She had one album produced by Tony Rice (Gaining Wisdom), and one produced by J. D. Crowe (Hellos, Goodbyes & Butterflies) on Rounder Records.
She has done 6 albums, and has 189 songs on iTunes.
A song she wrote about a dog on a chain "Dog On A 10 Foot Chain," has resulted in countless groups forming to end dog chaining.
Check out her videos called "The Red Oak Tree," "Walmart Checkout Line," and "Dog On A 10 Foot Chain."
Cum Laude Graduate of High Point University, she holds a B.A degree in History, and holds a Real Estate license in the state of North Carolina. Donna also has a love for gymnastics, a difficult but rewarding sport that for many years has proven to all who participate in it, that anything is possible if you work hard enough. She has coached many State and National Champions, and has worked with some of the greatest names in the sport. You will still find her coaching today, to stay in shape. Donna loves all the kids and parents in her "gym family." Donna loves pets, and has 4 horses, two parakeets, a cat, and two beautiful basset hounds, all of which are very spoiled. An avid listener of all types of music, from Classical, R & B, Jazz, to Country, Bluegrass & Acoustic Music is where she feels most inspired. Donna acknowledges that her accomplishments are the result of having kind, supportive, unselfish parents, always encouraging & willing to sacrifice...... patient and motivating. Donna's grandfather taught music lessons of all sorts from piano to guitar, and owned and operated a music conservatory many years ago. Donna's mother learned from him and became very accomplished on piano. Donna's mother has played for churches, weddings, and many other occasions. Donna learned how to play Classical music on the piano by listening to her mother play countless pieces from Bach to Beethoven, asking her to play them over & over again, to later play them back to her mother by ear. Donna feels her Classical music exposure has helped her ability to construct more innovative-sounding bluegrass, different from your run-of-the-mill three-chord patterned songs like many bluegrass songs have traditionally been. Once criticized for that, the difference in her song structure is now highly celebrated, as a song consisting of almost all minor chords was chosen by Alison Krauss.
A couple of weeks before Christmas 2005, Donna lost her father. Two days before Thanksgiving, Donna and her mother were devastated to find out that he had a very aggressive, late stage brain tumor. After he was initially diagnosed with a stroke, they were hit hard by this news. He only lived until December 11. December 20 would have been her parents' 35th Wedding Anniversary. Donna's dad had suffered from rheumatoid arthritis, a very painful condition, for 10 years. He was the most influential person in her life. Thomas Edwin Hughes, born October 11, 1937, had taught school for 30 years, served two terms on the Randolph County School Board, had been a well-known and successful auctioneer for 28 years, and had taught Sunday School at the small church named Westfield Baptist, since he was 11 years old. He had also been a farmer, who helped his parents out on a dairy farm while growing up. Donna's father was always cheerful, happy and friendly despite the pain he experienced constantly with his arthritis. He loved to sing, and went somewhere different almost every night to do so. Ed was known around his home as the "Singing Auctioneer." He was an inspiration to hundreds of people in the community, as he continued to work, and be a vital part of society regardless of his illness. Donna wrote a song about her Daddy entitled "Simple Man," which was on her first self-produced album, "Somewhere In Time." Although her dad will not get to see the album come out, she had played the new version of the song for him a great deal of times. Carl Jackson and Sonya Isaacs did the most fantastic harmony on the song. Donna is so proud of all of her father's accomplishments. Her new album will be dedicated to the loving memory of her dad. A strong man who often donated his time & money often for charity. He was always telling everybody about Donna and her music, everywhere he went. Just like her song says, "He's always kind to strangers, and he's always kept his word." Life will not be the same without him, but Donna has already begun to capture her pain, and remember the happy times she had with him in song. This will continue.
Wishes
Donna Hughes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I hoped it would come true
I had a feeling, that I was dreaming
When I wished for you
Chorus: I wish that you were here
I wish you could see my tears
And I wish I was on your mind,
Tossed a penny, in the well
And I closed my eyes
I told no one, what I wished for
When I wished that you were mine
Chorus: I wish that you were here
I wish you could see my tears
And I wish you missed me tonight
But if wishes were horses, dreamers would ride
Made a wish upon a star
As the sun went down
Like the star I'd be in Heaven
If you were with me now
Chorus: I wish that you were here
I wish you could see my tears
And I wish I was on your mind,
But if wishes were horses, dreamers would ride
Donna Hughes's song "Wishes" is all about the power of hope and the longing of unrequited love. The lyrics specifically describe the act of making wishes via different methods, such as blowing out candles, tossing a penny in a well, and wishing upon a star, but all these wishes have a common denominator: the wish for the presence of the person the singer loves. The first verse sets the tone for the song as the singer makes a birthday wish with the hope that it would come true. She is dreaming and yearning for the person she truly loves - this wish isn't just any ordinary wish, it is symbolizes her deepest desires.
The chorus then repeats the singer's wish to have her love interest by her side, to acknowledge her tears, and to be on her mind. The singer is expressing that her love and desire for this person is all-consuming, and she wishes they felt the same way. The second verse describes how the singer tosses a penny into a well and makes a wish in hopes of having her love interest reciprocate her feelings. The third verse is the singer's final wish upon a star, and she believes that if this wish comes true and her love were with her, it would be as if she was in a state of heaven.
Line by Line Meaning
Blew out the candles and made a wish
After blowing out the candles, I made a wish, hoping it would come true.
And I hoped it would come true
I had an earnest desire that my wish would come true.
I had a feeling, that I was dreaming
I experienced a sensation as if I was in a dream.
When I wished for you
I wished that you were there with me.
Chorus: I wish that you were here
I desire that you were here with me, by my side.
I wish you could see my tears
I want you to see the pain that I am going through and the tears that I shed.
And I wish I was on your mind,
I want to be on your mind and in your thoughts as you are always present in mine.
But if wishes were horses, dreamers would ride
I understand that mere wishing alone will not make things happen, and only those who act on their dreams will succeed.
Tossed a penny, in the well
I tossed a penny in the well, hoping it would bring me luck in fulfilling my desire.
And I closed my eyes
I closed my eyes, focusing on my desire and hoping that it would turn into reality.
I told no one, what I wished for
I kept my desire a secret, as I believed it might come true only if it remained hidden.
When I wished that you were mine
I wished that you would be mine, hoping that my desire would come true.
Made a wish upon a star
I made a wish upon a star, hoping that my wish would come true.
As the sun went down
The sun was setting as I wished on the star.
Like the star I'd be in Heaven
If you were with me, I would feel like I am in heaven.
If you were with me now
I wish you were with me now, right by my side.
Contributed by Anthony H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.