[00:00:00] Speaker A: Rhonda Vincent has spent a lifetime in music. She's a fifth generation musician and started singing in her family's band at age five. By six she had a snare drum, by eight she was picking the mandolin, and twelve she was on to violin.
[00:00:17] Speaker B: She's gained a reputation for her fast paced vocal lines and progressive chord structures since the 1970s and released her first solo album in 1988. In the 90s, after a brief flirtation with mainstream country, she returned to bluegrass. From 2000 to 2006, she won female vocalist of the year from the international bluegrass music association. She has been nominated eight times for a Grammy and won the 2017 Grammy for best bluegrass album. She's continued putting out albums for years now with her band the Rage and her brother Darren is a member of the award winning bluegrass group Daily. InVince it. She became a member of the Grand Old Opry in 2020 and has recorded with Dolly Parton, Alan Jackson, Tanya Tucker, Joe Diffey and Faith Hill. Despite the bright lights of fame, she remains a hometown girl and brings her annual Christmas show to the fort Smith convention center, now the ArcBest corporation performing arts center at 730. December 9.
[00:01:41] Speaker C: Welcome to the what's up podcast. My name is Monica Hooper. Today I'm super excited to be joined by the queen of bluegrass, Rhonda Vincent. Thank you for joining me today, Rhonda.
[00:01:54] Speaker D: Well, it's my pleasure. Thank you.
[00:01:57] Speaker C: So I was just wondering, are you still living up in Kirksville, Missouri?
[00:02:02] Speaker D: I don't. I live at the lake of the Ozarks. Now I'm a little closer to oh, I'm in the middle of the state or more in the southern mid to the southern state of Missouri, but we live right on the water. The lake of the ozarks moved there, I guess about five years ago from my green tops, my hometown, which is up by the Iowa border, but I'm a lifelong resident of Missouri.
[00:02:24] Speaker C: Okay.
I didn't know if you had moved on. I knew you had grown up in a family band, so that seemed very central to your career since at least since the 2000s.
So I was wondering, since you grew up in a family band and you're a fifth generation musician yourself, have you carried that tradition over with your family? And do any of your family members join you on stage these days?
[00:02:56] Speaker D: Well, my oldest daughter Sally used to travel with me, but she is making her own legacy and making history as she's the very first female lead in the United States navy band country current. And she joined them, I guess, almost just right at one year ago. And she loves yeah, the tradition continues now to the 6th generation. And now that I have two grandsons, my youngest daughter Tinsel and Sally, who's in the navy band, is with child to have my first granddaughter in February. So hopefully those grandchildren carry on the tradition of music they love.
Titus does he's trying to play at instruments and singing.
When Mimaw gets over there, we get under the table and sing. So he's showing an interest in it.
[00:03:51] Speaker C: Are you going to start him on instruments when he's really young? I read that you started very young, started playing instruments.
[00:04:01] Speaker D: I did. Well, he started younger because you know what?
He already is work at playing. If he picks up an instrument, he already knows how to hold it properly, whether it's a guitar. And most kids like, hit at it. He already knows to make the motion with a pick, like the pick motion, like he was playing it. So he's kind of worlds ahead of me at that age, at like, one and a half. He's two now, but I love that he's very much aware of how to hold it, how to play it, and now just putting that, being able to fret it. And when he gets older, I think he'll be ready for that whenever the time comes.
[00:04:42] Speaker C: Okay. All right.
And I was wondering, since this is a Christmas show that you have coming up, how do your own Christmas traditions influence your Christmas show?
[00:04:56] Speaker D: Well, we get to do I grew up in church, always singing at the Christmas program. Now, my dream was I always wanted to be the angels because all of the Christmas angels got to wear the white robes and the golden halos. But my family was always we were there singing the special music, and I would always sing Beautiful Star Bethlehem. And so when I say, well, I wanted to be angel, and they said, well, you can't. You have to be over here in the music section singing with your family. So we carried that tradition on. I get to play Mary when we do a living portrayal of the nativity and very special, a very reverent time recognizing the birth of Jesus. And so I am Mary.
It's a section that we do in our Christmas show that incorporates songs and costumes and a manger with baby.
So I love that we get to do that. And I guess singing and singing the songs. In fact, I sing a song also that I always sang at the Christmas program. It's one that spells out Christmas. And you sing about see is for the Christ child born on Christmas Day. So I get to carry that literally do carry the tradition of growing up in a musical family, singing in church, and especially for the Christmas program, and it's something that I sing then on our show.
[00:06:20] Speaker C: And they still don't let you be an angel, and they still haven't let.
[00:06:25] Speaker D: Me be an angel. But I'm working on that. I should have worked that in, I guess that we should have done an entire maybe saw a skit or something in the show where I got to be the Christmas angel. Maybe someday.
[00:06:36] Speaker C: Maybe someday.
[00:06:38] Speaker D: Maybe it's not meant to be. Depends on who you talk to.
[00:06:43] Speaker C: Okay. So when does it start feeling like Christmas to you?
[00:06:49] Speaker D: Well, we've been working on recording new Christmas songs pretty much all summer, so we've kind of been working on them. I guess it's not really being a conscious of saying, hey, it's Christmas time, but still thinking in our mind. I think it helped me to get ahead of I've already Christmas shopped.
The tree is not decorated, but it's already up and many gifts are already wrapped. This is the first time in my lifetime that I have been this ahead of the game as far as having decorations out and having gifts purchased and wrapped.
[00:07:23] Speaker C: Oh, my.
You said you have a new Christmas album coming out or that you're working on a new Christmas album. Will that be out in time for the show?
[00:07:34] Speaker D: It will. It's actually a USB drive. It has a USB and USB C, and it's a picture of me in a Santa suit. Well, the USB is actually me in a Christmas like a Santa's helper off. It can be a decoration. You can hang it on your tree, an ornament it can be a keychain. Or if you pop off my head, you can hang my head on the tree and the body is a USB. If you pop my legs off, it's a USBC. So it's something fun for Christmas that everybody can grab.
[00:08:06] Speaker C: Okay.
[00:08:08] Speaker D: Stocking stuffers and they send it.
Here's a little quest for you to I'm not good in my millimeters, but it's 127 mm tall.
[00:08:19] Speaker C: Okay. All right.
[00:08:22] Speaker D: It's going to be hard to just stuff it in your pocket, so I would suggest hanging it on the tree.
[00:08:29] Speaker C: So are you a big Christmas fan? I read that you got married on Christmas Eve in 1983.
[00:08:37] Speaker D: I did, because that's the only time we were ever home. We were always traveling. So that's one of the reasons that we got married on Christmas Eve, because any other time we're usually out on the road playing. But no, my mother, she loves Christmas, still does. And yes, I do too. It's a great time that I guess for us, it's one of the few times of the year that all our family is together and we're not playing and we're not being it's like people say, do you get to your house? Are you guys singing? Are you doing no. It's the one time of the year that we're not singing, that our family just comes together and we just get to visit and fellowship and cook and eat and just spend time together. So I think that's why it's special, because it's a family time for us.
I'm sure we talk about singing and playing and stuff, but we get to play games, we get to do things with a family that we don't do any other time of the year.
[00:09:34] Speaker C: Okay. All right. What present are you hoping for this year?
[00:09:38] Speaker D: You know, there is a Ryman. It's a replica of the Ryman at Christmas that lights up and they don't make them anymore. It was from years ago, and I put that on my list every year. I think for the last couple of years I put that on there, hoping that somebody can find one of those. And that that's what I get for Christmas. Because I love the grand eloprie and I love the Ryman auditorium. And I thought, how special to have something like that to decorate our home and still celebrate the music too.
[00:10:11] Speaker C: Of course, you have that Nashville connection, so I'm sure you like having that representation. Do you remember who made that?
[00:10:20] Speaker D: I mean, I'm sure that it's something the Ryman probably it's a collectible that the Ryman probably did, I guess.
[00:10:25] Speaker C: Okay.
[00:10:26] Speaker D: I'm not really sure.
[00:10:27] Speaker C: I know there's so many different types of that out there, so I was just curious.
[00:10:34] Speaker D: Right. Yeah. I don't know who made it. It's just something that I saw.
[00:10:38] Speaker C: Okay, just got two more Christmas related questions for you. What is your favorite Christmas movie?
[00:10:48] Speaker D: Probably Elf.
[00:10:49] Speaker C: Okay. I just showed my son that this year.
[00:10:53] Speaker D: I love that. It's too funny, but there's a lot of them out there that we love. You know what, Christmas vacation is another uh I think my daughters can quote every line. Of course, probably everyone can, but yeah, we always have fun with that. But Elf is elf is I got to go to New York City a few years ago and see the Broadway play of Elf. And I loved it. I love that movie and I love the play too.
[00:11:21] Speaker C: I imagine that was a wonderful experience.
So what else are you looking forward to this Christmas season?
[00:11:31] Speaker D: I mean, you just look forward to family.
Now that I'm started a little early, I find that there's a little more peace in. Usually I would get home off the road and only have two or three days to decorate, get all the food, get organized on everything, wrap presents. That's what my husband said this week. It's like, wow. He said, you're usually doing all this last second. And I said, here I am, so relaxed and wrapping things and not having to rush. And I'm really looking forward to being so prepared that I can really kick back and enjoy. The Grandkids are going to be there this time, which they have been there every year. But this is the first time I think Titus will really understand about opening gifts. And it's going to be a special time for my grandson who's two. And now he's excited about getting presents and unwrapping them.
[00:12:23] Speaker C: Oh, yeah. I think I was like the world's biggest Grinch until my son came along. And then it was like, oh, no.
And then Christmas came along the first year with him, and we get so excited. He was ready to put up the Christmas tree the day after Halloween.
[00:12:40] Speaker D: Oh my.
Yeah, let's get on with Christmas.
[00:12:46] Speaker C: It's something about having little ones around that just makes it so exciting again. And I know that Santa comes in for your shows, correct?
[00:12:56] Speaker D: Yes, he does.
[00:12:58] Speaker C: All right, what else happens at the show that you would like people to know before they come out?
[00:13:05] Speaker D: Well, we do traditional bluegrass Christmas in the style of Christmas songs, in the style of bluegrass. We also do not it won't be just Christmas songs. I have some husbands that come along with their wives, and they're like, please, can we have something besides Christmas? So we do some of our more popular or maybe some new who knows what we'll do, I guess. But we'll do some just straight ahead bluegrass songs in addition to the Living Nativity. We do a Celebrity Twelve Days of Christmas because a few years ago, I recorded one of the most expensive songs of my lifetime. When I did the twelve Days of Christmas with the Twelve was the Oak Ridge Boys, and eleven was Willie Nelson singing eleven Pipers Piping ten was Charlie Daniels, nine was Bill Anderson eight was Dolly Parton singing eight Maids of Milken and seven was Ronnie Millsap six Gene Watson four Larry Gatlin and then three French hens jeannie Seeley, Lori Morgan, Pam Tillis and Emmy Sunshine So we do a modified version. And celebrities, I'll just say that some of the celebrities show up for our Twelve Days of Christmas on the show, so there's something for everyone. It's fun for everyone, including a visit from Sam.
[00:14:29] Speaker C: All right, and what are your plans for 2024?
[00:14:36] Speaker D: Oh, we have a full tour schedule already. In fact, we'll be coming back. We're going to be at Peregold, Arkansas.
We're going to be at Fort Smith, then Peregold, Arkansas for Christmas. We're coming back on April the 6th. We're in Russellville, Arkansas for the center for the Arts. So come see us then.
Every year we're in Waldron, so we're in the area. So wherever we are, we hope you'll go to Rhondavinson.com. You can order that USB drive here in a few
[email protected] or any of the music or shirts if you're something that you'd like to do some Christmas shopping, or you can see where our tour dates are, so come see us.
[00:15:16] Speaker C: Excellent. Excellent. Well, thank you so much for all of that.
My final question is just something I'm curious of that I've been asking some of the different legendary artists who I get to speak with.
There has been a renewed interest in bluegrass and old timey music the last.
[00:15:37] Speaker B: Few years, and I'm just wondering, what do you think of this new generation of musicians who are taking the sounds.
[00:15:45] Speaker C: From this genre that you've worked so long to preserve?
[00:15:51] Speaker D: Well, it's always exciting to see what new creation, to see the creativity. You have the tradition of bluegrass. And to me, everybody should always learn that. Start at Bill Monroe and Flatten Scruggs. Jimmy Martin. Osborne brothers, Jim and Jesse Dr. Ralph Stanley. Start there and learn the basics. Kind of like playing basketball. Learn to dribble first. But also, it's exciting that you see what new things that they can come up with. It's really amazing that even now, years later, they're still coming up with new songs and new approaches. And I think it's exciting. I think there's room for everyone. So something very exciting.
[00:16:31] Speaker C: All right, great. Well, thank you so much again for joining me today. It's been an honor to talk to you, and I can't wait for your concert.
[00:16:39] Speaker D: Well, my pleasure. Thank you so much. Thanks for letting folks know about it. And come see us in Fort Smith.
[00:16:45] Speaker C: We will. Thanks so much.
[00:16:47] Speaker E: Rhonda mary, did you know that your baby boy would one day walk on water?
Mary, did you know that your baby boy would save our sons and daughters? Did you know your baby boy has.
[00:17:15] Speaker D: Come to make you Newton?
