The sister of songwriter Chris Waters, Dunn recorded for MTM Records between 1985-1988, Warner Bros. Records between 1988–93, and River North Records between 1995-97. She released ten albums and charted nineteen singles plus two duets on the Hot Country Songs charts. Of her single releases, two — "Are You Ever Gonna Love Me" and "You Really Had Me Going" — went to number 1. Dunn retired from music in 2003.
While attending high school, Dunn performed in a band called Freedom Folk Singers, which toured the Southern United States. She attended Abilene Christian University and performed in a school sponsored group called The Hilltoppers. Dunn also wrote songs with her brother, Chris Waters, who would later become a prolific songwriter in Nashville, Tennessee. One of their collaborations, "Out of Sight, Not Out of Mind", was recorded by Cristy Lane. After graduating college, Dunn moved to Nashville, Tennessee, where she worked as a demo singer before both she and Waters became songwriters at CBS Records, and then MTM Records. Louise Mandrell had a top 10 hit in 1984 with "I'm Not Through Loving You Yet", which the two co-wrote. By 1985, Dunn was signed to a record contract with MTM.
Dunn's first two releases — "Playing for Keeps" and "My Heart Holds On" — both failed to make the Top 40 on the Hot Country Songs charts, while "Two Too Many" peaked at number 39. Her first Top 10 hit came in 1986, when "Daddy's Hands" went to number 7. The song was included on her self-titled debut, from which it served as the final single. Following this song, she sang guest vocals on Michael Martin Murphey's Top 5 hit "A Face in the Crowd", from his album Americana. Her second MTM album, Cornerstone, produced three straight Top 10 hits in "Love Someone Like Me", "Only When I Love", and "Strangers Again". Across the Rio Grande in 1988 included the singles "That's What Your Love Does to Me" and "(It's Always Gonna Be) Someday", before MTM Records filed for bankruptcy and closed.
In 1989, Dunn moved to Warner Bros. Records' Nashville division. Her first release for the label, The Blue Rose of Texas, produced her first number 1 hit in "Are You Ever Gonna Love Me", followed by "There Goes My Heart Again" at number 4. The latter was co-written by a then-unknown Joe Diffie, who also sang backing vocals on it. She also sang on Kenny Rogers' late 1990 hit "Maybe", from his album Something Inside So Strong.
Dunn's second Warner Bros. album, Heart Full of Love, was released in 1990. Although its lead single "My Anniversary for Being a Fool" failed to make top 40, the followup "You Really Had Me Going" became her second and final number 1 hit, while the title track was a top 20 hit.
In 1991, Dunn released her first greatest hits package, Milestones: Greatest Hits. It included the new release "Maybe I Mean Yes", which became controversial due to some listeners interpreting the song as condoning date rape. As a result, Dunn asked for the single to be withdrawn from rotation. Her final Warner Bros. release, Getting It Dunn, failed to produce a top 40 hit, and she exited the label in 1993.
Dunn signed to River North Records in 1995 and released two albums for the label: Life and Love and All the Stages in 1995 and Leave One Bridge Standing two years later. The former produced her final chart entry in "I Am Who I Am". Shortly before the release of Leave One Bridge Standing, she joined country music radio station WWWW in Detroit, Michigan as morning show co-host. It was not her first time behind the radio mike, as she had served as a DJ during her college years. However, the decision forced her to give up touring for a time. Later, she co-hosted Opry Backstage on The Nashville Network in 2001-02.
In 2003, Dunn announced her retirement from her musical career to devote full-time to her other passion, art. She released her final album, "Full Circle", which was her first gospel album, in 2003. Her paintings deal primarily with subjects from the southwestern United States, and are available through the Peña+Dunn Gallery in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
In March 2016, Dunn was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. She died at age 59 on November 15, 2016, at a hospice facility in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Discography
Albums
Year Title US Country US 200 RIAA
1986 Holly Dunn 29
1987 Cornerstone 22
1988 Across the Rio Grande 26
1989 The Blue Rose of Texas 30
1990 Heart Full of Love 47
1991 Milestones: Greatest Hits 25 162 Gold
1992 Getting It Dunn
1995 Life and Love and All the Stages
1997 Leave One Bridge Standing
2003 Full Circle
Singles
Year Song US Country Album
1985 "Playing For Keeps" 62
1985 "My Heart Holds On" 64
1986 "Two Too Many" 39 Holly Dunn
1986 "Daddy's Hands" 7 Holly Dunn
1987 "Love Someone Like Me" 2 Cornerstone
1987 "Only When I Love" 4 Cornerstone
1988 "Strangers Again" 7 Cornerstone
1988 "That's What Your Love Does To Me" 5 Across the Rio Grande
1988 "(It's Always Gonna Be) Someday" 11 Across the Rio Grande
1989 "Are You Ever Gonna Love Me" 1 The Blue Rose of Texas
1989 "There Goes My Heart Again" 4 The Blue Rose of Texas
1990 "My Anniversary For Being A Fool" 60 Heart Full of Love
1990 "You Really Had Me Going" 1 Heart Full of Love
1991 "Heart Full Of Love" 19 Heart Full of Love
1991 "Maybe I Mean Yes" 48 Milestones: Greatest Hits
1991 "No One Takes The Train Anymore" - Milestones: Greatest Hits
1992 "No Love Have I" 67 Getting It Dunn
1992 "As Long As You Belong To Me" 68 Getting It Dunn
1992 "Golden Years" 51 Getting It Dunn
1995 "I Am Who I Am" 56 Life and Love and All the Stages
1995 "Cowboys Are My Weakness" - Life and Love and All the Stages
1996 "It's Not About Blame" - Life and Love and All the Stages
1997 "Leave One Bridge Standing" - Leave One Bridge Standing
Heart Full of Love
Holly Dunn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A piece of the rainbow, too
Got a dream in my arms and I know now
That dreams can come true
You're an angel from heaven
Your smile's like the sunshine in a sky of blue
Oh, I, oh, I've got a heart full of love
Well, I used to be blue, but now I feel brand-new
Must be something you done
You put a smile on my face
And kissed away my tears
You're the light in my eyes
The sun in my skies, even on cloudy days
Oh I, oh, I've got a heart full of love
A heart full of love, got a heart full of love just for you
You don't know what you do to me
Somethin' in your laughin' eyes
Is gettin' through to me
I've got a heart full of love, a heart full of love
Got a heart full of love just for you
I've got a heart full of love, a heart full of love
A heart full of love just for you
In Holly Dunn's song "Heart Full of Love," the singer describes the abundance of good luck, dreams, and happiness she experiences because of her lover. The opening lines suggest a sense of security and fortune that the singer feels in her relationship, as if she possesses all the good fortune one could ask for, like a four-leaf clover or a piece of the rainbow. She then asserts the idea that having a dream and being in love can bring them to fruition. The singer's lover is portrayed as a light in her life that has transformed her outlook from sad ("used to be blue") to joyful ("feel brand-new"). The lover is alluded to as an angel, who exudes warmth and happiness, with a smile as radiant as sunshine on a perfect day.
The chorus highlights how much the singer adores her lover and makes the theme of "heart full of love" explicit. She repeats this phrase to convey her affection and commitment to her partner, reiterating that her heart is "full" of love, emphasizing her abundance of love. The singer mentions that her lover touches her in ways that she hasn't experienced before, and even their laughter carries significance, causing her to feel a real connection with the person she loves. Overall, the song speaks to a desire for pure and authentic love and emphasizes the joy that comes from shared experiences.
Line by Line Meaning
Got a four-leaf clover and my lucky charms
I feel lucky and blessed because I have a symbol of good fortune and the things that I believe brings me luck.
A piece of the rainbow, too
I am optimistic and hopeful about the future because I have a sign that things will get better and brighter over time.
Got a dream in my arms and I know now that dreams can come true
I am holding onto my aspirations and I believe that they can become a reality with hard work, perseverance, and self-belief.
You're an angel from heaven
You are a special, kind, and loving person who came into my life like a divine intervention.
Your smile's like the sunshine in a sky of blue
Your smile brings me joy and happiness that is as bright and radiant as the warm sun on a clear day.
Oh, I, oh, I've got a heart full of love
I am overflowing with emotions of affection, tenderness, and fondness for you.
A heart full of love, got a heart full of love just for you
I have a lot of love and care for you that is so deep and sincere that it fills my entire heart.
Well, I used to be blue, but now I feel brand-new
I used to feel sad and down, but now I feel refreshed, renewed, and revitalized.
Must be something you done
You did something that changed my mood and perspective and made me feel better about life and myself.
You put a smile on my face and kissed away my tears
You made me happy and comforted me when I was feeling sad, and your love and support healed my emotional wounds.
You're the light in my eyes
You are the source of my happiness, inspiration, and hope that brightens my outlook on life and makes me see everything in a positive light.
The sun in my skies, even on cloudy days
You are the shining star in my life that brings warmth, light, and happiness to even the most difficult and challenging moments.
You don't know what you do to me
You have a powerful and positive impact on me that is difficult to describe in words.
Somethin' in your laughin' eyes is gettin' through to me
Your eyes, especially when you laugh, convey a message that touches my heart and soul and makes me feel loved, appreciated, and happy.
I've got a heart full of love, a heart full of love
My heart is filled with an abundance of affection, tenderness, and fondness for you.
Got a heart full of love just for you
All the emotions, feelings, and sentiments that I have are directed towards you since you are the most important person in my life.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Kostas Lazarides
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@shawnduncan5779
This woman was really great. She was really beautiful and had the voice of an angel. She seemed so sweet and warm and full of energy. I think that she is dearly loved and sadly missed. I think that her music and her memories will live on forever. I that she is in heaven watching over everyone else
@LizC1213
I love this song. May she RIP.
@markmarkofkane8167
She had great pipes. And talent. The world sucks without her. At least heaven got their angel back.
@petemarshall3020
Good song thank you J.W. for posting this song by this late great Holly dunn .
@JWGauntt
you're more than welcome Pete, appreciate it my friend
@DaveWollenberg
God bless you, miss Holly. See you in Heaven!
@rimakuja
R.I.P Holly Dunn. Absolutely lovely music, beautiful voice. We will miss you.
@danielburns987
this song went to #19 on the country charts in 1991!!!
@tinabeck4876
Great song my heart full of love
@jenntyacke1272
RIP Dear Holly.