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.
Walking Away A Winner
Kathy Mattea Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The stakes are high
And I thought this was love
So, I laid it all on the line
You nearly took everything I had
Never knew I could hurt so bad
But I least I left
I'm walking away a winner
Walking away from a losing game
With my pride intact and my vision back I can say
I know where I'm going
And I know I'll be alright
I'm walking away a winner
Walking back into my life
It was a hard way to go
When I didn't know when to leave
And if you knew all along
Baby, you weren't tellin' me
Now I know what I could live without
I'm headed down the right road now
Still believing in the way
That a real love is meant to be
I'm walking away a winner
Walking away from a losing game
With my pride intact and my vision back I can say
I know where I'm going
And I know I'll be alright
I'm walking away a winner
Walking back into my life
I'm walking away a winner
Walking away from a losing game
With my pride intact and my vision back I can say
I know where I'm going
And I know I'll be alright
Walking away a winner
Walking back into my life
Walking back into my life
Walking away a winner
Walking back into my life
Walking away a winner
The lyrics of Kathy Mattea's song, Walking Away A Winner, narrate the experience of leaving a toxic relationship behind and moving on to a better life. The first verse sets the scene, describing the moment when someone realizes that they have laid everything on the line for a love that was not worth it. The stakes were high, and the risks were significant, but it was only when they were hurt so badly that they realized what had been at stake.
The chorus speaks to the triumph that comes with walking away from such an unhealthy situation. They leave with their pride intact and their eyes open. They know where they are heading, and they know that they will be okay. In the second verse, the singer acknowledges that leaving a toxic relationship can be tough when one does not know when to go, but they eventually found their way out of the darkness. They assert that they still believe in true love and that it had to be better than what they had walked away from. The song concludes with a final repetition of the chorus, reinforcing the idea of being a winner for walking away from a losing game.
Line by Line Meaning
Many times love is on the table the stakes are high
Love is often a gamble, a risk worth taking even when the stakes are high.
What I thought this was love so I laid it all on the line
I thought it was love, so I gave everything I had to offer.
You nearly took everything I had
You almost took everything from me, leaving me with nothing.
Never knew I could hurt so bad
I didn't realize how much pain love could cause until now.
But I least I left with every peace of this heart of mine
Despite the pain and loss, I managed to keep every piece of my heart intact.
I'm walking away a winner
I'm leaving the relationship feeling victorious.
I'm walking away from a losing game
I'm exiting out of a relationship that was doomed to fail and was not worth my time.
With my pride intact and my vision back I can say
I am leaving with my self-esteem and self-awareness restored.
I know where I'm going and I know I'll be alright
I have a clear sense of direction and know that I will be okay.
Walking back into my life
I'm going back to my life which I now realize is better off without that relationship.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Bob Dipiero, Tom Shapiro
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Michael Giffey
One of her greatest songs and videos. She was just flawless with this.
candace casey
Totally
Fred Thomas
Hello Michael
christian ross
Kathy Mattea is so beautiful!! One hell of a voice..... Of all her songs this one is my favorite.
linda waschinek
I remember this song after I got out of a horrible relationship. It was the thing that gave me the strength to move on because I was the winner!
Reverend Brown
Linda, not trying to creep on ya. I’m happily married and been so for 32 years. After reading your post, was wondering if you’re doing ok? All good? Hope you are continuing to win! God bless.
Andre Wunjo
Killer voice and great song - the strength behind it. Love it love it love it!
DrMarcusKane
This song bloody rocks!! Love Kathy. A great singer songwriter to see live and meet after one of her gigs too, someone who makes time for her fans big time.
Didier Labossiere
As a musician, for me, the bass work by Duncan Mullins is second to none. The entire song is killer!!!!
Tim Bohlken
Everyone walks a way a winner listening to kathy, she is totally awesome!