Mattea was born in South Charleston, West Virginia, because it had the nearest hospital to her parents' home in Cross Lanes, where she grew up, graduating from nearby Nitro High School. In 1976, while in college, she joined the bluegrass band Pennsboro, and two years later dropped out of school to move to Nashville. She worked as a tour guide at the Country Music Hall of Fame, did backup vocal work for Bobby Goldsboro , and sang demos for several Nashville songwriters and publishers including Nashville songwriter/producer Byron Hill, who brought her to the attention of Frank Jones (then head of Mercury Records), who signed her to her first record deal in 1983.
Mattea's third album, 1986's folky Walk the Way the Wind Blows, proved to be her breakthrough both critically and commercially. Her cover of Nanci Griffith's "Love at the Five and Dime" was her first major hit, reaching #3 (and in addition, earned Griffith notice as a songwriter); and the album produced three other top ten songs: "Walk the Way the Wind Blows" (#10), "You're the Power (#5), and "Train of Memories" (#6).
Further hit songs include her first #1, "Goin' Gone"; the truck-driving song "Eighteen Wheels and a Dozen Roses" (1988); "Come From the Heart" and "Burnin' Old Memories" (both #1 hits in 1989); "She Came From Fort Worth" (1990); "Lonesome Standard Time" (1992); "Walking Away a Winner" (1994); "Nobody's Gonna Rain on Our Parade" (1994); "Maybe She's Human" (1994); and "455 Rocket" (1997). "Eighteen Wheels," in late May 1988, became the first single by a solo female to spend multiple weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard country singles chart since Dolly Parton's "You're the Only One" in August 1979; both singles were on top of that chart for two weeks.
The heart-wrenching "Where've You Been," which Mattea's husband Jon Vezner co-wrote with singer/songwriter Don Henry, reached #2 on the country chart and won her a 1990 Grammy for Best Female Country Vocal. Mattea is a repeat winner of the County Music Associations Female Vocalist of the Year, which she won on the success of "Eighteen Wheels and a Dozen Roses" and "Where've You Been."
The following year, Mattea took part in Voices That Care, a multi-artist project that featured other top names in music for a one-off single to raise money for the allied troops in the Gulf War. The project included fellow country singers Garth Brooks, Kenny Rogers and Randy Travis. She has also been heavily involved in HIV/AIDS-related charities beginning in the early 1990s, and is often credited with leading the country music community, commonly regarded as the last segment of the entertainment industry to address the AIDS epidemic, to finally do so. She performed with Mary Chapin Carpenter on VH1's very first Save The Music concert, which also starred Bette Midler.
Mattea won another Grammy in 1993 for her gospel-oriented Christmas album Good News. Her first single from the album, "Mary, Did You Know?" went on to be covered by Kenny Rogers with Wynonna, as well as Reba McEntire.
Mattea subsequently moved to MCA and, in 2000, released the ballad-heavy The Innocent Years, a heartfelt tribute to her ailing father. Wanting to explore her taste for Celtic folk, Mattea hopped labels to Narada, for whom she debuted in 2002 with the eclectic Roses.
With her social activism and her taste for songs with introspective lyrics, it has been often said that Mattea owes as much to the traditions of folk music as mainstream country.
Though her recent work has failed to make the country charts, Mattea continued to enjoy a strong following throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s; her albums are critically well received, and she continues to tour and perform. She continues to have strong support from a very active fan club, run by Sue Phelps, whose members refer to themselves as Matteaheads.
Kathy travelled the country presenting Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth" and speaking to crowds about the importance to fight global warming.
Before leaving Narada she released another album full of differing influences, Right Out Of Nowhere, including a cover of a Stones tune.
Her CD "Coal" released on her own label is a collection of songs about mining and received a nomination for a Grammy. She continues to tour across the US and in early 2008 she made a welcome return to the UK.
In 2018, Mattea announced a new album, Pretty Bird, which was released independently with Tim O'Brien serving as producer.
The End of the Line
Kathy Mattea Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Nobody said it would be
We hurt each other without trying
A little anger, a little pride and I think
It isn't worth the tears we're crying
But then I look at you and all that matters
Is we start over again
When we run our of reason to build walls
We realize we've come here to love
It's love we findat the end of the line
Your arms are open and I've got no defenses
In the light of forgiveness
You can find it in your heart
And I know I can find it in mine
When we run out of reason to build walls
When we're tired of the feelings that divide us all
We realize we've come here to love
When we're tired of the feelings that divide us all
We realize we've come here to love
It's love we find
At the end of the line.
In this song, Kathy Mattea explores the ups and downs of relationships and how they are not always smooth sailing. She acknowledges that love is not easy and that sometimes we hurt each other without even trying. However, she also recognizes that love is worth fighting for and that although it may be difficult to tear down the walls that we put up, it is ultimately worth it to do so in order to find the love that we are searching for.
The chorus of the song emphasizes the idea that no matter how rocky or difficult the road may be, the end result is ultimately worth it. Mattea speaks directly to her partner, acknowledging that although they may have their differences and disagreements, she knows that they can find a way to come back to each other and rediscover the love that they share. This is a powerful message about the strength of love and the power that it has to bring people back together, even in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles.
Line by Line Meaning
Love isn't easy
Love is a complex emotion that requires effort to maintain
Nobody said it would be
There are no guarantees or promises when it comes to love
We hurt each other without trying
Even unintentionally, our actions and words can cause pain within a relationship
A little anger, a little pride and I think
Negative emotions can cloud judgement and create unnecessary conflict
It isn't worth the tears we're crying
The emotional toll of a troubled relationship may not be worth the effort
But then I look at you and all that matters
Despite the struggles, the love shared between two people is what truly counts
Is we start over again
To move forward, it's essential to forgive and start anew
When we run our of reason to build walls
When we stop finding reasons to keep our guard up and let love in
When we're tired of the feeling that divide us all
When the negative emotions and thoughts that separate us become too exhausting to bear
We realize we've come here to love
We understand that our purpose in life is to experience and share love
It's love we findat the end of the line
Ultimately, love is what we discover at the end of life's journey
Your arms are open and I've got no defenses
In a moment of vulnerability and honesty, barriers are removed and love can thrive
In the light of forgiveness
When we have the courage to forgive ourselves and others, love and understanding can take root
You can find it in your heart
Love is within our hearts, waiting to be discovered and shared
And I know I can find it in mine
We can trust in ourselves to discover and express love to others
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: KYE FLEMING, MARK STEPHEN CAWLEY, MARY ANN KENNEDY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind