Donne Ulisse Will be releasing a star studded Bluegrass album, Walk the Mountain Down on January 20th. The album is her second traditional Bluegrass album. She wrote or co-wrote all of the songs on the album. Produced by Keith Sewell it also includes an all-star cast of players including, Andy Leftwitch, Byron House and Rob Ickes. Ulisse has been singing all of her life but in Nashville she is better known as a songwriter (Although she did have a brief record deal with Atlantic in the early nineties). Walk the Mountain Down establishes Ulisse as an accomplished voice in the Bluegrass world. It is a world she is very familiar with being married to Rick Stanley, a close relative of Ralph Stanley. In fact, The Clinch Mountain Boys played at her wedding.
The new album is full of well written and arranged Bluegrass and Gospel gems that also reflect her Country influences. “Trouble With You” and “In My Wildest Dreams” are infectious tunes. “Levi Stone” is a moving although dark story song. The title cut and “Everything Has Changed” are very good Gospel influenced tunes. There is a lot of good Bluegrass being produced these days, but Donna Ulisse will not get lost in the shuffle. She will be noticed.
Sample on CDBaby
This review also appears on Amber Waves of Twang
About the author: Chip and his family live in Birmingham, AL. Roll Tide!