Rhonda Vincent 'All American Bluegrass Girl' album

Dubbed “The New Queen of Bluegrass” by The Wall Street Journal, Rhonda Vincent delivers hard-driving bluegrass and soothing ballads, including three originals, on her new CD All American Bluegrass Girl.

Six-time International Bluegrass Music Association “Female Vocalist of the Year,” Vincent continues her tradition of exciting bluegrass music with a contemporary edge.

All American Bluegrass Girl features a guest appearance by Dolly Parton on “Heartbreaker’s Alibi” and by bluegrass legend Bobby Osborne on “Midnight Angel.” This collection delivers fresh, exciting bluegrass from start to finish. Rhonda Vincent is the All American Bluegrass Girl.

Biography

One of the most acclaimed and popular figures on today's bluegrass scene, Rhonda Vincent shows no signs of slowing down and taking it easy. An award-winning vocalist (6-time International Bluegrass Music Association Vocalist of the Year, 2005 Grammy ® nominee for Bluegrass Album of the Year), Vincent is also a resourceful multi-instrumentalist (mandolin, fiddle, guitar, and most anything else with strings), heartfelt songwriter, esteemed bandleader, and, as her new recordings continue to prove, a producer with the rare gift of creating music which balances the timeless drive and soul of bluegrass with a subtle contemporary elegance. That unique balance is audible throughout her thrilling new album, the aptly-titled All American Bluegrass Girl, which blends her distinctly modern take on bluegrass with classic elements, and features Vincent performing alongside members of her fiery road band the Rage, a host of top-notch session musicians, and bluegrass legends Dolly Parton and Bobby Osborne.

Vincent was raised on bluegrass, first taking the stage with her family's band the Sally Mountain Show when she was barely five years old. She started learning mandolin at age eight, which was also when she released her first single - an exhilarating, driving arrangement of "Mule Skinner Blues" that Vincent still performs. Her early bluegrass solo albums led to a Nashville deal, and the experience of recording her two fine commercial country efforts taught her essential lessons about the inner workings of the music industry. Vincent triumphantly returned to bluegrass with her 2000 Rounder debut Back Home Again. That same year, the bluegrass community welcomed her back with Female Vocalist of the Year honors at the International Bluegrass Music Association [I.B.M.A.] awards. She received the coveted Entertainer of the Year award from I.B.M.A. the following year, concurrent with the release of her second Rounder album The Storm Still Rages. One Step Ahead followed in 2003, and included "You Can't Take It With You When You Go," a top-five video hit on CMT.

All the while, Vincent was refining her supporting group, the Rage. When the lineup evolved to include guitarist/mandolinist Josh Williams, fiddler Hunter Berry, bassist Mickey Harris, and banjo player Kenny Ingram, Rhonda felt the time was right to document the excitement of their live concerts on CD and DVD. Ragin' Live was released in 2005, and boasted a well-chosen selection of prior favorites, instrumental and vocal features for members of the Rage, and several previously unrecorded songs that found Vincent working with a small string section in a more hushed, evocative style.

The album was nominated for a 2005 Best Bluegrass Album Grammy® award. The reflection and preparation that went into the creation of Ragin' Live helped set the stage for All American Bluegrass Girl. "I did intentionally want to make sure that this album had more of a classic sound. But I always hope to have a good balance of everything - from in-your-face bluegrass to softer acoustic country sounds. I approached this album like I do our live performances, and try to have something for everybody."

For Vincent, the greatest reward is to experience first hand the connection her music has with audiences. "Just recently," Rhonda relates, "I was reminded how powerful this music is, no matter how old or young you are. A little girl from Missouri came up to me, after hearing 'All American Bluegrass Girl' and asked, 'Could I sing your song?' I asked her why, and she just said 'Because I'm an All American Bluegrass Girl too!'"

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Rhonda Vincent - All American Bluegrass Girl