Search - Rhonda Vincent :: Beautiful Star: A Christmas Collection

Great bluegrass christmas cd!!!

chad bruce | georgetown , ohio | 11/05/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"just bought this cd and i have to say it is a great bluegrass christmas cd! i love it! rhonda sounds so good, i can imagine getting all cozy this christmas by the tree with a warm glass of milk and just having this cd playing softly in the back ground! you have to check this out! if you love bluegrass and christmas music than this will surely be a winner with you!!!!"

This Year's Christmas Pick!

Matteo Ringressi | Forlì, Italy | 11/20/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Finally! I was waiting for my yearly bluegrass-christmas CD, and my choice this year surely falls on this album. Rohnda sounds great. It's a great album, with a mixture of traditional bluegrass (Oh Christmas Tree, or Monroe's Christmas Time Is Coming) and swingy-classy-soft acoustic bluegrass (Rockin' Around The Christmas Tre...). Also, Rohnda's voice is spotlighted on "Away In A Manger", and Ralph Stanley's "Beautiful Star Of Bethlehem", which almost moved me...

Make yourself a Xmas Gift, buy BLUEGRASS MUSIC! ;)"

Terrific Bluegrass Holiday Album

Steve Vrana | Aurora, NE | 11/30/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Rhonda Vincent, unlike her contemporary Alison Krauss, has never strayed far from her bluegrass roots--and this wonderful collection of holiday songs is no exception.



The album starts off with an up-tempo Vincent original "Christmas Time at Home." The mandolin flourishes add a nice touch to "Let It Snow." With the banjo setting the pace, "Oh Christmas Tree" turns into a real toe-tapper. And while "Twelve Days of Christmas" is one of my least favorite holiday songs, the Thirteen Member Twelve Day Choir and the Twelve Day Orchestra breathe new life into this classic--even though not all of the choir members can carry a tune!



It should be noted that there are a few deviations that keep this from being exclusively a bluegrass album. "The Christmas Song" is given a smooth jazz treatment. "Winter Wonderland" adds an accordion into the mix. And "Away in a Manger" (with The Whites on harmony vocals) features the harp as the lead instrument to wonderful effect.



I also note that no fewer than four of these songs also appear on Emmylou Harris's classic LIGHT OF THE STABLE. Obviously that album had a major influence on Vincent. But far from being derivative, Vincent clearly puts her own stamp on each of these songs. Any fan of bluegrass music will find much to enjoy here. [Running Time - 35:49] HIGHLY RECOMMENDED"