Dec 19
Donna Hughes remembers her Dad, Thomas Edwin Hughes
Editor’s note: We’ve met and visited with a lot of wonderful people in the bluegrass world in the past few years, and especially in the last six months that we’ve been involved in our Web site. We asked a handful of some memorable people we’ve visited with over the past year and invited them to share a bluegrass Christmas memory. Today’s memory is from the immensely talented singer/songwriter Donna Hughes whose debut album for Rounder Records, “Gaining Wisdom” was released to critical acclaim.
Donna Hughes photo by David McClisterMy Dad was the best Dad in the world. He was always there for me in every way. If it weren’t for my Dad, I could have never gotten this far in music. I lost him to cancer December 11, 2005.
That Christmas Eve, my first ever without my Dad, and the most painful thing ever, I went over to my parents house, and sat in their hammock. My Mom & Dad were almost married 35 years. When my Daddy died, it was 20 days shy of their 35th wedding anniversary. Just two years before, Alison Krauss wished them a Happy Anniversary at a sold out crowd in Greensboro, NC (since she had recorded one of my songs,) and my Daddy was the proudest Dad in the world.
Upcoming Shows
Jan. 26 - The Blue Vine - Salisbury, NC
On that 1st Christmas Eve without my Dad, as I sat in the hammock at their house, a huge red cardinal came and sat on a branch just a few feet away. He was unusually large, and unusually close. I just felt it was my Dad sending that bird to say hello. We always had humor in our lives, and I could just hear him making a joke about that being such a fat bird.
Anyway, I wrote a song about this experience. On the night of December 11, 2006, one year exactly after he passed into Heaven, I saw a shooting star. It was also described in the song.
The song is called “Saying Hello.”
The misty fog stretched across the highway
The gentle breeze circling the leaves
The pretty cloud shaped just like a heart
That’s Daddy saying hello to me
That time I saw, a bright shooting star
The colored butterflies that glide along the road
The nickel on the ground made the year I left for college
Reminding me he’s waiting for me to come home
He’s all around me now
He’s up there smiling down
He isn’t hurting now
I’m gonna make him proud
The flowers in the spring
Red birds on a snowy tree
In my heart I do believe
It’s really Daddy…… saying hello to me
The silver rain that danced across my windshield
That crazy bird singing loudly in the tree
His favorite song playing on the radio
That’s Daddy saying hello to me
The wind is moving my porch swing today
He must be looking at the tears on my face
His favorite team is playing baseball on tv
I miss my Daddy
Saying hello to me
The leaves are dancing on the sidewalk today
He must be telling me it’s gonna be ok
I saw a little boy with blue eyes smiling
Just like Daddy…………….
I miss my Daddy………………..
Saying Hello to me
I just feel that when we lose someone, they always watch over us, and if we look around, they are still really there. So that’s the most valuable memory I have concerning Christmas, is realizing at this time of year that my Dad is still very much with me. My Uncle said something at my Dad’s funeral that stuck with me…..he said “You can sit and cry in the darkness, or you can walk in the light that you have.”
Have a great Christmas!
Donna Hughes
www.DonnaHughes.com
(No Ratings Yet)
Loading ...You might also like to read these related news items:
[…] “That Christmas Eve, my first ever without my Dad, and the most painful thing ever, I went over to my parents house, and sat in their hammock. My Mom & Dad were almost married 35 years. When my Daddy died, it was 20 days shy of their 35th wedding anniversary. Just two years before, Alison Krauss wished them a Happy Anniversary at a sold out crowd in Greensboro, NC (since she had recorded one of my songs,) and my Daddy was the proudest Dad in the world.” Read More […]