Holly Suzette Dunn (August 22, 1957 – November 15, 2016) was an American co… Read Full Bio ↴Holly Suzette Dunn (August 22, 1957 – November 15, 2016) was an American country music singer and songwriter.
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
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
Temporary Loss of Memory
Holly Dunn Lyrics
We have lyrics for these tracks by Holly Dunn:
(It's Always Gonna Be) Someday You said, "Someday we'll be together Never to be apart again…
1001 Ways I've got to say one thing for you When it comes…
Are You Ever Gonna Love Me I've been waiting for you baby You've been taking your time…
Cowboys Are My Weakness I can say no to cherry pie ala mode A Mercedes…
Daddy I remember daddy's hands folded silently in prayer And reach…
Don't Break The Wings Walkin' a fine line down love's scary road When do I…
Don't Worry Don't worry about me It's over now The way may be blue I…
For Your Love Hey there's nothing I wouldn't do For your love baby, for…
Heart Full of Love Got a four-leaf clover and my lucky charms A piece of…
I Am Who I Am printed music Whatever you want I've been willing to try But whatever I…
I'd Know That Heartache Anywhere I knew it was you walking through the door Without even…
I'm Not Through Loving You Yet You've got that lookin' around look in your eye You've got…
It's Not About Blame Love is gone but feelings linger There's no point in pointi…
Just as I Am Whatever you want I've been willing to try But whatever I…
Leave One Bridge Standing Boy I can't believe you'd walk out on me When I…
Love Across The Line Two a.m. in Austin that truck Stop looks promising But do…
Love Someone Like Me That dancing moon is on the water. Do you feel…
Maybe When you asked me out and I turned you down, Never…
Most Of All Why We once were so close now the love light That…
My Heart Holds On There goes my heart again. Here comes the hurt back…
No Love Have I A honey bee loves a flower A chickadee loves the sky Everybo…
No One Takes the Train Anymore If you take the train when you leave me I'll stand…
Only When I Love Most the time, I don't ever hurt about you, I do fine…
Rock-A-Billy Billy was born in a one room shack On the Tennessee…
Rockabilly Billy was born in a one room shack On the Tennessee…
Softly & Tenderly Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling, Calling for you and fo…
Someday You said, "Someday we'll be together Never to be apart again…
Stranger's Again Strangers again Just like before Not even friends After b…
Strangers Again Strangers again Just like before Not even friends After bein…
Sweet Hour of Prayer Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer! That calls me…
Talking Goodbye I heard you saying you're thinking bout getting out Leaving …
That Never Stopped Me Here's where I should say goodnight call me up some…
The Wonder Of Love Till you I never knew what love could mean You taught…
There Goes My Heart Again There goes my heart again. Here comes the hurt back…
There's No Heart So Strong Maybe I didn't cry, when you first told me the…
We've Got The Love Some never take the chance some never even try The odds…
What Kind Of Love You keep trying to talk me into love You sure have…
Whatshisname He walked up to me at the honky tonk Asked me…
You Just Don't Know It Yet You can't look when I walk into the room Confused from…
You Really Had Me Going The way that you touched me made me believe You never…
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
More Genres
No Artists Found
More Artists
Load All
No Albums Found
More Albums
Load All
No Tracks Found
Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Search results not found
Song not found
Brett Golightly
I still remember this cassette I had in my collection with her two albums. Can’t believe I just now found out about her passing away... She helped land a mark on my life back in the 90s of Country. Such a beautiful spirit, heart, and talent.
G. Nalani Kanahele
RIL Holly... You sing beautifully.. Made a Hawaiian love country music.. 💚💚🌺
AVGOUSTINOPOLSKY Patrick
Je suis très triste je ne savais pas que Holly nous avait quittés. C'était une Grande Dame !!
Primrose Haran
yeah like her very nice voice
Brent E.
yeah, she sure was a great singer. thanks for listening.