HPPR's A-List vol 12
From Nashville tears to Indie laughter, Donna Ulissie is this weeks A-List CD performer.
Donna Ulissie's "When I Look Back"
by Mary Palmer
Donna was born in Hampton, Virginia and surrounded by a musical family. She made her first appearance singing at the tender age of three when she wandered onto the stage with a bluegrass band and broke out into "Take This Hammer". From that moment until now there has never been any doubt that she would be creating music. She worked in a local western swing band where she met and married Rick Stanley being fully indoctrinated into a bluegrass family when Rick's cousin Ralph Stanley along with the Clinch Mountain Boys performed at their wedding reception.
So this fantastic voice enters the wild and woolly world of Nashville only to have her spirit and talent discounted and disposed of in the most cruel and rather typical music industry way. (insert crowd boo-ing and general disapproval-like noises) But wait! Thru yon window breaks the dawn and it is a new producers who recognizes talent and the brilliance of individualism and their names are Ray and Douglas Johnson of Hadley Music Group.
So after much ado, pomp and justified circumstance we have Donna's brilliant CD "When I Look Back". Listen to Donna's own words about her music and be sure you tune in this week during High Plains Morning for tunes. Next Monday, we'll have a few copies- maybe this is your week to win!
Mary Palmer is the Music Director for High Plains Public radio and a big fan of yogurt with or without granola on top.
