07/28/2026
Donna Ulisse has a new single!!
NEW SINGLE OUT NOW!
Donna Ulisse Honors Her Husband’s Beloved Mountain Grandmother With Heartfelt New Single “Are You Picking Flowers Now”.
Click BELOW to listen/stream:
https://sc.lnk.to/du-AYPFN
Award-winning singer-songwriter Donna Ulisse pays tribute to the enduring beauty of family and the Appalachian heritage with her deeply personal new single, "Are You Picking Flowers Now".
Inspired by the memory of her husband Rick Stanley's grandmother, Rettie Love Mullins, the song paints a vivid portrait of a gentle mountain woman whose flower garden became a symbol of love, perseverance, and simple joy. Nestled among the Clinch Mountains, Rettie transformed the rocky landscape surrounding her home into a breathtaking display of colorful blooms which was a labor of love remembered by all who knew her.
Written solely by Ulisse, "Are You Picking Flowers Now" reflects on cherished memories while imagining Heaven's endless meadows filled with vibrant wildflowers, where the woman who once tended her Appalachian garden continues her work among the clouds. The moving ballad is filled with rich imagery of Queen Anne's Lace, mountain laurel, and wicker baskets overflowing with blossoms, creating a timeless tribute to a life well lived.
"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," Ulisse shares. "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!"
Ulisse vividly recalls the simple details that inspired the song.
"I can clearly see the wicker basket Rettie Mullins would leave at her back door," she says. "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."
Perhaps the song's most touching inspiration comes from Rettie's final wishes.
"Rettie Mullins would tell everyone she loved that when she passed someday, not to waste money on hothouse flowers," Ulisse remembers. "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 its tender storytelling, evocative Appalachian imagery, and heartfelt performance, "Are You Picking Flowers Now" serves as both a celebration of one remarkable woman's legacy and a comforting reminder that love continues to bloom long after those we cherish are gone.
For More Information:
Andrea Roberts
[email protected]
