NASHVILLE, Tennessee- Rhonda Vincent is one of my favorite Opry performers, whom I had the privilege to interview back in 2021. Not only is our “Queen of Bluegrass” full of energy and light, but she is exceptionally talented and can play any stringed instrument, especially her beloved mandolin, like nobody’s business. And when she is surrounded by her amazingly gifted band, The Rage, you have one of the best performances at the Opry if you are lucky enough to attend on the evening they are playing.
Right before the pandemic in February 2020, Vincent was asked to join the Opry by long-time mentor and friend Jeannie Seely. She knew that 20 years ago, Seely had written a song about her called “I Miss Missouri,” which is where Vincent and her talented family are from. The only problem was when the great Nashville flood of 2010 hit, the song and lyrics were lost because Seely’s house was on the Cumberland River.
Not too long ago, Seely called Vincent and said, “Those lyrics are coming back to me.” They teamed up with songwriter extraordinaire Erin Enderlin to finish the song, which is almost autobiographical for Vincent. That first song gave her the idea to do a “destinations album.”
One of the fun things Vincent and The Rage do so well is cover popular songs with a bluegrass flare. She made a list of 100 destination songs and whittled it down to 13 (11 of which are covers) to include on the album. She made bluegrass versions of songs she loves to sing and compiled them into the album Destinations and Fun Places, which was released on Friday.
While they were in the studio recording a cover of Neil Young’s “Four Strong Winds,” she started singing Olivia Newton-John’s “Please Mr. Please” out of nowhere. She said, “Oh, my goodness. I think this would be an awesome up-tempo song for bluegrass. And so, I took it to the band, and they said, ‘We’ve never heard of it.’ And I was like ‘How have you not heard of Olivia Newton-John’s hit from 1975?’ And they said, ‘We weren’t born yet.’”
Nevertheless, they recorded “Please Mr. Please,” and oddly enough, it works perfectly as a bluegrass tune. It has become one of Vincent’s most popular live songs.
Other songs released before the album include “City of New Orleans” and a magnificent seven-minute version of “Wagon Wheel” featuring Alison Krause and The Rage’s guitarist, Zack Arnold, on harmony. Covered by many, Vincent’s version is among the best. They have a bluegrass jam session on this unique take on the tune. “Wagon Wheel” was featured a few weeks back in People Magazine.
Another song that caught my attention is the cover of Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5” (a work destination) sung alongside bluegrass and Opry pal, Sonya Isaacs. And “Margaritaville” (a vacation destination) featuring Trisha Yearwood and Jeannie Seely is another “must listen to” on the album.
Also included on the album is an original song written by Bob Minner called “In Between Town.”
The banjo is prominently featured in addition to outstanding twin fiddles featuring Vincent and band mate Adam Haynes.
Already a bluegrass song, Vincent and The Rage take us to “Rocky Top,” as they show off their expert banjo picking, masterful fiddling skills, and perfect harmonies. The Rage also shows off their instrumental prowess with “Old Brown Barn” as Adam Haynes saws his fiddle as well as any musician in Nashville.
But the gem on the record is a beautiful bluegrass cover of “Take Me Home, Country Roads” featuring Cody Johnson and Parton. Since she already was familiar with Johnson from singing on his song, “Treasure,” she knew he would be perfect for the John Denver cover. And using Parton to sing on this beautiful bluegrass version of “Take Me Home, Country Roads” makes the trio sound even more exquisite. The song will leave you breathless.
The album concludes with the ultimate destination song, “I’ll Fly Away,” about going to heaven. You’ve never heard anything quite like the slowed-down, serene version, which perfectly encapsulates Vincent’s glorious vocals alongside her well-oiled band. You see/hear why she has won IMBA’s Female Vocalist of the Year an unprecedented eight times (so far).
When asked if she had a favorite song from the record, she stated, “It’s like having children. They are all collectively together, but they’re all different too.”
Destinations and Fun Places is a collaborative effort using some of the finest musicians in the business. Vincent unapologetically produces it her way, keeping bluegrass music relevant to music fans for years to come. I am honored to know her and thrilled any time I get the chance to see her perform at the Opry.
Taking her “destination” themed album to heart, Vincent continues to tour the country from shore to shore with nearly 50 shows scheduled for the remainder of 2024 in over 20 states, and still adding more, proving the renowned “Queen of Bluegrass” continues to work harder than ever and shows no signs of slowing down.
You can follow Vincent on Facebook, X, Instagram, YouTube, and all streaming platforms.
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Bethany Bowman is a freelance entertainment writer. You can follow her blog, Instagram, and X.
