ROBIN MEADE

THE HIDDEN TALENT.

It’s become a cliché to say that someone can “do it all,” but this description fits Robin Meade perfectly.

Best known as the perky anchor of HLN’s morning show, “Morning Express with Robin Meade,” the Atlanta transplant has also established herself as an author (2009’s Morning Sunshine) and talented country singer-songwriter. In December she hit No. 16 on the holiday charts for her duet on “Sleigh Ride” with Australian pop group Human Nature, with whom she recently performed in Vegas.

Meade, who moved to Atlanta from Chicago 15 years ago for a job with CNN Headline News, has since fallen in love with the city: “I love the vibe of Southern hospitality mixed with modern metro,” she says. “It’s a charming combination that makes you feel instantly at home, while offering the opportunities and hot spots you expect from a city on the move. I also love the weather. To quote my mother, ‘You can always take off clothes when it’s hot. But you can never put on enough layers when it’s cold.’ Amen, sister!”

Meade, a diehard foodie who can often be spotted dining out at local farm-to-table restaurants such as True Food Kitchen and Seasons 52, is also an avid supporter of K9s For Warriors, a Florida-based nonprofit focused on rescuing shelter dogs, training them and matching them with military veterans suffering with PTSD.

“I loved that the dogs help these brave individuals transition back to civilian life and deal with emotional scars,” she says of her interest in the organization. “But it’s not cheap: K9s for Warriors estimates it takes $10,000 to house, feed and train one dog for work with their warrior companions as a service animal. That’s why I’m giving all the proceeds from my Bedhead Brew Coffee (available at RobinMeadeOfficial.com) to this group.”

As for her future plans, Meade will continue to balance her TV, music and charity work, including hosting “Round Robin” acoustic shows at Eddie’s Attic. “I bring in various songwriter friends of mine, who generally have written tons of hits you hear on the radio. We go back and forth, performing and telling the stories behind the tunes. I love the enthusiasm Atlanta audiences show,” she concludes appreciatively, “not only for me, but for the musicians who haul in from other far-flung places to play for them.”