Most entertainers work hard at Christmas time, but this is ridiculous! By my count, she has performed her Sounds of the Season Christmas concert 103 times from sea to shining sea. In 1999, the wonderful DVD, Sounds of the Season was filmed in Dickson TN. Some of us were in that audience for the live taping. (If you get your copy out this Christmas you will spot me sitting next to Dick Brundige in the audience. Rene was there, but she didn’t make the cut…)

I try not to speak in absolutes, but I believe the Christmas show is the best thing Kathy does all year…and that she may well be remembered for Good News when all is said and done. It IS that good. The cult-like following Good News has achieved might lead you to believe that it’s the only Christmas recording Kathy has made. Well, not so! Joy For Christmas Day may not be the favorite child, but it matches Good News’ brilliance in every way. That’s just my not-so-humble opinion

As a veteran of 95 of these 103 shows, I’d like to try to articulate why the Christmas show means so much to me. And while I am missing it this Christmas season, I can’t be too unhappy. You see, my fifth grandchild, a baby girl, will be born later today (December 21st)!

Most of us are hardwired to love Christmas, Hanukkah, and the religious celebrations of cultures. It’s in our DNA. I can only speak for myself, but I refuse to be cynical about this season I love so much. It is too commercial, no doubt about it. But it is only as commercial as you let it be.

I want the whole Norman Rockwell experience…all the sights, sounds and smells. My Christmas needs to be white. Does it get better than snow falling gently on Christmas Eve? There are family gatherings, school pageants, parties and It’s a Wonderful Life. Elvis must sing Blue Christmas the day after Thanksgiving to kick everything off…. I want the grandkids photo taken in matching jammies and the search is on to find the right Santa to make an appearance on Christmas Eve. (Santa and the Baby Jesus co-exist nicely in my world). Truly, most of the great memories I have of childhood revolve around the holidays. And all that I have ever experienced at Christmas is refined, reworked and recycled into our own family traditions. It goes beyond family….I see people all around me extending themselves in service to others. The stories you hear of kindness and sharing restore my faith in mankind. Why wouldn’t you love Christmas/Hanukkah? As the song says, it is the most wonderful time of the year.

Then, along comes Kathy with some Good News in 1993. In 1994 she begins her December touring and in 1995, I finally climbed aboard the Christmas Express….and never looked back. Looking forward to the Christmas shows has been a constant in my life. It became another cherished tradition that always involved good friends along the way. We watched Sounds of the Season change through the years…band members came and went, songs lived and quietly went away as others took their place. Ever-changing but always, always inspiring.

As most of you know, Kathy’s Christmas show is focused on the Nativity. All the songs center around the Savior’s birth. For me, the shows were always an oasis of calm in a hectic world. There was an unmistakable reverence that to me felt more like a church service than a concert. When songs from Joy For Christmas Day were introduced into the set list in 2003, one song in particular (There’s Still My Joy) spoke to those who were dealing with sadness, grief and other burdens. In my view, this song was the missing piece…in its simplicity, it capped the experience with a message of hope… and faith in that very child whose birth we were celebrating.

I watched a Christmas special the other evening on television. There were Christmas songs sung that took me a full minute to even recognize. (I call it the National Anthem effect). It’s great when an artist puts their “stamp” on a song. That’s their job. But, when the attention is drawn (usually negatively) to the singer and not the song…well, I bail. Kathy’s arrangements and performance ALWAYS call attention to the beauty of the song. She respects the music. The harmonies are sublime, the musicians equally inspiring. To illustrate what I’m talking about, I offer the following. Any number of songs from the Christmas show would do, but I particularly love this one:

Yesterday, we welcomed a Christmas baby into our family. I was given the honor of cutting the cord. With a snip of the scissors, I disrupted the lifeline that began some nine months ago. Symbolically, this little girl is on her own. But she will never want for attention, affection or anything else… She has family. My sincere hope is that all of you will cherish the family you’ve been given. Widen the circle with friends and those that need friends every chance you get. If we could bottle the Spirit of Christmas and spread it throughout the year, the changes would be astounding…

Merry Christmas!

Sue and the ever-growing Phelps clan!

Rene and I had a relatively calm ride up to Charleston. We weren’t
planking, so it was pretty uneventful. I’m a borderline pessimist, so I took
the time to worry about every detail of our trip. I was sure the hotel would
be nasty and that we’d wait hours to get into restaurants because our group
was too large. I had it raining the whole weekend. Then I was sure that
everyone would back out and stay home, leaving us with 6 people in the
reserved seats. Some day I will learn.

Even though I have been to the Cultural Center several times, I didn’t
remember where it was in the Capitol complex. (And by the way, West Va. has a
beautiful capitol!) They made it easy to spot by parking a huge red WVMHOF
trailer out front. People were milling around the lobby, enjoying the
displays and waiting to be allowed in. The event was first come, first seated.

I’d had several conversations with different folks at the HOF. All of you
need to know how WONDERFUL they have treated us from the beginning. They had
two rows of seats reserved for fan club directly behind the VIPS. So we
were the majority of rows C and D. I had to laugh because I was seated two
people over from Landau Eugene Murphy himself. I can hear some of you saying,
who??? Well, Landau won the America’s Got Talent show. He is a tall, slender
African American with dreads if that helps. And, he is my husband’s
favorite performer! Eat your heart out, Sherm. Landau is a home town boy from
Logan, WV. So, they put him in the show…. He sang People Get Ready. It was
great, but I’d been hoping for a Sinatra tune.

Now, I don’t have my program and my memory will fail me, so I will mention
the acts that I remember . The program basically went thusly: there would
be a 5 minute or so vignette of the inductee’s life and career, then a
presenter would come out and make a nice speech about the honoree, then the
inductee would come out and humbly accept the award and make a speech
(acceptance), then said inductee would perform. Those inductees who had passed on,
had relatives or friends accepting and their work was performed by others.
Now if they could have gotten Diamond Teeth Mary to show up, THAT would have
been much cooler.

The diversity of the music we heard was freakin’ awesome. Jazz (Butch
Miles), some baaad rock n’ roll (Billy Cox), a stroll down memory lane with
Frosty the Snowman (Jack Rollin), a little Red Clay Rambler music, straight
ahead country from Connie Smith and of course, Kathy with her Coalish, West
Virginia Mine Disaster.

Oh, and by the way, those two female inductees looked AMAZING. There must
be something in the West Virginia air that deducts 20 years from your life.
I hadn’t seen Connie Smith in a few years and she looked like a kid and sounded
terrific.

So, have you gone to You Tube and watched the vignette yet? You might
recognize some of the photos from the video I put together for the fan club
party a few years back. They axed for help with video and stills, and I was
happy to help. I think they did a great job. Then Mr. Tim O’Brien stepped up
and gave a very sweet speech to present his friend to the Hall of Fame. I
would love to hear it again, because I find myself forgetting much that he
said. (By this time, it was all I could do to stay in my seat…we were all
pretty pumped…) But one thing brought cheers from the back of the room. Tim
mentioned that he thought Kathy was courageous to work for environmental
causes in WV in a state so controlled by coal interests. There were various
times throughout the evening when that group cheered any mention of coal or
MTR. So, those guys came out to support Kathy as well. Way to go guys!

Now, Kathy’s remarks were, well….remarkable. She’s always been great on
her feet and a microphone is truly her best friend. I’m sure she’d gone thru
a list of things she wanted to say, but I saw no notes. Just Kathy…from
the heart. She thanked everyone for being there, she gave a nod to all the
music teachers in her life, her family, especially Aunt Alice and even her
fans who had traveled great distances. You must buy the DVD to hear her
acceptance in its entirety because it was wonderful. I know it lasted longer
than 2 minutes, but that’s what it felt like to me.

Now, Marc Dottore was there. He manages Kathy, Marty and Connie. So it was
a big day for his agency! They all came up in a tour bus together. Was able to
chat with him after the show. He smiled and said that after they had
mentioned Kathy’s name and a roar came from the crowd, that he knew we’d thrown
in some ringers… Yes, there was a considerable part of the audience there
for KM. But she is the hometown girl, after all. And she deserved
it…all of it.

I sat there after it was all over, and I was pretty drained. I kept
thinking what a wonderful thing it is to honor someone while they are alive and
can appreciate it. It was a day of giving back to the talented people who
happened to have been born in WV. Kathy has worked very hard to bang the
drum for WV. Every show, every appearance….she represents WV so well and
so often. From the official Come Home to West Virginia campaign in 1986,
to her efforts to save the landscape as we know it…from the countless
benefits, appearances and charitable work she’s done. From the flack she’s
taken, to the honorary doctorate from her beloved WVU. All that culminated on
a stage in Charleston.

Now if anyone ever urges her to run for governor….I’ll punch you in the
nose (and run). Not feelin’ it for politicians about now.

OK, well after the show, she made a beeline for her family. Aunt Alice
was able to be there. Kathy had said in Minnesota that she’d move heaven and
earth to get her there. And I know it was a big, big deal for Kathy.
Alice is not the only aunt still living, but the only one who could make the
show. She is such a gracious and sweet woman. Cousins Barb and Pam were
there, along with her brothers, Mike and Joe with his wife. So, it was a
wonderful family moment, I’m sure.

A while later, she walked across the hall to where the not-so-ragtag bunch
of us were standing, perhaps dressed better than she’d ever seen us.
Tim had on his Sunday-go-to-meetin’ suit, Robinson wore a tie, and Sharon
Sikes even wore a skirt. It was definitely a cut above our usual concert
garb, but not by any stretch formal. In fact, I had a good laugh. With so
much emphasis on “what” to wear prior to the show, it amused me that Kathy
wore jeans. Now, not your ordinary dungarees She looked amazing. I
know most of you have seen the photos. But, they were jeans, according to my
fashion expert, Rene. Made me laugh.

I thought she would address us as a group and thank us for coming, yadda
yadda yadda. But she took all the time in the world with us, posed for pics
and eventually we got our group shot. I can tell you this for a
certainty. This experience would not have been the same for me, personally, if only Rene and I had
gone. Having those familiar faces there made it perfect and I thank each and
every one of you who made the trip. I’m so aware of those who could not
attend and I thought of you during the ceremony. If it was important to ME
can you just imagine how important it was to KATHY? She thanked everyone for
the flowers and said they were gorgeous. Apparently they made the trip
home on the bus as well. The fan club bought some wine and chocolates for
the long trip home on the bus. It didn’t sound like she was wanting to share
that, though

All in all, it was two days I’ll never ever forget. Even the weather
cooperated. I’ve had a chance to talk to Kathy since the Induction. She’s
still on a cloud, but real life has a way of bringing you back to earth.
There’s still much to do to get this new CD out there. There are a handful of
shows on the books. I just found out that Steve (my oldest son) and
Marcee are having their second child, due in May. Lindsay is due around
Christmas. I don’t need to wait till Thanksgiving to tell the world how blessed I
am. Family, friends like you, Kathy, decent health and a great job. What
more could a person want?? Oh yeah, a new car.

Hope you are enjoying this cooler, fall weather. And I hope to see some
of you on the road….

Happily, Kathy won that night. If circumstances would have been different, I would have leapt from my seat and commenced my Dance of Joy. But two sleeping children (one on me and one in me) kept me sofa-bound. Instead, I watched this beautiful, talented, humble woman accept the most important award the industry had to offer as a beaming new husband and peers watched and cheered. I felt my eyes fill with tears and I leaned back against the the cushion and closed my eyes. YEEEEESSSS!

Mind you, this was 1989. It would be five long years before we would have cable television and TNN. The internet was a faint glimmer in Al Gore’s eyes. All I really knew about Kathy Mattea was…well, nothing. No Country Weekly, no Nashville Now….I’d never seen her in concert. What explained the depth of my loyalty 25 years ago? For that matter, what explains it now? It mystifies me….

You know, there are two comments that we hear at the merchandise table over and over: How old is Kathy? and She seems so down-to-earth…so NICE! To the first question I answer “41″ and to the second observation? Well, we explain, “Since detox and that short stay at the Correctional Facility, things are going well…” Seriously, watching a GOOD person achieve success and with that….celebrity without turning into a horse’s @ss reminds me that it can be done.

All I know is that nothing brings me greater joy than seeing Kathy get her due. CMAs, ACMs, Grammys, gold and platinum records, the great reviews, hobnobbing with Presidents & Robert Redford, the Minnie Pearl and other humanitarian awards, recognition for her environmental work…and most recently, the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame Induction. All major accomplishments for sure!! But, my memory serves me well. There are hundreds of quieter, sweeter moments that say the same thing in smaller, more personal ways. The spontaneous standing ovations for Where’ve You Been, decades after it’s release…the exceptional audiences from Alaska to Atlanta…the appreciative folks that wait in line after the shows to share a story and offer thanks. I don’t know which memories Kathy will cherish the most as she rocks and sips her tea in the Home. But I know that the human connections I’ve read and witnessed will probably overshadow the trophies and accolades…at least in my mind.

It’s been 25 years since I first heard the name, Kathy Mattea. How fitting to celebrate with her and 30 of my closest friends as she was inducted into the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame on October 15th. It was a perfect weekend. Perfect. If you missed it, don’t stress. The ceremony will be broadcast on public television in November in West Virginia and released on DVD for the rest of us. There are tee shirts, mugs, posters (?), and soon a DVD available to mark the occasion. Consider donating to the WVMHOF so that their work can continue. There’s so little time, and sooo many talented West Virginians!!

Stay tuned for the WVMHOF report, or 48 Hours of Pure Fun in the Mountain State!

On the other hand, if a periodontist tells you that you need a gum graft, make sure he/she is aware of your medical history. If you have systemic disease (rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, lupus, etc.), gum grafts often fail. My experience? 4 tries, 4 failures. Enough is enough. To go to hell and back for nothing is painful, frustrating–and very expensive.

Okay, enough about me. I’ll be reporting on Kathy’s latest road trip in my next blog. I’ll recap the 3 shows, paying special attention to the Roxboro gig. Something happened there that I’ve never seen before. It was both awkward and amazing.

Kathy is starting to play new songs from the upcoming CD in concert. If you compare releasing a new CD to pregnancy, we’d be in the 3rd trimester, eagerly awaiting delivery I don’t have details (release date, title, etc.) but I have heard half the songs, so I’ll share what I know. I’m trying to be patient, but patience has never been my strong suit.

So….be back soon with details of Kathy’s Post-Irene “Kinda Like a Hurricane” Tour…

Anyway, I know it’s still wildly popular, so I guess the move paid off. But since Kathy has concentrated on the Fan Club party and some “side” gigs most years, I plan my time accordingly. But I digress….

Here then, are my Top Ten Memories of FAN FAIR.

NUMBER 10: The Would-Be Party Crashers (1994) In 1994, I was driving my 4 kids (ages 15, 13, 9 and 4) across country. Our eventual destination was Boston, but I decided to detour to Nashville. It was during Fan Fair week. I hadn’t planned on attending Fan Fair, didn’t have tickets to the Fan Club party, or hotel reservations. It was a total whim. (Once I decided to drive from Utah to Virginia and at the last minute, diverted to Mt. Rushmore. How’s that for spontaneity?) So, the day of the party, the kids and I were parked in the lot of the Airport Marriott, just watching people go in and out, wishing I’d planned better and vowing never to let that happen again. I’ll never forget that horrible feeling of “missing out.” Seventeen years later, I can happily say that floods, car trouble, aching backs, and jury duty take a backseat to The Blunch.

NUMBER 9: “LapTop Fest (1991)” This memory involves a party I did not attend. But the legend of Laptop Fest lives on as an iconic story that pretty much defines country music stars and fans. Here you had a star who had suffered a devastating psychological blow…an injury to the vocal cords at the pinnacle of her career. But true to the attitude that “the show must go on,” Kathy came to the Fan Club Party with a laptop and communicated to fans through the miracle of technology. Who would have blamed her for taking a year off? Actions really do speak louder than words…

NUMBER 8: Pre-Dawn LineUps: It didn’t take long for me to learn that in order to sit at a table near the front of the room, you had to arrive early. Not an hour before start time, mind you. We’re talking 4:00 A.M.-ish. Now, this is one reason to have kids: if you turn them loose to stand in line, you can sleep in the car for a couple hours. Not to worry, though, Karen Sprinkle was always there before us, so I knew the kids would be safe, not to mention well-behaved In those early years, I remember waiting for Kathy to make her Grand Entrance. I was seriously nervous. Her “celebrity-hood” was a big deal in those early years of Fan Fair. Gradually, through the years, I’ve watched that change from “She’s here!!!! ” to “She’s here…please pass the salt.” It’s a measure of how comfortable we are with Kathy…. she’s gone from Star to Friend in just a few short years.

NUMBER 7: Yodel Fest (1997): I remember the day Ellen emailed me and told me that the Fan Club party would be a joint venture with Suzy Bogguss and her fans. My first reaction was mixed. Somehow I thought the party would be less of an experience if we had to share it. But, it didn’t take long to come around to the notion that it would be an awesome event! And it was. The gathering was huge (close to 400 fans). Kathy’s folks were there and having Suzy in attendance was amazing. The roof came down when the two women offered up a mini-concert. The rehearsal they had at Kathy’s house prior to the party really didn’t prepare them for the Yodel. At one point, Suzy threw it over to Kathy and asked her to yodel-along. Her attempt was on the pathetic side and as they say, hilarity ensued. It was bending-over, lost-control kind of laughing on Kathy’s part. Suzy’s “disgust” with her only made it funnier. No one present will ever forget it….

NUMBER 6: SOOD Tour (1998): Though not actually a part of Fan Fair, the Summer of our Dreams (SOOD) Tour kicked off the day after the Party. Kathy had several gigs in the week following Fan Fair. Her first stop was Atlanta, followed by stops in Wheeling, Lewisburg WV, Lexington KY, Ashland KY, and North Adams MA. More than 40 fans participated joining the tour along the way in a very impressive caravan. It was an amazing, bonding week. We had tee-shirts, banners and a surprise birthday celebration for Kathy after a show on June 21st. Good times….

NUMBER 5: 9-1-1 Boy (1998): This is one I would probably rather forget. Halfway through a concert Kathy and the band had graciously consented to do, police showed up. Seems some young clueless hooligan had called 9-1-1 over and over and over again on a pay phone. Unfortunately his last name was Phelps (first name, Kevin). So, Kathy spotted the SWAT team before anyone in the audience and when they interrupted the show and asked for Mrs. Phelps, I slunk out of the room. As I was leaving, Kathy put in a good word, “She’s really a nice lady, officers….” But, the coppers grilled Kevin, my old-enough-to-know better 8 year old son for a good half hour. He was scared to death. They took his silence as lack of cooperation. Worse yet, I was missing the concert. Somewhere in there I axed, “Can we move this along, Officer?” Not really, but I did think it. Now, lest you take this as an act of gross parental incompetence, I defy you to find a more responsible, achieving and unselfish son/adult than 9-1-1 Boy. He makes his mother proud on a daily basis. And maybe someday he will have a son just like hisownself.

NUMBER 4: Kathy By Request Fest (2005): Truth to tell, I had been hatching a plan ever since I took over the fan club in 2002. More than anything I wanted to hear Kathy sing songs that never made single-hood. So, fans were asked which songs in Kathy’s vast repertoire they wanted most to hear. Think deep cuts…songs that rarely, if ever, made the concert stage. This set list included Late in the Day, The Water is Wide, Hurt Some, Love Chooses You, One Light One Sun, I Wear Your Love, You’re the Power and many others, including two tunes from Jon. I was in my version of Kathy Heaven. In an upcoming video, I might just share that acoustic set with you. Don’t you want to hear Kathy sing Oops, I Did It Again? Boggles the mind.

NUMBER 3: Sweatstock (2002): Imagine you are in charge of a party for 130 people. Then imagine absolutely everything goes wrong. First and foremost, the A/C just flat doesn’t work. The inside temp is close to 110 degrees. People are going outside in the Nashville heat and humidity to cool off. The food is terrible…and we run out before the line ends. To add insult to injury, there was no toilet paper in the ladies room, or any hope of getting any. What’s a fan club president to do? Well, I died a thousand deaths. Undoubtedly one of the worst days of my life. So much for the good impression. But, almost ten years later, I remember the day with fondness. Not that I want EVER to repeat it, but this year (2011) we had our party at the Exit/In’s twin: The Station Inn. What was the difference? About 40 degrees. And some dang good Southern-catered comfort food. Yeah, buddy.

NUMBER 2: Bill Cooley’s Tribute to Kathy @ Birthday Fest (2009): Finally, a legitimate, cool-as-they-come (even poignant) fan club moment. Kathy’s 50th party was a final, hotel ballroom blowout. I knew that by taking the fan club online (read: FREE) we’d need to downsize in coming years. But we biggie-sized this affair. While people from Kathy’s past paraded across the stage (and on video), one person stood out with his simple and heartfelt remarks: Bill Cooley.

NUMBER 1: SobFest (2008): Last but not least, SobFest. The back story goes like this: In 2007, I began converting more than 800 VHS tapes to DVD. In March of the next year, the deed was done. As I’d sit for hours converting the tapes, I jotted down my favorites and over time began toying with the idea of making some sort of compilation DVD. I loved them so much, I thought fan clubbers would as well. So, at the 2008 Blunch, we played this hour and fifteen minute DVD. My personal pay-off was sitting next to Kathy during the viewing. I heard her laugh, cry and make remarks to me as it ran. Every scene sparked something–happy, sad and everywhere in between. Multiply every minute of this 60 minute+ video times 100 and you’d come close to how many hours it took to compile. BUT, I cherish the history of this amazing career of this amazing woman, so count it time well spent. I do. Following the DVD, some fans took the stage (in what I’d call an old-fashioned Mormon testimony meeting) and told Kathy face to face what they thought of her. In no uncertain terms. And the tears flowed. Kathy grabbed a nearby napkin the size of a tablecloth to wipe the tears as friends took their turns sharing how she had touched their lives with her music and friendship. And then it was over. But I’ll never forget it.

To The Divine Miss M & her sidekick, Donald, and techno-wizard Jay…..huge thanks for all the years of love, help and commitment. To the loyal fans who’ve made the trip year after year, you absolutely rule.

So….. what are your favorite memories? Feel free to share…. and see you next year in Nashville!!!! Pack lots of money, cool clothes, comfy shoes, bug repellant, and an oxygen tank. You’ve been warned.

Depending on your hemisphere, June 21st is either the day of the year with the most hours of daylight or the fewest. But did you know that on this day in:

1942: The Japanese fired 17 shells from a submarine at Fort Stevens (Oregon)
1948: Columbia Records introduced the first long playing record at a demonstration at the Waldorf-Astoria
1959: Kathy Mattea was born on Father’s Day!
1982: John Hinckley was found not guilty by reason of insanity in the shooting of Ronald Reagan
2009: Greenland assumed self-rule of their country. Go Greenland!

Even more interesting: Doug Savant was born on this day in 1964. Who is Doug Savant? Well, he’s one of two men Kathy BEAT on Celebrity Jeopardy in 1994, that’s who. Also born this day were actors Jane Russell, Judy Holliday, Ron Ely (Tarzan), and Bernie Kopell (The Love Boat). Don’t forget Meredith Baxter-Birney AND Michael Gross of Family Ties fame. They were born on the same day and year (1947). How’s that for trivia unbelievability?

Saving the best birthdays for last– Two famous American porn stars, Alicia Alighatti and Sindee Coxx, the talented Randy Leago, Kathy’s bandmate for many years, born the same day and year. Do not forget the future King of England either….Prince William!!

Unfortunately, the following men also met their maker on June 21st: Rimsky-Korsakov, John Lee Hooker, Carroll O’Connor (Archie Bunker), Leon Uris (writer), and Bob Evans (of Bob Evans restaurant fame).

Forever linked with this famous day are: the day Kathy signed her record deal, Go Skateboarding Day!, International Surfing Day and Statehood Day (New Hampshire).

But for me June 21st will always be the Day That Almost Was. Before my mother passed away in 1990, she told me the story of my own birthday. Seems she was instructed to check into the Camp Cooke (California) Army Hospital on June 21st to deliver her baby (ME). When she checked in, they sent her home. Seems the doctor had called in to extend his golf holiday and wouldn’t return until June 24th. I was born on the 25th of June….today. Sixty years ago. And I don’t intend to have any more birthdays. So there. Instead, I will be celebrating Grandmother’s Day, with no mention of age whatsoever. Thanks in advance for your cooperation.

But for the stupid game of golf, Kathy and I would have shared a birthday….along with the likes of Prince William, Tarzan and a couple of porn stars. I guess it just wasn’t meant to be.

I recommend you guys look up your birthdays on Wikipedia…God’s gift to inquiring minds. It’s extremely entertaining and probably 20% accurate. I know it’s where I go for all my fact-shopping needs.

Jon Vezner, Kathy’s husband (also a June birthday) turned the big 6-0 during CMA Fan Fest week. We were able to sing to him at the Blunch. Thanks to Ellen Dyck, we even had cake.

Kathy: Have a great year! Be happy, stay healthy and if you can squeeze out a new CD, that’d be great, too We love ya….

State Fair is #14 in the Benni Harper mystery series from Southern California writer, Earlene Fowler. Earlene has written 18 books and is the recipient of an Agatha Award for Best Novel for Mariner’s Compass (her 6th Benni book). She has a legion of fans who eagerly anticipate her next installment of this popular series.

Here’s a synopsis of State Fair:
It’s time for California’s San Celina Mid-State Fair, and Benni Harper Ortiz, a member of the fair’s Booster Buddies, is heavily involved in its activities—both as a volunteer and as a participant. When the replica of the famous Harriet Powers quilt disappears from the quilt exhibit, and a fairgoer is found dead in another one of the exhibits, Benni investigates, with the help of her great-aunt Garnet (think of a refined Grandma Mazur). As the two persevere in their search for perps and motives (Is someone upset by the choice of an African American as general manager of the fair?), Benni is dumbfounded by the change in her aunt—from prim-and-proper matron to someone who has clearly been watching too many crime shows on TV. Framed by the sights and sounds of a western state fair, the novel mixes mystery, humor, and a perceptive look at racial issues in California farm country.

So, Kathy is the much-anticipated headliner of the Mid-State Fair in San Celina (a fictional town in California). [An interesting side note: In 1996, Kathy played the real Mid-State Fair in Paso Robles, California. I was in the beginning stages of "touring" myself. I'd thrown the kids in the back of the Matteamobile and struck off for an extended road trip in California: Las Vegas NV, Oceanside, Paso Robles, Kelseyville, Grass Valley, & Sandpoint ID... 6 concerts in 7 days! That's some pretty respectable roadwork. The fair season can be brutal: hot & dusty days and venues ranging from band shells and bleachers to teeny stages and hay bales for seats. Still, fairs have their charm. Those of us who live in metropolitan, urban areas probably don't "get" the significance of county fairs in the lives of those who look forward to the festivities every year. Anyway...I'd guess that Earlene Fowler saw Kathy at the Mid-State Fair in Paso Robles and filed that little experience away in her author-brain.)

But there seemed to be more to it than that. Here's a telling excerpt:

"Eventually, Rifle Shot [the opening act] finished their set and Kathy Mattea took the stage. She performed many of her hits and most of my favorites, but I especially loved it when her songs became more bluegrassy, her lyrics a tribute to the coal-mining part of Kentucky. They always touched something inside me, especiallly her rendition of the haunting “You’ll Never Leave Harlan Alive.” The song always brought tears to my eyes, reminding me of the pain and exhilaration of being young… Before we knew it, the concert was over.”

Later in the evening, folks were talking about the concert and one gentleman said that the show “was worth every penny.” It was a reference to one of the men who’d worked with Kathy’s agent and tried to get her booking fee lowered a bit. Kathy’s management wasn’t having it and came close to canceling the show. I laughed out loud. Man, those guys sure know how to play hardball.

Well, the upshot of all this is that I emailed Kathy and told her she was famous. I figured she knew about the book mention, but she was surprised..and a little amused. I then decided what-the-heck, I’ll try and contact Earlene. To my amazement, she answered my email the very next day. I can’t tell you how “normal” this best-selling author sounded. You have to understand, to me authors are rock stars. Turns out, she’s a big fan who has followed Kathy for years. She has her favorite tunes, particularly the songs from Coal and Mary Did You Know. (It was an interesting juxtaposition… the novel was set in 1997 and Kathy was doing Coal songs. They call that artistic license.

My emailing experience with Earlene has been so enjoyable that I plan to jump headlong into the Benni Harper mystery series at #1. My very own public liberry has 18 Fowler mysteries, I’m proud to say. And yes, I know I said in an earlier post that I hadn’t read fiction in years. But, thanks to my Kindle (it’s very easy on the eyes), I will be rectifying that situation over the summer.

So, thanks Earlene! You have wonderful taste in female country singers….and you write terrific books. Hopefully our paths will cross somewhere along the way. Till then, Kathyfans everywhere wish you continued success!

Oh…and if you ever decide to change the setting of your novels, might I suggest Appalachia? You might find the “recovering” country music star fighting for “the little guy” in the coal fields an interesting heroine. There’s plenty of material to “mine” there. Pun intended.

And you readers out there need to check out State Fair. No, really. I mean CHECK IT OUT at your local libraries. Ms. Fowler might prefer you to buy it at amazon or Barnes & Noble come to think of it. Either way, remember my parting admonition: A man who does not read is no better than a man who cannot read.

…Only a courageous people throwing off the bonds of thirty years of despotism with signs in one hand and cell phones (with Facebook) in the other.

…Only a country decimated by an earthquake, a tsunami and a nuclear nightmare.

…Only tornadoes ripping their way through the South, leaving death and destruction in their wake.

…Only the biggest wedding of the 21st century, viewed by 2 billion people.

…Only the death of the world’s most wanted terrorist…a murderer brought to justice…finally.

And no, I really didn’t sleep through these moments of history. I was there, glued to my television and the internet, drawn to each incident like a moth to a flame. It’s a bit like being caught up in a terrible accident on the freeway. You don’t want to witness the twisted metal and the drama, but you can’t help yourself. On television you see a woman holding a baby standing in front of the pile of splinters that used to be her home. You read about the 840 brave Egyptians who lost their lives in their Revolution, or the death toll in Japan that keeps rising as they clear the rubble. And as they report the death of Osama bin Laden we are forced to relive the nightmare of September 11th and the images of that day that have been seared into our collective memories. And in my weakened state, I say Uncle. It’s enough….

I’m reminded of Kathy’s response when asked where she got the idea for a recording of songs about coal. To paraphrase: When the 2006 Sago Mine Disaster claimed the lives of 12 miners (who had erroneously been reported as alive), she found herself inexplicably drawn to the story, and glued to the news sources, following the developments night and day. She, like everyone else, was strung along by the reports of survivors, then crushed when the story proved to be false. She didn’t know the men. She’d never been to Upshur County where the mine was located. They were West Virginia miners–sons, fathers and husbands. But she could not explain the depths of her grief and was inconsolable at the loss of life. What did she do? She channeled those feelings into one of the great musical projects of her career and honored the memory of those lost…not to mention a way of life (mining) that has become the center of a storm.

OK. I get that artists take their feelings and create…..music, symphonies, paintings, film, books. One of the greatest songs I have ever heard is Tony Arata’s The Change (recorded by Garth Brooks). Spend 99 cents on I-Tunes and see what I mean. I get that good politicians spend their lives hoping to make a difference. Preachers tend their flocks. Doctors and nurses relieve suffering. But what do schlubs like you and I do?

Well, Liz Clark (Thornwood, NY) volunteers for the Red Cross. She wrote me a few days ago to tell me she probably would not make the Fan Club party in June. Why? Because she is “on call”, ready to respond wherever she is needed at a moment’s notice.

My good friend, Dale (Orem, UT), has sponsored young people in developing countries with generous, monthly contributions for the past 20 years. There are so many others in the fan club who have found and support causes near and dear to their big, giving hearts.

So, when I work myself into a tizzy over the news, I know it’s time to back away from the TV for awhile. I grab my Kindle and read a good book. I let my dog take me for a walk. I have to focus on the goodness of people and organizations. I’m heartened by people like Kathy Mattea (and many of her industry friends) who use their talent, time and influence in righteous ways. And finally, I believe in the Bigger Plan of a loving God. I apologize to those who don’t…but if you’ll let me have my delusions, I’ll let you have yours….

Now, if we can get Mother Nature to calm down a skosh, we’ll meet on June 8th in Nashville for the 22nd Annual Fan Club Party (aka The Blunch). Join us at The Station Inn (an iconic “listening room” much like The Exit/In except I’m assured the Station Inn has A/C). Then in October you are invited to join with us at the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame when our own Kathy M. is inducted! Please check the NEWS section of this website for details of both.

I’ll leave you with this random thought…. I personally think England’s newest princess, Kate is one of the most beautiful women I’ve ever seen. Seriously, she has it all goin’ on. But, this princess ain’t bad either….

Photo by Rene Scheiderer, Oct. 2005

Not that it ranks anywhere near the devastation we’ve seen on TV lately, but we had gray, wet, cold weather with super-high winds all weekend. I came home with a raging chest cold and a cough that won’t go away. Aaah, but it was worth it.

Flew into Columbus, OH and was picked up by Rene. We spent the weekend with her mother, Barb. We tried to get her to come along with us to  Charlotte, but she had other plans. Charlotte is a 4 1/2 hour drive from Columbus– most of it very rural, and very beautiful. We left very early so we could get to Charlotte in time for another My Coal Journey. This one would be given to 700+ high school students. Kathy is a very brave woman.

Now CharLOTTE (say Shar LOT) is a medium sized community near Lansing. We knew the concert (and the My Coal Journey presentation) were being held at the high school’s performing arts center. I can name a dozen communities off the top of my head that have built PACs adjacent to their schools to be
used by both the student body and the town. It’s a really wonderful multi-use concept that is growing in popularity. (FWIW, public libraries and schools have shared buildings for years). For the most part, the shared performing arts centers are glorified school auditoriums, but not so in Charlotte. When we approached the school it was very evident that this PAC was different.

Beautiful on the inside and the outside, this space seated 775 people. No matter where you sat, even the shortest people (me) could see over the heads of those in front. The sound was loud and crisp, just like I likes it.

But first, we would be entertained and enlightened by Kathy’s slide show, My Coal Journey. Each audience presents its own set of challenges. I think you can figure out the challenge of a high school group. Last period of the day, on a Friday… I think you get my drift. To my amazement, the crowd was very attentive. Except for two boys sitting directly behind us.

They talked through the entire presentation. Something kept me from turning around and asking them to shut their pie holes. Maybe because we were guests and had been duly warned….

This slide show literally gets better every time I see it. It contains lots of photos of Kathy and her family (some I’ve never seen…) and stories of growing up in WV. She weaves these “synchronicities” of family, music, her work with non-violent communication, and environmentalism into a very compelling narrative. She also does her homework regarding the area she’s presenting in. So, in this show, she had slides of a local woman U.S. representative who has done remarkable things. After the show, we talked about the possibility of presenting MCJ at the Fan Club party and she seemed excited about the prospect. Trust me, this is more than a political & environmental statement. It is a very revealing look into Kathy’s life and passions.

During the break between the sound check and show, Rene and I headed to Lansing. There’s an instrument store there of some renown, called Elderly Instruments. They apparently have a huge, online presence…even the band had heard of them.

Rene wanted to drool over the mandolins and I just happily wandered around amusing myself. I found the Taylor room… Lots of beautiful guitars! I spotted a tee shirt I thought Bill would like. It had ELDERLY written prominently across the chest. We had just had this conversation about how old both of us were. (We’re the same age..actually… Don, Bill, Jon V., Jim Brock and I were all born within 6 months of each other.)

The show: The theme of this evening seemed to be: I used to be famous. Kathy reminded the kids at the MCJ earlier in the day that her last hit was about the time they were born. Not entirely accurate if you considered 455 Rocket a hit. But, her point was well taken. During the show, she used the phrase once too often…an audience member chastised her and yelled out WE LOVE YOU KATHY. There were lots of old fans there..as evidenced by the meet ‘n greet line.

The show went along these lines:

Dark as a Dungeon
Goin’ Gone
Untold Stories
L&N Don’t Stop Here Anymore
Blue Diamond Mine
Red Winged Blackbird
Coal Tattoo
Five and Dime
Time Passes By
Walking Away a Winner
Harley
Come From the Heart
Seeds
18 Wheels
Gimme Shelter
Where’ve You Been
455 Rocket
Black Lung
Jig

I got excited when I read Jim’s report. He mentioned that Nobody’s Gonna Rain on Our Parade was performed. I must have slept through that one  He more than made up for it though with his fashion report. I say “well done” Jim. You’re a brave man to even try it. We didn’t have nearly enough
time to visit with him. He’s busy raising “young adults” who are doing the college thing. It blows my mind to think of Katie being in college.

Well, there’s only one more concert before Fan Fair. Dahlonega GA is scheduled on May 21st. Kathy will be making an appearance in Boston on May 2nd, but be warned. She is one of many performers in a tribute show and will have a 2 song set.

I will have the details of the party in June to share with you tomorrow. I’ll post them here and on kathymatteafanclub.com. I will also send the blurb to mattea.com for their NEWS section. I hope you are planning to attend. I can promise you a good time in a very historic setting! No, not the Exit/In. Calm down.

You might also want to check the fan club site for an edited version of this report, complete with photos and maybe a video clip. I’ve put up 3 video clips from the DVD we played at the 2008 Blunch. It was a retrospective of Kathy’s career, complete with excerpts from shows she’s appeared on, concerts and interviews. It is available in the merchandise section.

Hope you all have better weather than we’re experiencing. We’re looking at devastating floods from the spring run-off in the mountains. I hope those of you in the path of last week’s tornadoes escaped damage. It’d be nice if Mother Nature would give us a week or so to catch our breath….

All the best,
Sue

Part of me sees little honor in the practice of politics and the behavior of politicians. The other part reveres the system and wants it to succeed–for the good of Kiersten, Maddy, James and a yet-to-be-born Phelps.

I’d like to think that I have put in the time and work necessary to call myself an informed voter/citizen. I haven’t read a book of fiction in years (can they take away my Library degree for that?). When I read, I want to learn “stuff”….Political science, history, current events, local politics–that’s what I love. My iPod is loaded with podcasts of Rachel Maddow, Paul Ryan, Bill Maher and Anderson Cooper 360 (okay, I’m a nerd). My Kindle has books lined up like airplanes awaiting takeoff. I am just trying to make sense of the world I live in… and it really does feel like the world outside that window is going insane….

Sometimes, deep down I have a sinking feeling that what I think doesn’t really matter. If I can’t decide if I’m a Republican or Democrat, conservative or liberal, how can I choose between recycled, flawed Republican contenders and a President that hasn’t met the deficit challenges we face. If I’m not a (D) or an (R), does that make me an (I)?

Then along comes a post to Kathy’s Clowns (an automated mailing list devoted to Kathy Mattea) that helps to clarify my thinking. Karen Sprinkle, a longtime Kathy fan and friend attended the My Coal Journey presentation in Berea, Kentucky on April 7th. This is an excerpt from her post:

“My Coal Journey is Kathy’s presentation of how certain seminal, seemingly unrelated events came together in a certain synchronicity to lead her to where she is today, and is a slide show with its origins in the famous An Inconvenient Truth slideshow. It is a gentle call to arms from someone troubled by the ecological issues caused by climate change and the plundering of our mountains by mountaintop removal. Even for one as cynical as I, it spurred all sorts of feelings about wanting to get out and help effect a change…. Kathy blends details from her life such as stories about her grandparents and parents to how the Sago mining disaster deeply affected her with remarks about how talking about the issues which divide us in a non-violent way while respecting the views of others who oppose our viewpoint can ultimately lead to a solution, or at least more of a solution than we currently have. As I heard one individual remark, Kathy seems to be the only one speaking about these issues who seem to understand the viewpoints of both sides and doesn’t vilify anyone on the opposing side. What I have noticed is that the best thing about the presentation is that a few days later, something she said will strike you again.”

Kathy Mattea speaking at I Love Mountains Day from Kentuckians For The Commonwealth on Vimeo.

Well, a couple of days later, something she said did strike me. So, I went back and viewed this nine minute video that beautifully articulates Kathy’s “gentle call to action.” Please watch it twice. Once, to hear the words. Then come back and watch it again and revel in the “spirit” of her message.

Several years ago, Kathy went back to West Virginia to take part in some conversations with residents who’d been affected by the practice of Mountain Top Removal (MTR). She flew over areas ravaged by mining companies. She was visibly and emotionally affected by those sights and the people whose lives had been changed forever.

Reaction in local newspapers was swift. Kathy was met with considerable support…but the detractors were there as well. The cynics wanted her to take her “celebrity self” back to Nashville and one impassioned miner wrote me (perhaps thinking he was contacting her) and ended his letter with “SHUT UP AND SING”. It was in capital letters with at least six exclamation points.

Technically, he had written me. So, ever so gently, I told the gentleman that it is physically impossible to Shut Up and Sing. You have to open your mouth (and your heart) and let it rip… I knew what he meant, but I wanted him to understand me as well: That at some point you have to define what it is that you are for. Then you need to get off the couch and “be the change.” Once again, Kathy is leading the way for me. In the 90s, she helped raise awareness for compassionate treatment of AIDS victims, education and research. I thank God that there are celebrities who use their influence, money, time and talent for good. George Clooney is Darfur; Brad Pitt and others have worked tirelessly to rebuild New Orleans. Many advocate for animal rights. Believe it or not, celebrities don’t have to check their First Amendment rights at the door when they enter the public arena. They’re covered.

And maybe, just maybe, I am feeling a little better about the political fog I find myself in. Maybe I should forget about what to call myself and worry more about specific things I can accomplish. Like supporting “no kill” animal sanctuaries or helping raise funds for a new women’s shelter. Maybe mentoring at the local elementary school or being a Cub Scout leader (OK, that one’s probably not gonna happen.)

Believe me, we (us?) working schlubs have our hands full with dragging it to work and back each day. Hanging on to our jobs and paying bills feels like Job#1. But being busy isn’t an excuse.

Look at Kathy.

Thanks for reading,
Your friend,
Pollyanna Phelps

PS: What kind of librarian passes up the chance to recommend a few good books? Try:

Non-violent communication: a language of compassion / by Marshall B. Rosenberg.

Civility : manners, morals and the etiquette of democracy / by Stephen L. Carter

Bobos in paradise : the new upper class and how they got there / by David Brooks