FROM FAN CLUB PRESIDENT, Sue Phelps
Hello everyone!!
Welcome to the Fan Club section of mattea.com!
My name is Sue Phelps. I'm a wife and mother (and soon to be grandmother!!!) of four living in Pleasant Grove, Utah. By day, I'm a librarian. At night, I turn into a fan club president.....I've been a fan of Kathy Mattea since 1987 when a random dial-turning radio experience turned me into a crazy person/diehard Kathyfan for life. In January 2002, I was asked to take over the reins of the Kathy Mattea Fan Club. This club was begun in 1988 at a time when Kathy was kicking down the doors of country music with hits like 18 Wheels and a Dozen Roses and Where've You Been. Like Kathy herself, we are still going strong....hopefully meeting the needs of Kathy's growing, diverse and very, very loyal fan base.
Essentially, there are six ways to stay current with Kathy's music and career:
#1 Join the Official Kathy Mattea Fan Club! You'll receive printed material (discography, biography, etc) along with the 3-times-yearly newsletter, Street Talk. There will be a membership card, an autographed 8x10, along with some fun things that get thrown in your packet just for the heck of it. (Guitar pics, bookmarks, postcards, etc.) The membership fee is $15 yearly. We are a social bunch. We tour together, we go to dinner, we hangout online. Be a part of it!
#2 Join Kathy's Clowns, an automated online mailing list. You sign up (it's free) at yahoogroups.com and in a few days you are receiving emails from fans all over the world. The volume of mail isn't that heavy and the tone is always friendly and supportive. It is THE place to be for the fan who'd like to be in the know. There are reports of all the concerts, up-to-the-minute news, and friendly people who will welcome you warmly. Try it! You are welcome to participate or lurk...whatever works for you.
#3 Sign up for Kathy Mattea News Flashes (free). You supply me with your email address and when important matters come up, I send out mass emails to fans all over the globe. Such instances have included notice of canceled concerts due to a bout of laryngitis, the release of a new CD, last minute TV and radio appearances and the like. These flashes come as events warrant...there is no schedule! You NEVER need to worry about your email address being used for any purpose other than the one I've described. I would never sell or distribute your name to another party. Scouts honor.
#4 Visit mattea.com often. Make sure you read Kathy's blog entries. It's like an online journal....a place for her to share her thoughts about music, touring and life in general. You'll also find a complete tour schedule, detailed discography and other cool stuff.
#5 If you have questions, just drop me an email (also free). I'll have an answer for you, or I can get in touch with She Who Knows quite easily. I receive dozens and dozens of questions and requests, such as: Can you send me the sheet music and/or lyrics to [insert song title here]; where did Kathy buy that whistle she plays in concert?; can I send Kathy a copy of a song I wrote?; how do I get autographed items for an auction we are putting on?; can I get an autographed photo of Kathy? Just drop me an email. I try to answer every email in a timely way.
#6 Check out the Frequently Asked Questions section (FAQ). It's very possible that someone has already inquired about something you are interested in.
If you think you'd like to know a little more about our group, write me. I'll send you a recent copy of Street Talk, our 3 times yearly newsletter that's jammed with photos and interesting reading. I'll tell you about our online automated mailing list, Kathy's Clowns. And I'll throw in an 8x10 glossy. Give me any encouragement at all and I'll drive to your house to pick you up and take you to a concert :)
Get acquainted with Kathy's music!! Is she country, folk, or pop? Trying to classify her is like trying to nail Jello to the wall. Can't be done. And ultimately, why should it?
Now if you've lost track or aren't all that familiar with Kathy's music, head over to the Music section of this website, and learn about one of the richest, most pure and remarkable voices of our time. Kathy was for real in the eighties and nineties when she plowed new ground and pioneered her own brand of country music. She won every award the music biz had to offer. She's just as alive and fresh today. She's not into ear candy...with Kathy it's honest, interesting songs of substance and texture. And concerts? Oh my gosh, don't get me started.....
Come back to this section often. Sign the guestbook. Consider joining our Fan Club!! My job is to keep people in touch with Kathy and her career. If you are not computer savvy or just had the good sense never to jump into that electronic Black Hole, we'll see that you're kept current. Our philosophy in the Kathy Mattea Fan Club is that fan clubs aren't just for fifteen year old girls. We believe that FAN and FUN are only separated by one little vowel!
Thanks for visiting!!!
Sue
