By Michael Swanger michael@dmcityview.com

"All-American Bluegrass Gal" is the title of Rhonda Vincent's new album due in stores May 23, but it just as easily could be her moniker.

Born into a Northern Missouri family whose musical roots can be traced five generations, the 43-year-old singer-songwriter-mandolin player got her start in the family business playing in the Sally Mountain Show at the age of 5. Three years later, she released her first single, a cover of the Bill Monroe classic "Muleskinner Blues." And after honing her chops with the family band for the next two decades (the family used to drive to Ottumwa each week to tape their television show), she struck out on her own in 1988 with the release of her debut solo album, "New Dreams & Sunshine" and the rest, you could say, has been history.

Over the years, Vincent's stock in bluegrass circles has increased exponentially, which is no surprise considering her Midwestern work ethic and natural talent. She and her band, The Rage, are on the road about 300 days a year and they've cut several acclaimed records along the way, including 2005's breathtaking and diverse live set, "Ragin' Live," available on CD and DVD (which aired on IPTV as part of the station's fund-raising programming last week). Vincent has also made guest appearances on albums by Dolly Parton, Faith Hill, Ralph Stanley and Martina McBride. And she's racked up an impressive amount of honors, earning numerous awards from the Society of the Preservation of Bluegrass Music Association (including 2005's Entertainer of the Year) and 11 International Bluegrass Music Association awards (including Female Vocalist of the Year for six consecutive years).

Impressive fetes for someone who claims not to have chosen music, rather music chose her. No wonder she says the title track from her new album is the story of her life.
"An all-American bluegrass gal is what I am," Vincent says.

But the albums, the incessant touring, the awards and the stardom paint only a small portion of the contrasting, hectic life of this All-American picker.

"I like to greet the day with about 100 things to do knowing I'm only going to get 20 of them done. Whatever fire is blazing the hottest, that's the one I try to put out."

For starters, she's a mother, a wife and a daughter with strong family values. But she's one of a few female artists accepted by a male-dominated community because she her music is as aggressive as that of any man's.

"A lot of promoters tell me they don't book females, but they'll book me because of my traditional style. I think we're breaking new ground for women."

She walks a fine line between tradition and progression.

"I've been told I do traditional bluegrass with a fresh, contemporary sound."

She finds time to meet with her fans after every show, yet she's also an entrepreneur, recently launching her own travel agency that organizes bluegrass cruises in Alaska and the Caribbean.

"It's exposing this music to new fans. Bluegrass is a minority, but it is growing leaps and bounds."

And on top of all of that, she's a Christian who adds sex appeal to a genre frequently seen as one that played by old, toothless men dressed in bib overalls and no shoes.

"I have teenage daughters who tell me what to wear and we try to be fresh. You can play bluegrass and be hip and cool. Bluegrass has never taken that as part of its marketing. Wait until you see the cover of my new CD, it's probably going to shock some people."

These are exciting times for bluegrass music and one of its rising stars in the post-"O' Brother Where Art Thou?" period. Ricky Skaggs carries the torch for the late Bill Monroe, Del McCoury attracts ardent neo-traditionalists, Nickel Creek appeals to young progressive types and Alison Krauss transcends style with an angelic sound.

But somewhere in the mix of all those big names, is the heart and soul of bluegrass, a performer who isn't as easily defined as some of her aforementioned heroes and contemporaries - an All-American Bluegrass Gal who personifies everything that is good about bluegrass and who wants nothing more than to make people happy.

"I want people to have a wonderful time and leave inspired after one of my shows," Vincent says. "There's a lot of sorrow these days, but we want them to say they had a great time tonight." CV

Sample Clips

Kentucky Borderline
Frankie Belle
Caught In The Crossfire

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