When Turnberry Records signed Donna Ulisse this past November, the offer to let her fly, to explore her past music life and reinvent what her future would sound like was a generous gift indeed! After enjoying stellar collaborations and productions with greats like Doyle Lawson, Jerry Salley, Bryan Sutton and Keith Sewell, Ulisse was ready to try her hand at producing this new music.
Though she is no stranger to studio production, this would be the first time she would produce herself. As real as life gets, it was the act of her much adored husband, Rick Stanley, frying Sunday morning bacon that created the inspiration for the song “You And Me”.
“I was sitting with my IPad in my lap, typing a post for my Wee Farm Musings when the aroma coming from the kitchen drew my attention. I don’t know, watching him prepare our breakfast kinda broke my heart in a good way. Our life has been about doing for each other and this yummy smelling proof made me think of what we are as a couple.”
Stanley loved what he was hearing as she plucked on the guitar and joined in, lending his beautiful melody and the songs poignancy blossomed into an undeniable duet. These two have been singing together for so many years that harmony and heart comes together as naturally as day turns into night. March 21st will see the release of the first Ulisse/Stanley single and Turnberry Records could not be more excited to present these voices to the airwaves.
“In my best, most sincere, slightly sarcastic voice I say, there are some really good things about aging…lol…one of the greatest things for me and Rick is that we have been growing older together! Our union is now 42 years old and we remember what each of us looked like as the younger versions. That means our marriage is steeped with so many mountains and valleys, so many tears and triumphs, so many souls we’ve loved and had to let go together and it’s all been as the team for love that we have become. The self written song, “You and Me” is a result of all the things we are in this moment and putting those thoughts into song is now going to be part of our legacy!”
“This song was an easy one to write! It just took thinking about what my husband Rick and I mean to each other, how we see each other and how we go about being together!”
About Donna Ulisse & Rick Stanley:
Donna Ulisse, a native of Hampton, Virginia, relocated to Nashville in 1984 to pursue her musical aspirations. She began her career as a demo singer, leading to a contract with Atlantic Records in the early 1990s. Her debut album, "Trouble at the Door," produced three singles and two music videos, earning her appearances on national television shows such as Hee Haw, Nashville Now, Crook & Chase, and NBC's Hot Country Nights. Transitioning into the bluegrass genre, Donna has become a prominent singer-songwriter, releasing multiple albums and earning accolades, including the International Bluegrass Music Association's Songwriter of the Year in 2016 and Song of the Year in 2017. She continues to tour with her band, The Poor Mountain Boys, sharing her unique blend of mountain music.
Her husband, Rick Stanley, is deeply connected to bluegrass royalty as the cousin of legendary Ralph Stanley and is himself an accomplished songwriter known for penning standards like "Hills of Home." Together, Donna and Rick host songwriting workshops at their Wee Farm, fostering talent and creativity in the bluegrass community.
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