SONGoftheWEEK: Kathy Mattea sings Blind Alfred Reed
Blind Alfred Reed is at center in the photo
Click to hear Kathy Mattea sing “We’ve Got to Have ‘Em, That’s All”
The W.Va. Music Hall of Fame had its debut induction ceremony Nov. 17 at the Cultural Center in the state Capitol Complex. It was an impressive event (watch for an upcoming gazz slideshow) honoring a powerful roster of performers: Billy Edd Wheeler, Hazel Dickens, Little Jimmy Dickens, Bill Withers, Molly O’Day, Leon “Chu” Berry, George Crumb, Johnny Johnson, Clark Kessinger and Bl
ind Alfred Reed. To mark the occasion, the Hall of Fame also released a tribute CD of Blind Alfred Reed songs, sung by a notable list of performers, including Grammy-winning West Virginia native Kathy Mattea. Mattea sings the Alfred Reed song “We’ve Got to Have ‘Em, That’s All” — and you can hear it right here.
Alfred Reed was born blind in Floyd, Va., in 1880 and later moved to Hinton, W.Va. From 1927 to 1929, some of Reed’s music was recorded and released after the Victor Talking Machine Company sent a man out to find new talent across the South. But as Depression hit the country hard, Reed was never to return to the studio. By the ’50s and ’60s his music had been unavailable for a long, long time, but interest in his songs was stirred by the ’60s folk revival. The new W.Va. Hall of Fame CD will introduce many more people to the spirited songs of Blind Alfred Reed. The CD is available for sale at Taylor Books in Charleston, W.Va., and by calling 304/342-4412. The song you hear today is used with permission of the W.Va. Music Hall of Fame.
January 6th, 2008 at 6:27 pm
Thanks for posting this song - Kathy really lets the song shine through - lately, she’s talked about that performing process in discussions about her new CD project, “Coal.” The way she tells it, it’s about the song, not about her voice - and consequently, it’s Kathy’s take on the song which makes it priceless. As for the song, it’s brilliant - simple logic that a lot of today’s men would do well to heed.
January 7th, 2008 at 6:16 pm
Glad for your comment, Peggy Glenn. Kathy first broke through in Nashville as a demo singer because she served the song with her voice, not — as in the case of so many singers — the urge to show off how wonderful they are in singing the song. She’s a treasure and one of my favorite West Virginia performers because of how she goes about what she does. | Doug
January 8th, 2008 at 7:32 pm
Sweet! This puts me in a good mood. What I haven’t learned from music, I have learned from a good woman and a few bad ones (but tht was long ago.)
Would not want to live without ‘em. Amen.