Rhonda Vincent Gets Her Rage On

It would be hard to imagine a band more adept at bluegrass authenticity than Rhonda Vincent and The Rage. While Alisons Brown and Krauss may be better-known, and thus given more opportunity to seize the spotlight, Vincent and her band continue to plow the roots of the form, opting to serve up nothing more distinctive than their verve and vitality. 

For those unfamiliar with the Rage’s backstory, the CD and DVD All the Rage/In Concert Volume One is an ideal introduction, a crash course in the traditional track they take. While Vincent occupies the spotlight on vocals and mandolin, the sheer skill and dexterity exhibited by Hunter Berry on fiddle, Brent Burke on resophonic guitar, Aaron David on banjo, guitarist Josh Williams and Mickey Harris on bass is simply remarkable to witness. 

Regardless of whether they’re launching a full-speed assault on standards like “Muleskinner Blues,” revving up frantic fiddle tunes like “Wow Baby,” or settling in with a breezy respite through self descriptive songs like “Is the Grass Any Bluer (On the Other Side),” “All about the Banjo,” “Run Mississippi,” and “Kentucky Borderline,” the group’s combination of energy and agility always remains intact. Spiritual sentiments are never far from the surface either, and the gospel strains of “The Old Rugged Cross” and “You Don’t Love God (If You Don’t Love Your Neighbor)” reinforce the band’s populist precepts.

This new live record is a stirring set of songs served up with seemingly effortless authenticity. All the Rage allows for a bluegrass brew with the deepest hues.