Rhonda Vincent - Good Thing Going

The fan appointed queen of Bluegrass has a good thing going with her latest release titled Good Thing Going.

Rhonda Vincent's latest release, which isn't due out until January 8, 2008 is a mix of hard drivin' Bluegrass, country and swing material. The project was recorded in Rhonda's brand new home studio. Both the material and the tonal quality of this project give a slight contemporary feel to all of the selections.

The 12 tracks are comprised of 7 Bluegrass selections, 4 country songs and 1 swing tune. Those of us with an appetite for hard drivin' 'grass will be satisfied with at least 6 of the 7 Bluegrass selections including the first cut which is titled I'm Leavin'. The seventh Bluegrass selection, Scorn Of A Lover, is a slower number in 3/4 time.

World's Biggest Fool is a decidedly swing tune. The title track, Good Thing Going immediately caught my attention with its banjo intro; the vocal style seems to be a mix of country and Bluegrass; parts of it remind me of Loretta Lynn's You Ain't Woman Enough (To Take My Man). The last cut on the CD, Bluegrass Saturday Night is a fan appreciation song. A hard diving rendition of the Jimmy Martin classic Lover's Hit Parade is also included on the project. I Gotta Start Somewhere is a beautiful song but it's definitely not Bluegrass. Complete with drums, this country song sounds like something right out of the Brad Paisley catalog.

I'm definitely pleased with this CD. I could take or leave the swing tune and 3 of the 4 country tunes included, but I know after repeated listening, even these will grow on me. Still, this project is sure to please almost any Bluegrass fan and no female artist delivers Bluegrass better than the Queen of Bluegrass, Rhonda Vincent. In fact, I think it's safe to say that nobody, male or female, does a better job at delivering the Bluegrass message than Rhonda Vincent.

Ron Block - A Man of Much Wisdom

Ron Block has been a member of the Alison Krauss & Union Station band for over 15 years as banjo/guitar player extraordinaire. At the ripe old age of 43 he seems to be a man of much wisdom. Ron is deeply rooted in his Christian faith. An avid reader of the Bible, I suspect this is where much of his wisdom comes from. I really admire Ron as a human being and as a musician.

I like to visit Ron's web site from time to time; it has so much to offer for musicians and for just anybody that is looking for advice on life in general. Ron recently posted a series of articles under the Music --> Instruction --> Banjo and Guitar section of his web site relating to the study of music. Of particular interest to me is Ron's philosophy about what it takes to become a good musician and guidelines to follow while learning how to play an instrument. Several of the articles repeat the philosophy which really drives the point home, at least for me.

In no way would I suggest that I have the same kind, or amount of wisdom that Ron Block has acquired, but I can identify with Ron's music philosophies wholeheartedly; this is because many of the points he tries to make, which of course are his opinions, are the exact same points I try to make. Ron does a much better job at communicating his ideas than I ever could, however.

I think it's mighty fine of Ron to take the time to share some of his wisdom with us and it's nice to see Ron's view in print; it reminds me that I am on the right track with my musical endeavors. I realize when I offer the same advice it carries very little weight, but it is my hope that you will take Ron's advice seriously, taking the time to evaluate what he is saying. I only have a few years under my belt as a want-to-be musician; Ron has several years under his belt as one of the finest musicians you'll ever meet and he speaks from experience. My advice is for all of us to take some time to read some of Ron's articles and give them serious thought to them. It will be worth your time.

Ron has also provided some free banjo tablature on his site, as well as an exercise or two on string bending which is probably the most recognizable attribute of his banjo playing. That, and of course, his rock solid right hand relating to timing and tone.

In addition to his musical writings, Ron offers many articles on day to day living in the Christian faith. There is definitely some great reading here. He has a section titled "A Reader Writes..." where he answers questions on people's minds relating to living a Christian life. For example, one of the questions he answered was "Can a Christian Play the Ellen Degeneres Show?" There are some very well researched answers in this section of his web site.

You could spend several hours on Ron Block's web site which I think would be time well spent. At first, I found his new web site a bit confusing to navigate. The main menu system is on the right side of the screen; this is where the menu selections like About, Latest, Music and Store are located. When you click on one of these links, that section expands to show more selections. Clicking one of the sub menu items will display Categories on the left side of the screen. You need to click a category to see all of the individual articles.

Oh by the way, if you are looking for the lyrics to A Living Prayer, these are available on Ron's web site under Latest --> Writings --> Music. Ron says "I've put the lyrics and chords here for anyone who is interested in using the song in church or for other services."

Why Do You Like Bluegrass Music?

If I were to ask you why you like Bluegrass music, what would you tell me? If I asked what it was that first got your attention about the Bluegrass style of music, what would you say to that? Have you ever pondered the reasons?

Like so many Bluegrassers before me, I got all fired-up when I heard the "fancy banjo" sounds of Earl Scruggs. Do you have any idea how many people claim the exact same reason for being steered toward this great music we call Bluegrass? Despite all of the rude banjo jokes, it would appear to me the banjo is one of the main driving forces behind the popularity of Bluegrass music. Many people that have been lead to Bluegrass by way of a steady stream of banjo notes don't actually play a banjo, nor do they have a desire to play one - they just like the sound of a Bluegrass banjo and there's certainly nothing wrong with that!

Among many, did you know Del McCoury of the Del McCoury Band, Tim Stafford of Blue Highway and Dan Tyminski of Alison Krauss & Union Station all started out playing banjo? Del said he couldn't get up to Earl's caliber so he quit after 10 years of playing. Both Dan and Tim moved over when a more skilled banjo player came along in each of their first bands respectively. My point here is simply that the banjo seems to have drawn many to Bluegrass music and in my opinion, continues to do so.

Of course the banjo isn't the only reason people like Bluegrass music, and even though it lead me to the music, it certainly isn't the only reason I continue to like it. Moving to Bluegrass was an easy transition for me as I had been exposed to country music at a very early age; my father was always listening to Hank Snow, Johnny Cash and other pioneers of early country music. I figure this transition would be easier to make than coming from rock and roll, which is what the rest of the kids my age were listeng to. Like Barbara Mandrell, "I was country when country wasn't cool." To this day my father doesn't care for the banjo or Bluegrass. I don't know what's up with that!

I like all of the other instruments used in Bluegrass music equally well - fiddle, mandolin, guitar, resophonic guitar and upright bass. All of the instruments play important roles, although they are not all used in all bands. Whereas most people tend to start out playing guitar, I chose the 5-string banjo as my first instrument simply because the sound of a Bluegrass banjo speaks to me in a special way.

Did you know Jerry Douglas, one of the best and most well known Dobro players of all time, started his musical career playing mandolin and singing until he discovered Dobro guitar? He said "after I heard the sound of a Dobro, I just didn't care if I ever sang again" and went on to say "the Dobro became a musical conduit to express my feelings."

I can't talk about the reasons I love Bluegrass music without mentioning harmony vocals. Good harmonies can make the hair on the back of your neck stand up on end and I just can't get enough of it when it's done well. In particular, I like the high lonesome sound of Bluegrass music, especially with great harmonies added.

Aside from the music itself, comprising of instruments and vocals, there's something else special about Bluegrass music and that would be the Bluegrass community. A main stage for Bluegrass music is the outdoor Bluegrass festival. Through the festivals, a close-knit community has been formed between festival goers and musicians alike. How many other types of music concerts can you go to where you can talk to the stars after the show? When you go to a festival you'll meet hundreds of people that you can jam with if you're a musician and there's a good chance you might even jam with the best of the best like Rhonda Vincent or Ricky Skaggs. It's just the way the Bluegrass community works.

I've heard some people refer to Bluegrass as "show-off music," especially when they see somebody do a solo at breakneck speed. You can call it what you want, I love the sounds of those solos and the talent that goes with it. I have also heard Bluegrass described as "hillbilly" music with the word "hillbilly" used in a derogatory way. When people call me a hillbilly, I simply acknowledge it and say "proud of it." So, it ranges from hillbilly to show-off; that's quite a span.

I say what's not to like about Bluegrass music? How did you get drawn in?

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