Personnel includes: Kathy Mattea (vocals, percussion); John Jennings, Bill Cooley (acoustic & electric guitars); Steve Sheehan (acoustic guitar); Duke Levine (electric guitar, mandola); Brent Mason (electric guitar); Darrell Scott, Dan Dugmore (pedal steel guitar); Chris Carmichael (violin, fiddle, viola, cello); Stuart Duncan (fiddle, bajo sexto); Sam Bush (fiddle); Matt Rollings (piano, Wurlitzer piano, organ); Gary Prim, Carl Marsh (keyboards); Glenn Worf, Hurch Hutchinson, Lee Sklar (bass); Abe Laboriel, Jr., Owen Hale, Jim Brock, Shannon Forrest (drums); Eric Darken (percussion); Suzy Bogguss, Alison Krauss, Kim Richey, John Thompson, Wes Hightower (background vocals).

Producers: Kathy Mattea, Keith Stegall, Ben Wisch.

Recorded at The Music Mill, Nashville, Tennessee.

THE INNOCENT YEARS, Kathy Mattea's 11th album, finds her in a contemplative mood. Recorded following a difficult year during which she watched her father battle cancer, the album's material reflects a desire to cut through to life's simple truths.

On the piano-driven title track, Mattea longs for the carefree days of childhood, while the melodic "Why Can't We" asks why people who have everything still feel unfulfilled. The lovely ballad "Prove That By Me," with harmonies by Graham Nash, concerns having faith in the power of love; both "Trust Me" (co-written with Steve Wariner), and "I Have Always Loved You," touch on similar themes. Highlights include "Callin' My Name," with a terrific string arrangement, and "That's the Deal," a tearjerker about a husband and wife's mutual devotion. These beautifully produced folk-country songs provide a perfect showcase for Mattea's warm, rich vocals, which convey the deepest emotion without showboating.

Q (8/00, p.102) - 3 stars out of 5 - "...Her gorgeous real-womanly voice dignifies even banal song choices....and enhances quality uplifters..."

Mojo (Publisher) (7/00, p.110) - "...Equally personal and relates her father's battle against cancer....Hardly pure country, nor Nashville pop-gloss. Just a singer-songwriter affair, but a good one."