Kathy Mattea has been stretching the boundaries of country music for more than 20 years. With a new album, Coal, due April 1, she faces a long list of tour dates ahead. How does she maintain her spark and energy on a hectic schedule? Chalk it up to clean living.
“Basically my philosophy is ‘moderation in all things,’” says Mattea. ” try to take care of myself. I pay attention to what I eat and how I treat my body. Occasionally I have to stop completely and regroup, usually by going on a retreat or otherwise clearing my schedule in some way, kind of a ‘rebooting’ of it all.
“I lift weights a couple of times a week and I do some kind of aerobic exercise about three to five times a week,” she continues. “That can be running in the neighborhood with the dog, in the basement on the treadmill, at the Vanderbilt University track, or a run/hike in the woods at a local park. I try to change it up to keep it interesting.
“I try not to eat too much red meat,” she adds. “I eat mostly whole wheat bread. I try to have five to nine servings of fruits and veggies a day. I drink tons of water. And I’ll have a glass of red wine now and then. I eat lots of olive oil. I avoid saturated fats and try to eat as few processed foods as I can.”
Mattea has clearly done her homework where fitness is concerned. The classically trained singer is also a believer in natural remedies. “For a sore throat or sinus infection, I take a lot of vitamin C, drink lots of water and hot herbal tea, and gargle hot salt water as often as I can,” she says. “I also buy nasal saline at the drug store and keep it on hand. I use it in the shower, and especially at night before bed. I find it works wonders. It usually keeps the thing from settling in, and I can feel relatively normal in about 48 hours.”
Mattea is happy to share one of her favorite healthful recipes. “This is a fave of all my girlfriends, and is so easy and healthy,” she says. “I call it Tuscan Beans and Sausage — or Tally Beanie Weenies!”
Kathy Mattea’s Tally Beanie Weenies
Sauté one diced yellow onion in some olive oil. Then, sauté one package of flavored chicken sausage in the same skillet. (I like the ones flavored with sun-dried tomatoes, or feta and spinach, or mild Italian flavor. They’re low fat and have a lot of flavor.) Cut them into 1-inch slices first. You can add a little more olive oil if necessary.
Open three cans of white beans (cannellini, northern or any white bean — I like to mix them up) and rinse and drain them in a colander. Drain one small can of diced tomatoes with Italian spices.
Combine all in a casserole dish, tuck in 4 sprigs of fresh rosemary (rosemary lives year-round in my garden), drizzle the whole darn thing with extra virgin olive oil and bake at about 400 degrees for 45 minutes.
Yum! This is better the second day, by the way!
As far as the official showcases go, I think this was one of the finest lineups for the Americana Music conference in quite a while. Although I always try to discover new bands at these events, I never miss a Buddy Miller show in town, and Saturday night at Mercy Lounge was no exception. He didn’t sing the song I got obsessed with last year, but a yearning rendition of “Don’t Tell Me” was a very gracious consolation prize. His set came right after a Glen Campbell tribute downstairs at the Cannery, with the Rhinestone Cowboy himself singing a few hits.
Thank heavens for 
It’s reassuring to now and then see a singer exhibit a social conscience. 
Here’s the question I am probably asked the most: “Have you heard anything good lately?” And if you’d ask me that now, I’d have a lot of recommendations for you.
Every time 
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