Search - Rhonda Vincent :: One Step Ahead

A TOUCH OF CLASS

C.T. STRICKLAND, JR | PLEASANT GARDEN, NC United States | 05/02/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"One thing that Rhonda has in common with Alison Krauss is that they both have brought some class to Bluegrass Music. As much as I enjoyed Rhonda's original - back to her roots - album, Back Home Again, I am even more impressed with her latest, ONE STEP AHEAD. The vocals are pure, on pitch, with tight harmony. It doesn't get any tighter than when she sings with her brother Darrin Vincent. The line up of musicians are among music's finest, Aubrey Haynie, Stuart Duncan, Ronnie Stuart, Bryon Sutton, and more. I was very pleased to hear an instrumental as well, which has been long over due from Rhonda."Kentucky Borderline" is an Excellent "Kick-off banjo" song, a method that has proved sucessful with Vincent in the past two albums. I can certainly appreciate the two gospel tracks, "Fishers of Men", acappella, and "Walking My Lord up Calvary's Hill". Complimenting the great bluegrass, and gospel songs on this album is the blending of great country songs like "You Can't Take it with you when you Go", and "Missouri Moon" which coupled with the true-story, ballad, "Caught in the Crossfire", together with the somewhat reminiscent- "Pathway of Teardrops" completes the variety expected in such a musical treasure!I found this album to be packaged in a very professional manner, from the graphic photography effects on the jacket, the complete lyrics included inside, to the background layout of Rhonda Vincent's lovely eyes, that seemed to be spying on you as you read the words. The liner notes and promotion was tastefully done, and the aknowledgements start the list off with thanking God, Vincent's band, the Rage and continue to thank her Fan Club President, as well as certain friends, and fans.One of the band members, Mickey Harris, contributes vocals on this album, and though I would have liked to see an interweaving of more Rage members, I know that along with Rhonda, Audie Blaylock, Hunter Berry, and Kenny Ingram do an excellent job on the road reproducing the fine sounds from any of Vincent's albums both past and present."

A big hug for this latest project!

J. Ross | Roseburg, OR USA | 05/04/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Rhonda Vincent hails from Missouri where she grew up performing with her family band, The Sally Mountain Show. She began singing professionally at age five in 1967 on her family's weekly TV show. At that same young age, she began playing mandolin, and she can now play all the bluegrass instruments. This Missouri state fiddle champ recorded eleven albums with the Sally Mountain Show and six solo albums before age 30. For over a decade (about 1985-98), she was involved in the country music scene, performing with Grand Ole Opry Star Jim Ed Brown and recording two projects for Giant Records. In 1998, she returned to her bluegrass roots when she formed Rhonda Vincent and the Rage. The following year, Rhonda performed on Dolly Parton's award-winning album "The Grass is Blue." Rhonda then released bluegrass albums "Back Home Again" and "The Storm Still Rages." Rhonda was three times the IBMA Female Vocalist of the Year (2000-2002). In 2001, she won the IBMA Entertainer of the Year Award, and in 2002, she was inducted into the George D. Hay Country Music Hall of Fame in Arkansas.When Rhonda Vincent came to that fateful fork in the road in 1998, she made the right choice to take the high, lonesome road - the one she'd traveled many times before called bluegrass lane. Now, I believe that she's has found her true musical home and niche as her stardom continues to build. She once commented that she had taken charge of the music she was playing. "One Step Ahead" showcases a confident, seasoned and committed artist with a great deal of talent and business savy. Her brother, Darrin Vincent, sings soaring harmonies on the album. Stuart Duncan, Aubrey Haynie and Bryan Sutton are sterling session musicians who also assist. However, their flashy melodic licks never steal the spotlight from Rhonda's soprano. The banjo kicks the opening cut of Vincent's original "Kentucky Borderline" which has the band driving for a bluegrass state of mind. Contemplative acoustic country is the best way of describing "You Can't Take It With You When You Go." The album's bluesy title cut is a Rhonda Vincent composition with a theme that is commonplace in bluegrass music. The story of a child experiencing the divorce of parents is told in "Caught in the Crossfire." A trucker's song, "Ridin' the Red Line," is a homecoming song of pedal to the metal. Twin fiddles and vocal harmony are the strengths of the lovely waltz "Pathway of Teardrops." Things you can't even see sometimes reappear even after throwing away old love letter and photos in "An Old Memory Found Its Way Back." Nostalgically singing of love back home, Vincent's rendition of "Missouri Moon" is acoustic country at its best. A moderate waltz-time is imparted to Wilma Lee Cooper's gospel standard, "Walking My Lord Up Calvary's Hill." The band's a cappella gospel quartet is nicely blended on "Fishers of Men." The album's solid all-instrumental offering, "Frankie Belle," showcases the band's adroit picking with fiddle prodigy Molly Cherryholmes. The album closes with a 25-second version of the "Martha White Song," a tribute to her tour sponsor who has saluted Rhonda as one of the company's "Legends of American Music."The bottomline is that Rhonda Vincent has created a long-term vision for her music. She's shared her view with others, assembled a band, and has translated her strategic thinking into action. This album clearly shows that she recognizes her major strengths lie in bluegrass. She's a top-notch artist who is very easy to embrace. In fact, I'd like to give her a big hug for this latest project. "One Step Ahead" maintains that same focus and intensity of her highly-acclaimed bluegrass projects that have gone before. (Joe Ross, staff writer, Bluegrass Now)"

A really good album with some excellent players & singers

J. Ross | Roseburg, OR USA | 08/15/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"As I expand my vocabulary - so to speak - of Bluegrass music, the more I am pleased with it. For every mediocre album that comes out, two or three really good ones make up for it. Since I have been expanding my 'vocabulary' only recently, this is the first time I have heard of Rhonda Vincent. You may be thinking something along the lines of: 'What?! You've never heard of Rhonda Vincent?!' I know, I know, I realize how much I have been missing. But, let me tell you, this is one of those really good albums...Even though Rhonda isn't one of those hot pickers, she is pretty darn good anyway, and makes up for any defect of playing with her wonderful voice, which is used to its full potential. The first track exercises the rip-snorting (is that a good description word for singing?) side of her voice, by way of a train song 'Kentucky Borderline', co-written by Rhonda Vincent. Following this, 'You Can't Take it With You When You Go' is a fine example of (as described by Bill Jolliff) 'lost love and bad weather' laments, therefore, it is slow. With such a voice, you know Rhonda must be in league with some singers like herself. So, it isn't surprising that Alison Krauss joins her as a special guest on 'One Step Ahead of the Blues', the third track, also co-written by Rhonda.'Caught in the Crossfire', 'Riding the Red Line', and 'Pathway of Tears' add themselves to the repertoire, followed by two nostalgic songs about memories, 'An Old Memory Found its Way Back', and 'Missouri Moon', written by Jennifer Sutton. As well as sad love songs, good bluegrass albums also have their share of Gospels. 'Walking My Lord Up Calvary's Hill', a lilting waltz, and an inspiring a cappella: 'Fishers of Men' make up this album's gospel tune section. As I've mentioned before, instrumentals are an essential part of bluegrass as well. This instrumental 'Frankie Belle' starts out with Rhonda on mando, and then is joined by Molly Cherryholmes on Fiddle, doing a break in unison, and then as each instrument filters in, Ronnie Stewart and Bryon Sutton show their stuff on guitar and banjo.Now, just because Rhonda doesn't absolutely blow you away with her picking, doesn't mean that she is not an excellent player, or that none of the other musicians can, either. With Stuart Duncan, Ronnie Stewart, Luke Bulla, Molly Cherryholmes, and Aubrey Haynie on fiddle, Ronnie Stewart, Cody Kilby, and Tom Adams on banjo, Bryan Sutton, Aubrey Haynie, Cody Kilby, and Darrin Vincent on acoustic guitar, the album already has accomplished what few albums have with that arrangement of fine musicians. It doesn't end there, however. Aubrey Haynie, Cody Kilby, and Sam Bush join Rhonda on mandos, and Darrin Vincent accompanies on bass during all of the songs, with the exception of one, which features David Smith. Also honorably mentioned: Mike Johnson on pedalbro, and Aaron Minick on the wallet box. The album ends with a 25 second commercial for Martha White Flour, rightfully named: 'The Martha White Song'. Properly done, as well, with a fiddle introduction. To sum things up, (finally) the only thing that I don't really like about this album is the song lengths: They are too short, only two-three minutes long. The longest one claims three minutes and 45 seconds, therefore you have to listen to the song three or four times before you get your thoughts arranged enough to put them into a review! I noticed that this album has, in actuality, been out since April! But for those of you who do not already claim an acquaintance with this album, I advise you get to the nearest music store, or the nearest computer, whatever kind of person you are, and get 'One Step Ahead'.(As the credits (co-writings and such) were not listed in the jewel case, I had to look them up. I found them at this website: [website]/
(Anna Snook, reviewer, Nwbluegrass Yahoogroup)"