Donna Ulisse, among bluegrass music’s most celebrated and decorated singers and songwriters, has released her latest Turnberry Records single, a song she wrote in honor of her husband’s late grandmother.
Are You Picking Flowers Now is based on Rick Stanley’s beloved grandmother, Rettie Love Mullins, whose home flower garden was an inspiration to all who saw it. Cultivated in the rocky soil of the Clinch Mountains, she took meticulous care of her garden until the end, creating a mountain showcase that will be her lasting legacy.
In the lyrics, we hear descriptions of the colorful blooms Ulisse remembers, fueled by the great love Rettie shared with her family.
“As I was writing, I struggled with what term of endearment to use in this song dedicated to the memory of my husband’s mountain grandmother. He called her Mamaw, and I had never heard that term before, so I used ‘Mama’ instead, and it seemed to roll off my tongue with conviction. I loved me some Mamaw!
I can clearly see the wicker basket Rettie Mullins would leave at her back door. The worn handle and the flowers she would cut and put in jars all over her house were proof of the constant care she took in her rock garden.”
Ulisse also recalls the final wishes Rettie left for her family.
“Rettie Mullins would tell everyone she loved that when she passed someday, not to waste money on hothouse flowers. She asked that everyone gather Queen Anne’s Lace to lay on her grave.
I sang at her funeral, and the wildflowers were beautiful and so fitting for this lovely, gentle mountain woman. I absolutely know she is now enjoying the great Heavenly meadows filled with color. I’m guessing her wicker basket is filled to bursting.”
With a real knack for storytelling through song, Donna offers this tribute in a crisp bluegrass style.
Donna sings the lead, supported by Cody Kilby on guitar, Greg Davis on banjo, Nate Burie on mandolin, Jason Carter on fiddle, Evan Winsor on bass, and Mark Beckett on brushes. Rick adds a harmony vocal, as does Nate.
Check it out.
Are You Picking Flowers Now is available now from popular download and streaming services online, and to radio programmers via Get It Played.
