Originally placed on cdnow.com as a personal interview.

Patty Loveless, once just a little girl from a coal-mining town in Eastern Kentucky, has become one of the most admired and respected country music performers in Nashville. She might not sell millions of records like Garth and Reba and those Chicks from Dixie, but she represents that side of Nashville which remains true to the old-time foundation of country, a side on which too few of today's pop-country singers reside.

Even in her ability to respect the deep traditions of country music, Loveless has been able to succeed commercially, notching nine number-one singles, four platinum albums, and a bunch of major awards, from Grammys to ACM and CMA trophies. It is because of this duality, the critical and commercial weights she balances, that Loveless earns the respect of artists, fans, musicians, and industry people alike.

Currently, the singer has a hits package, Classics, climbing the charts, a song from which, "My Kind of Woman/My Kind of Man," a duet with Vince Gill, is also doing well. And though it's not on one of her own albums, Loveless' duet with bluegrass legend Ralph Stanley, the old-time standard "Pretty Polly," is topping the bluegrass charts.

In talking with Loveless, her observations are smart and respectful, her attitude humble and appreciative.

CDNOW: Your new song, "How Can I Help You Say Goodbye," is a different, softer song for you. Did you have trouble singing it?

Patty Loveless: Women have head-tones and men have falsettos. I'm not the greatest head-tones singer. For me, it's a workout to sing soft, and I've had to soften some of those notes so the presentation would come across right.

Has the song opened new doors for you?

It opened a lot of hearts to my music. A lot of people were drawn to the song lyrically. At the time Epic released it I wasn't sure radio would accept it, but the timing was perfect. People tell me their stories of what it meant to them. I feel as an artist I was liked, but this opened up more people to me. I almost feel like I made friends with this song. I'm touched by people's stories. You've got to know about people's lives. Another song on the album, "You Don't Even Know Who I Am," accomplished the same thing. These songs are about the people I've been singing to. It just so happens that someone put their story to music.

You've always been respected as an artist. Would you ever trade that respect for greater popular success?

My whole career has been spent having the respect of the musicians and the writers, and that has meant a whole lot to me. I can't say my music is for everybody. When I look at sales, I think, "How can we get the music to the people out there?" Sometimes I wonder if it reaches them. I know it's not for everyone, but the best thing is having the respect of the musicians and them loving to play the music I sing.

You're so down-to-earth. Do you feel like a country music star?

The hard part for me is that I've never really considered myself as some people would say "a country music star." I've never looked at myself that way. I've always seen myself as an interpreter of song, and I think a good one.

Back when I was 14, I was just a kid hanging out with Dolly and Porter and Loretta and the Wilburn Brothers. But I never looked at them as stars. I just saw them as wonderful people whose music did something to me. I'm still in awe of them, but I never looked at them as stars.

Do you enjoy being in the limelight?

Sometimes I shy away from it. I want so much for the people to like the music rather than the image. When they like the music, they like the image, too. I want them to know that I am just like them; I am a person that sings, and I just want to be able to share myself and my life with you through these songs. Even though I can't sit down with everyone in my living room, somehow I want to make that connection with them through music.

I'm not a very good talker. When it comes to my stage show, just let me sing. I can express myself a lot easier singing than I can through talking.

You're not touring this year. What's going on?

No, I've been touring for 13 years straight, so we decided it was a good time to give it a rest. We're working on a new album, but it won't be out until January or February. We want to put a little time between the last album, Long Stretch of Lonesome, give me a little room to breathe. I really got tired of every nine months doing an album. It gets tough finding good songs.

It's crazy how much time you've spent touring.

There was a time when I had put my whole life on the back burner. We'd been thinking about building a home, and now is the time for that. We want to make this new album, build a house, spend some time together. Being on the road for 13 years -- that's the life of a country music artist, to be on the road. It's important for country artists to put their music in front of people. You need to know what people really think.

You have a batch of songs ready to go for the new album? Can you tell us which ones you're going to be recording?

Yes, we have a batch of songs we've been recording, but we've still got some more to cut. I can't really tell you which we've done, because if I started telling you about any particular song, there's a chance it might not show up on the record.

Your husband Emory's producing again?

Of course. I love the way he does it. He's very open-minded, not opinionated; he brings something different -- fresh ideas to each project -- and that breaks the monotony. Sometimes when you stick with the same producer like I have for too long it starts to sound the same, but it hasn't been the case with him, and we are married … Imagine that.