Kathy Mattea, the beloved, Grammy-winning singer of such classics as "18 Wheels and A Dozen Roses," "Where've You Been" and many other hits says that her new album offered her a "reeducation" in singing. That album, Coal, is a re-education for the listener as well, a record that reshapes the way we think about music, reminding us of why we love it so much in the first place.

Kathy's childhood was steeped in the culture of mining and Appalachia, but despite having a wide range of influences and "being a sponge about music," she wasn't exposed to much traditional mountain music. "I never thought I had an ear for singing real heavy Appalachian music," she says. "I marvel at the wonder of someone like Hazel Dickens, I just never thought I could do that."