A Collection of Hits

Last updated
Untold Stories: A Collection of Hits
Kathyhits.jpg
Greatest hits album by
ReleasedAugust 7, 1990 (1990-08-07)
Genre Country
Length34:56
Label
Producer Allen Reynolds
Kathy Mattea chronology
Willow in the Wind
(1989)
Untold Stories: A Collection of Hits
(1990)
Time Passes By
(1991)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [1]
Robert Christgau Five Pointed Star Solid.svg [2]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [3]

Untold Stories: A Collection of Hits is the first compilation by American country music artist Kathy Mattea. It was released in 1990 on Mercury Records and has been certified platinum by the RIAA. [4] The album includes eight of her previous singles, as well as one newly recorded track ("A Few Good Things Remain"), and an album cut from 1987's Untasted Honey , the Tim O'Brien duet "The Battle Hymn of Love". Both of these songs were released as singles in 1990, and both reached #9 on the Billboard country charts. [5]

Contents

Critical reception

AllMusic's William Ruhlmann writes, "Kathy Mattea has risen to near the top of the Nashville ranks because of a haunting, soulful voice, well-produced recordings that have a simple, folkie directness, and, most especially, an amazing talent for picking the best songs being written for the country market" [1]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Love at the Five and Dime" Nanci Griffith 3:40
2."Walk the Way the Wind Blows" Tim O'Brien 3:48
3."Train of Memories"Andy Byrd, Jimbeau Hinson 2:52
4."Goin' Gone" Pat Alger, Bill Dale, Fred Koller 4:26
5."The Battle Hymn of Love" (featuring Tim O'Brien) Paul Overstreet, Don Schlitz 2:53
6."Eighteen Wheels and a Dozen Roses"Paul Nelson, Gene Nelson3:22
7."Untold Stories"O'Brien3:01
8."Life as We Knew It"Koller, Walter Carter3:19
9."A Few Good Things Remain"Alger, Jon Vezner 3:51
10."Where've You Been" Don Henry, Vezner3:44
Total length:34:56

Charts

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA) [4] Platinum1,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Release history and formats for A Collection of Hits
RegionDateFormatLabelRef.
North AmericaAugust 7, 1990
  • LP
  • CD
  • cassette
  • PolyGram
  • Mercury Records
[12]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kathy Mattea</span> American musician, activist (born 1959)

Kathleen Alice Mattea is an American country music and bluegrass singer. Active since 1984 as a recording artist, she has charted more than 30 singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, including four that reached No. 1: "Goin' Gone", "Eighteen Wheels and a Dozen Roses", "Come from the Heart", and "Burnin' Old Memories", plus 12 more that charted within the top ten. She has released 14 studio albums, two Christmas albums, and one greatest hits album. Most of her material was recorded for Universal Music Group Nashville's Mercury Records Nashville division between 1984 and 2000, with later albums being issued on Narada Productions, her own Captain Potato label, and Sugar Hill Records. Among her albums, she has received five gold certifications and one platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). She has collaborated with Dolly Parton, Michael McDonald, Tim O'Brien, and her husband, Jon Vezner. Mattea is also a two-time Grammy Award winner: in 1990 for "Where've You Been", and in 1993 for her Christmas album Good News. Her style is defined by traditional country, bluegrass, folk, and Celtic music influences.

Lionel Burke Cartwright is an American country music artist. Between 1988 and 1992, Cartwright charted twelve singles on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts, including a No. 1 single in 1991's "Leap of Faith". He also charted in the Top 10 on the same chart with "Give Me His Last Chance", "I Watched It All " and "My Heart is Set on You". Cartwright has also released three studio albums, all on MCA Records.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kathy Mattea discography</span>

The discography of American country music artist, Kathy Mattea, contains 17 studio albums, four compilation albums, five video albums, one extended play (EP), 51 singles, 27 music videos and has made 19 additional album appearances. Under PolyGram and Mercury Records, Mattea's first two albums were releases: her eponymous debut album (1984) and From My Heart (1985). In 1986, Walk the Way the Wind Blows reached number 13 on America's Billboard Top Country Albums chart and spawned four top ten Billboard Hot Country Songs singles: "Love at the Five and Dime", the title track, "You're the Power" and "Train of Memories". It was followed by Untasted Honey (1987), which was Mattea's first album to certify gold in the United States. Of its four singles, "Eighteen Wheels and a Dozen Roses" and "Goin' Gone" both topped the Billboard country chart. In 1989, PolyGram/Mercury released Willow in the Wind, which also certified gold and reached number six on the Billboard country albums chart. Its first single, "Come from the Heart", topped both the American and Canadian country charts. Its remaining three singles were also top ten North American country chart songs: "Burnin' Old Memories", "Where've You Been" and "She Came from Fort Worth".

<i>Willow in the Wind</i> 1989 studio album by Kathy Mattea

Willow in the Wind is the fifth studio album by American country music artist Kathy Mattea. It was released in 1989 on Mercury Records. The album is her highest-peaking entry on the Top Country Albums charts, where it reached number 6. It was also certified gold by the RIAA. Four singles were released from it, and all four reached Top Ten on the Billboard country singles charts. First were the back-to-back number 1 hits "Come from the Heart" and "Burnin' Old Memories", followed by the number 10 "Where've You Been" and number 2 "She Came from Fort Worth". "Where've You Been" also charted on the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks charts, peaking at number 25 there. This song also earned her the 1990 Grammy Award for Best Female Country Vocal Performance.

<i>Time Passes By</i> 1991 studio album by Kathy Mattea

Time Passes By is the sixth studio album by American country music artist Kathy Mattea. It was released in 1991 on Mercury Records. The album, like her last two studio albums before it, was certified gold by the RIAA. Singles released from it include the title track at #7, "Whole Lotta Holes" at #18, and "Asking Us to Dance" at #27. "From a Distance" was originally recorded by Nanci Griffith and later versions were released by Bette Midler and Judy Collins.

<i>Lonesome Standard Time</i> 1992 studio album by Kathy Mattea

Lonesome Standard Time is the seventh studio album by American country artist Kathy Mattea. It was released on September 22, 1992 via PolyGram and Mercury Records. It was recorded during a period when she was experiencing vocal challenges. The project featured songs about heartbreak and loss written by various Nashville writers. It received a mixed critical response, but certified gold in the United States. The album spawned four singles. Both the title track and "Standing Knee Deep in a River " reached the American country chart top 20 in 1993.

<i>Good News</i> (Kathy Mattea album) 1993 studio album by Kathy Mattea

Good News is a studio album by American country artist, Kathy Mattea. It was released on September 21, 1993, via Mercury Records and the PolyGram label. It was the eighth studio album of Mattea's career and her first collection of Christmas music. The project featured mostly new recordings that embedded gospel music sounds. Good News made the American country albums chart in 1993 and received an accolade from the Grammy Awards in 1994. Critics and writers remarked positively of the album and highlighted its uniqueness as compared to other Christmas album projects.

<i>Walking Away a Winner</i> 1994 studio album by Kathy Mattea

Walking Away a Winner is the ninth studio album by American country music artist, Kathy Mattea. It was released on May 17, 1994 via the Mercury/PolyGram labels and contained ten tracks of original material. The album's production featured a pop rock sound that was considered unique from Mattea's previous country-folk albums. Its title track was issued as the lead single and became her first top ten hit in several years on the American country chart. Three more singles were also commercially-successful and the album sold more than 500,000 copies in the United States. Walking Away a Winner received mostly positive reception from critics. It also charted on the American country albums and Billboard 200 charts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Where've You Been</span> 1989 single by Kathy Mattea

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"Whole Lotta Holes" is a song written by Jon Vezner and Don Henry, and recorded by American country music artist Kathy Mattea. It was released in July 1991 as the second single from the album Time Passes By. The song reached #18 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart.

"455 Rocket" is a song written by Gillian Welch and David Rawlings, and recorded by American country music artist Kathy Mattea. It was released in January 1997 as the first single from the album Love Travels. The song reached number 21 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Love Travels (song)</span> 1997 single by Kathy Mattea

"Love Travels" is a song originally recorded by American country artist, Kathy Mattea. It was released as a single in August 1997 via Mercury Records and PolyGram. It reached a top 40 position on the American country songs chart and was the title track to her 1997 studio album of the same name. The single received a positive review from Billboard in 1997.

<i>The Innocent Years</i> 2000 studio album by Kathy Mattea

The Innocent Years is a studio album by American country artist, Kathy Mattea. It was released on May 16, 2000 via Mercury Nashville and included 12 tracks of original material. It was the eleventh studio project of Mattea's career and her last with the Mercury Nashville label. The Innocent Years was a collection of songs that discussed Mattea's feelings associated with her father's failing health. Among its songs were the singles "The Trouble with Angels" and "BFD". The album received positive reviews from critics and made the American country albums chart.

"It's Your Reputation Talkin'" is a song written by Mitch Johnson and Harry Shannon, and recorded by American country music artist, Kathy Mattea. It was released in January 1985 as the lead single from her album From My Heart. The song became Mattea's third single to reach the top 40 of the American country chart.

"He Won't Give In" is a song written by Johnny Pierce, and recorded by American country music artist, Kathy Mattea. It was released in May 1985 as the second single from her album From My Heart. The songbecame Mattea's fourth single to reach the top 40 of the American country chart.

"Street Talk" is a song written by Lee Domann and Ralph Whiteway, and recorded by American country music artist Kathy Mattea. It was released in September 1983 as debut single and the first from her self-titled debut album. The song reached the top 30 of the American country chart and appeared on her self-titled debut album.

"Someone Is Falling in Love" is a song written by Lee Domann and Pebe Sebert, and recorded by American country music artist, Kathy Mattea. It was released in January 1984 as the second single from her self-titled debut album. The song became Mattea's second single to reach the top 30 of the American country chart..

References

  1. 1 2 Ruhlmann, William. Review at AllMusic. Retrieved August 21, 2020.
  2. Robert Christgau Consumer Guide
  3. Rolling Stone list
  4. 1 2 "American album certifications – Kathy Mattea – A Collection of Hits". Recording Industry Association of America.
  5. "Hot Country Songs". Billboard. Retrieved August 21, 2020.
  6. A Collection Of Hits (liner notes). Kathy Mattea. Mercury. 1990. 842 330-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  7. "Kathy Mattea Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved August 21, 2020.
  8. "Kathy Mattea Chart History (Top Country Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved August 21, 2020.
  9. "Top Country Albums – Year-End 1990". Billboard. Retrieved December 22, 2020.
  10. "Top Country Albums – Year-End 1991". Billboard. Retrieved December 22, 2020.
  11. "Top Country Albums – Year-End 1992". Billboard. Retrieved December 22, 2020.
  12. Mattea, Kathy (August 7, 1989). "A Collection of Hits (Liner Notes and Album Information)". PolyGram/Mercury Records. 842 330-1 (LP), 842 330-4 (Cassette), 842 330-2 (CD).