At the Bluebird Cafe: Kathy Mattea’s “Calling Me Home”

By Ken Paulson

–Kathy Mattea revisited her roots on multiple levels tonight at the Bluebird Café in Nashville.

She reminisced about appearing at the Bluebird 30 years ago and the performance that led to her first recording contract.

But she also explored far deeper roots at this album release show for Calling Me Home, a collection of Appalachia-infused music, building on her earlier Coal.

The 90-minute concert drew from the new album, most notably “Hello, My Name is Coal,” “West Virginia Mine Disaster” and “The Wood Thrush’s Song.”  These are songs of integrity, performed impeccably by an outstanding band. Mattea even picked up the banjo for two songs.

Although the evening had a somewhat solemn tone to it and Mattea urged the crowd to have a second glass of wine, there was no mistaking the exuberance of her cover of “Gimme Shelter” as a storm gathered outside. It was as though Mick and Keith had grown up in West Virginia.

Although Mattea’s music is now fueled by bluegrass and folk, she didn’t neglect the hits, performing “Love at the Five and Dime,” “Lonesome Standard Time” and the always touching “Where’ve You Been, and leading the audience in a sing-along of “18 Wheels and a Dozen Roses.”

Fans of the “Walking Away A Winner” era may be surprised by the more traditional Kathy Mattea, but she’s walking her own path now, embracing the music she loves and performing it very well.

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