COUNTRY AID: Kathy Mattea has been recruited...

COUNTRY AID: Kathy Mattea has been recruited to spearhead a “Red Hot & Country” album anthology benefiting AIDS awareness and research. Mattea has long been active in AIDS awareness.

Mattea was one of the country artists who wore a red ribbon signifying support for AIDS issues at the Country Music Assn. Awards show in Nashville last month, though the CMA board had voted to have participants wear green ribbons supporting environmental causes instead of the red ones. Some CMA board members reportedly felt that AIDS was too controversial for the country community. Mattea was the only artist to explain what the ribbons were for during the nationally televised show.

Despite the country community’s traditionally conservative tone, Mattea does not expect any trouble in coming up with big-name artists to contribute songs to the album.