The purchase of Coal would help support those in the music industry who place a premium on substance. The real plus, however, is the enjoyment one will receive from putting the CD in one's player and from repeated listening. You will enjoy this CD if you like good songs, well done, with arrangements that support the music.

Subject: RE: Kathy Mattea's new CD 'COAL'
From: Dave Illingworth
Date: 18 Jul 08 - 12:49 PM

Amen to all that - and thanks for getting me back on this thread !

Subject: RE: Kathy Mattea's new CD 'COAL'
From: GUEST
Date: 18 Jul 08 - 12:57 PM

credit to Marty Stuart for production...... for a fairly young man, he's been at it with the giants and legends since he was 13.... he's a lot of fun too

Marty turns 50 in September. Maybe not as old as you, but he's been an adult for a long while now.

---

Please note that anonymous posting is no longer allowed at Mudcat. Use a consistent name [in the 'from' box] when you post, or your messages risk being deleted.
Thanks.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Kathy Mattea's new CD 'COAL'
From: bankley
Date: 18 Jul 08 - 01:15 PM

Marty's still a lot younger than Little Jimmie Dickens.... but I'm not sure who has more rhinestone suits !

Subject: RE: Kathy Mattea's new CD 'COAL'
From: GUEST,Rob the Roadie
Date: 18 Jul 08 - 01:19 PM

"Coal not Dole" by Kay Sutcliffe about the closure of the Kent Coalmines is a must hear particularly by Angie Wright of Taggart and Wright.

Subject: RE: Kathy Mattea's new CD 'COAL'
From: Barry Finn
Date: 18 Jul 08 - 03:03 PM

"Artists like Kathy Mattea can bring the songs of Jean Ritchie and others to the attention of an audience who would otherwise never know them."

I can't understand this phenomenon, why is it that Jean Richie would need someone leading a path to her. I'd rather hear Jean & Billy Ed Wheeler & Merle do their own songs than someone else, no matter how good a cover.

Forget it.

Barry

Subject: RE: Kathy Mattea's new CD 'COAL'
From: Barry Finn
Date: 18 Jul 08 - 03:56 PM

Thanks Kat for the link, I just got finished listening. She's very good. A bit overproduced for my tastes, I would rather just a few strings, guitar & fiddle maybe, no percussions (& I'm a drummer). She got a great voice that doesn't need any accompanyment & just a little is fine, to much & it detracts from her voice but if she listened to me she probably would sell nearly as many CD's. I'd still prefere to hear the songs done by their sources but damn she did do a fine job.
Thanks
Barry

Subject: RE: Kathy Mattea's new CD 'COAL'
From: Allan C.
Date: 10 May 09 - 12:28 PM

As a birthday gift for Carmen, we went to see Kathy Mattea in concert at Frederick, Maryland's Weinburg Center last night. It was an excellent performance most remarkably marred by a brief power outage in the midst of one of her songs. Trooper that she is, she stepped out onto the stage apron and attempted to continue on with the song, unplugged, so to speak. But then the power came back on and she started the song over from the top. Every song, with that momentary exception, was totally flawless in execution.

Kathy's vocals were utterly flawless. She has a power in her voice with which only a few are blessed. Her backup band, consisting of guitar, stand-up bass, and mandolin/fiddle is equally talented.

I must remark, however, with regard to the song, Coal Tattoo, Carmen and I were greatly disappointed. The bassist slapped the upbeat while everyone else accented the down. I am sure it took considerable talent on the bassist's part to maintain that throughout the song. The problem was that one (well, we, anyway,) received the impression that everyone was out of sync with one another. The "drive" of the song that Carmen and I were so accustomed to hearing in the song, (and is much more present, BTW, on the "Coal" CD,) was completely thrown off and left the song wanting.

Personally, I was quite impressed by her inclusion and execution of another favorite Billy Edd Wheeler song, "Redwing Blackbird". It is a song I have loved since first I heard it and her rendition in no way detracted from that love.

Certainly no attempt at musically portraying the life of the coal miner should exclude songs by Jean Ritchie. She is well represented on the CD and Kathy's performance of Jean's songs did them justice. Yes, I suppose one could argue that such songs should be rendered with much less or at least simpler, more plain accompaniment; but I believe Mattea's efforts were powerful enough for us to excuse what some may term as a wee bit of overproduction.

During the performance Kathy made mention that the wonderful collection of songs included in the "Coal" CD is partially attributable to the help of Frederick, Maryland's own Joe Bussard who, upon learning of her wish to create the "Coal" CD, sent her a three CD compilation of coal related songs from his tremendous collection. (Note: if you are into blues, this man holds a treasure trove of '78's from which a great number of re-recordings are available through many sources, including Smithsonian Folkways and Amazon.)

In summary, I wish to say that I have always most enjoyed performers who were relaxed enough on stage to "get real" with the audience. I think Kathy Mattea proved to be one of those. She truly seemed to enjoy performing and reacted readily to audience feedback, of which there was an abundance. Carmen and I are very much enjoying her latest CD, (well reminiscent of her excellent performance,) and are very much inspired by the collection.

Subject: RE: Kathy Mattea's new CD 'COAL'
From: open mike
Date: 10 May 09 - 12:42 PM

wow--great to hear from the long lost Allan C!!

and I was just at Kathy Mattea's web site recently
as i posted a link to her (very evocative) song
"Where've You Been" on Mick's brokenheart thread...

Subject: RE: Kathy Mattea's new CD 'COAL'
From: open mike
Date: 10 May 09 - 02:47 PM

i do not see Green Rollin' Hills (of W.V.) on the track list..
but just to set the record straight...it was
written by U. Utah Phillips..

Subject: RE: Kathy Mattea's new CD 'COAL'
From: wysiwyg
Date: 10 May 09 - 03:03 PM

Kathy Mattea did L& N last week or so on the Marty Stuart show (US TV). POWful. Love that girl! The "Coal" project was never mentioned, I had no idea....

~S~

Subject: RE: Kathy Mattea's new CD 'COAL'
From: GUEST,Anne Price
Date: 01 Apr 13 - 11:47 AM

I just discovered this CD. It's fabulous! Wonder how I missed it back in 09. I love Kathy Mattea and coal mining songs. Though most of the songs are familiar to me, from Jean Ritchie, Si Kahn, Billy Ed Wheeler, Hazel Dickens etc., Kathy does them beautifully and makes them sound new.