Donna Ulisse Releases 9th Bluegrass Album "Hard Cry Moon"

By Timothy Yap Oct 10, 2015 07:19 AM EDT

Four-time IBMA songwriter of the year nominee (with songs recorded by Del McCoury, Doyle Lawson, Claire Lynch and more) Donna Ulisse is back with her 9th bluegrass album "Hard Cry Moon." This is another superb collection of originals that demonstrate her gift for believable narrative, finely wrought detail and genuine emotion. When she wraps her warm, rich voice around these songs, you know they're real to her.

Ulisse is a writer on 11 of the 12 songs, penning four on her own. Fans will recognize regular co-writers Marc Rossi, with four songs here; Rick Stanley, her husband and touring band member (and cousin of Carter and Ralph); and the award-winning Jerry Salley.

The first single, "It Could Have Been The Mandolin," recalls a blissful evening in a blossoming relationship. Young love is also at the forefront of "We're Gonna Find A Preacher," while the feisty "Ain't That A Pity" depicts the downside of love.

Family stories have always been a key part of Ulisse's music, and here she offers two loving tributes. "Workin' On The C & O" is a poor man's railroad tale about her maternal grandfather, who began his career as a "gandy dancer." "Papa's Garden" honors her grandfather on her dad's side, an Italian immigrant who found great joy in growing things. She lovingly dedicates the whole album to these two grandparents who made such an impression on her.

In the spine-tingling "The River's Runnin' Free," the singer stumbles upon an acquaintance in the act of some eerily suspicious behavior by the water, demands: "Are you here to lay some kind of trouble in the ground, or are you here digging trouble up?" At the other end of the emotional spectrum is "Just As Long As We're Together," a love-conquers-all promise. And the gorgeously mournful title track is the type of acoustic traditional country ballad that no one can deliver like Ulisse.

The sole cover is the country classic "Whispering Pines," a song Ulisse has long loved, and one originally made famous by Johnny Horton, her husband's all-time favorite male vocalist. Ulisse sings the chestnut like one of her own, her voice tenderly pleading for the return of her baby.

The album closes with the lullaby-like "I'll Sleep In Peace At Night" which includes Fayssoux McLean on harmony, one of Ulisse's vocal idols from the time she first heard her singing harmony on the early Emmylou Harris records.

Ulisse handed the production reins to six-time IBMA guitarist of the year Bryan Sutton (Hot Rize, Ricky Skaggs, Harry Connick Jr.), who also was at the board for Showin' My Roots. As on previous albums, Ulisse is surrounded by some of the top pickers in bluegrass - which is to say some of the best musicians on the planet: Casey Campbell, a member of Sutton's touring band, on mandolin; Dennis Crouch (June Carter Cash, Emmylou Harris, Diana Krall, Steve Earle) on upright bass. Stuart Duncan (Alison Krauss; James Taylor, the Goat Rodeo Sessions album with Yo-Yo Ma, Chris Thile and Edgar Meyer) on fiddle. Scott Vestal (Dolly Parton, Doyle Lawson, Sam Bush) on banjo. Brent Truitt of the SteelDrivers engineered and mixed.

With Hard Cry Moon, Donna Ulisse offers more proof that, whether she is interpreting the work of others or her own compositions, she has earned her spot as one of bluegrass music's most captivating artists.

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CREDITS:
1. Black Train
Words and music by Donna Ulisse and Rick Stanley
(c) 2015 Uncle Hadley Music/Pop 'N Paw Music (ASCAP)
Acoustic Guitar: Bryan Sutton / Banjo: Scott Vestal /
Stuart Duncan: Fiddle / Dennis Crouch: Upright Bass / Casey Campbell: Mandolin / Harmony Vocals: Jerry Salley & Rick Stanley

2. Workin' On The C&O
Words and music by Donna Ulisse and Marc Rossi
(c) 2015 Uncle Hadley Music/Marc My Words Music (ASCAP)
Acoustic Guitar: Bryan Sutton / Banjo: Scott Vestal /
Fiddle: Stuart Duncan / Upright Bass: Dennis Crouch /Mandolin: Casey Campbell / Harmony Vocals: Jerry Salley & Rick Stanley

3. We're Gonna Find A Preacher
Words and music by Donna Ulisse
(C) 2015 Uncle Hadley Music (ASCAP)
Clawhammer Banjo: Bryan Sutton / Fiddle: Stuart Duncan / Upright Bass: Dennis Crouch / Mandolin: Casey Campbell / Harmony Vocals: Rick Stanley

4. Papa's Garden
Words and music by Donna Ulisse
(C) 2015 Uncle Hadley Music (ASCAP)
Acoustic Guitar: Bryan Sutton / Stuart Duncan: Fiddle / Dennis Crouch: Upright Bass / Casey Campbell: Mandolin / Harmony Vocals: Jerry Salley & Rick Stanley

5. It Could Have Been The Mandolin
Words and music by Donna Ulisse and Jerry Salley
(c) 2015 Uncle Hadley Music (ASCAP)/Den What Music(SESAC) administered by Words & Music, all rights reserved. Used by permission. International copyright secured.
Acoustic Guitar: Bryan Sutton / Banjo: Scott Vestal /
Stuart Duncan: Fiddle / Dennis Crouch: Upright Bass / Casey Campbell: Mandolin / Harmony Vocals: Jerry Salley & Rick Stanley

6. Hard Cry Moon
Words and Music by Donna Ulisse and Rick Stanley
(c) 2015 Uncle Hadley Music/Pop 'N Paw Music (ASCAP)
Acoustic Guitar: Bryan Sutton / Banjo: Scott Vestal /
Stuart Duncan: Fiddle / Dennis Crouch: Upright Bass / Casey Campbell: Mandolin / Harmony Vocals: Jerry Salley & Rick Stanley

7. The River's Runnin' Free
Words and music by Donna Ulisse and Marc Rossi
(c) 2015 Uncle Hadley Music/Marc My Words Music (ASCAP)
Acoustic Guitar: Bryan Sutton / Banjo: Scott Vestal /
Stuart Duncan: Fiddle / Dennis Crouch: Upright Bass / Casey Campbell: Mandolin / Harmony Vocals: Jerry Salley & Rick Stanley

8. As Long As We're Together
Words and music by Donna Ulisse and Rick Stanley
(c) 2015 Uncle Hadley Music/Pop 'N Paw Music (ASCAP)
Acoustic Guitar: Bryan Sutton / Banjo: Scott Vestal /
Stuart Duncan: Fiddle / Dennis Crouch: Upright Bass / Casey Campbell: Mandolin / Harmony Vocals: Jerry Salley & Rick Stanley

9. Ain't That A Pity
Words and music by Donna Ulisse and Marc Rossi
(c) 2015 Uncle Hadley Music/Marc My Words Music (ASCAP)
Acoustic Guitar: Bryan Sutton / Banjo: Scott Vestal /
Stuart Duncan: Fiddle / Dennis Crouch: Upright Bass / Casey Campbell: Mandolin / Harmony Vocals: Greg Davis & Rick Stanley

10. I'm In For A Long Ride
Words and music by Donna Ulisse
(C) 2015 Uncle Hadley Music (ASCAP)
Acoustic Guitar: Bryan Sutton / Banjo: Scott Vestal /
Stuart Duncan: Fiddle / Dennis Crouch: Upright Bass / Casey Campbell: Mandolin / Harmony Vocals: Jerry Salley & Rick Stanley

11. Whispering Pines
Words and music by Howard Hausey
This Is Mine Music (BMI)
Acoustic Guitar: Bryan Sutton / Banjo: Scott Vestal /
Stuart Duncan: Fiddle / Dennis Crouch: Upright Bass / Casey Campbell: Mandolin / Harmony Vocals: Greg Davis & Rick Stanley

12. I'll Sleep In Peace At Night
Words and music by Donna Ulisse and Marc Rossi
(c) 2015 Uncle Hadley Music/Marc My Words Music (ASCAP)
Acoustic Guitar: Bryan Sutton / Stuart Duncan: Fiddle / Dennis Crouch: Upright Bass / Casey Campbell: Mandolin / Harmony Vocals: Fayssoux McLean & Rick Stanley