I've Got My Heart On You - Single Duet by William Lee Golden & Danni Stefanetti
Oak Ridge Boy William Lee Golden debuts as a songwriter at 85 with “I’ve Got My Heart On You,” a heartfelt duet featuring rising star Danni Stefanetti. Inspired by his son Solomon’s words during his touring days, this song blends Golden’s legendary status with Stefanetti’s fresh talent. Golden, a Country and Gospel Hall of Famer with 5 Grammys, brings decades of experience to his first self-penned track. Stefanetti, an award-winning artist, adds her virtuoso guitar skills and contemporary flair. This collaboration offers a poignant tribute to family bonds. With Golden’s rich baritone and Stefanetti’s emotive vocals, “I’ve Got My Heart On You” promises to resonate with longtime fans and new listeners alike, showcasing the timeless power of country music to connect generations.
William Lee Golden’s “I Got My Heart on You”
William Lee Golden has long been a Renaissance man. An accomplished painter, photographer, entertainer and member of both the Country and Gospel Music Halls of Fame, the longtime Oak Ridge Boy has enjoyed a long, very successful career. Never content to rest on his laurels, at 85, he’s always stretching his creative horizons and does so yet again as the solo songwriter on his latest release “I Got My Heart on You.”
The Brewton, Alabama native is joined on the song by Australian singer/songwriter/guitarist Danni Stefanetti whose sweet soulful voice is a perfect counterpoint to Golden’s warm, weathered baritone. “I was singing it more slow and sad, but she gave it a little bit of a pick up,” Golden says. “She was a great help in making the song what it has become. She’s a very talented young lady.”
The poignant lyric was inspired by Golden’s youngest son Solomon. “This is the first song that I’ve ever written the words and melody to,” the veteran musician shares. “I was home alone and was missing Solomon, who had moved to Texas. The song was inspired by something he would say when he was about five years old. He would call my cell phone and if I was busy or didn’t have my phone on me, he’d leave me this message, ‘Hey Dad, this is Solomon. I got my heart on you.’ That sweet, childlike message became the inspiration for this song.”
Golden recorded a rough version on his phone and sent it to his longtime friend, award-winning video director Jeffrey Panzer, who encouraged him to record the song. “When Solomon would say, ‘Daddy I’ve got my heart on you,’ that line stayed with William. I heard the song and there was something so special and ideal about it,” Panzer says. “I was working with Danni and she’s a virtuoso guitar player. She can play anything from Jimi Hendrix to Stevie Ray Vaughn. I had her meet William and they decided to do the song together. She put chords to it and created the demo. I sent it to William and he said, ‘I love this!’ The rest is history.”
For Stefanetti, winner of the 2023 Josie Award for Female Vocalist, getting to work with one of her musical heroes was a dream come true. “He’s so easy to work with and it’s a bit surreal because I remember sitting backstage at the Opry watching the Oak Ridge Boys doing ‘American Made’ on my first trip to Nashville,” she says with a smile. “Working with him was a real treat and this song is so special. The melody just really hit me the first time I heard it because it is really beautiful and really touching.”
Panzer co-produced the song and directed the accompanying video clip. Shot in Golden’s historic Tennessee home, it captures the synergy between the two performers and raw emotion in the lyric. Though written for his son, Stefanetti feels “I Got My Heart on You” will have universal appeal. “It could be a love song as well. It could be about a family member. It could even be something that William could dedicate to Rusty,” she says referring to Golden’s eldest son, who died of a heart attack on July 1, 2024. “The song encompasses all kind of relationships. It’s got such a universal appeal. I don’t think William realized that when he wrote it, but you hear it different every time you listen to it.”
