| Color Me Gone - Rhonda Hampton | |
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Reviewed by Jolene Downs
Sometimes you hear something that just makes you sit back and go, "WOW!" That is exactly what happened when I popped Color Me Gone, from newcomer Rhonda Hampton, into my CD player. I was absolutely blown away. Her husband, Adam Hampton, produced the album and Kokopelli Music is distributing it. An Oklahoma native, Rhonda is no stranger to the country music scene. She has worked in Opryland with many of the Opry legends, toured with different artists singing back up and is currently part of Ronnie Milsap's band.
I first heard Rhonda when she opened at a Ronnie Milsap show that I went to, and really liked her then. During that show, she performed all cover songs from other artists. On this CD, all of the songs are fresh and new and she had some great people backing her up. Ronnie's entire band along with a few other "pickers" helped Rhonda out for this project. Lionel Cartwright wrote two songs on the album and also played guitar for her.
"Color Me Gone" uses an artist's terminology to describe a love going wrong in this "sassy" and upbeat song. She tells him that he may be sorry when she is out of his life. When it comes to his choices that he is making, she says, "If I were you I'd grab a blue crayon, cause blue is what you'll be when you color me gone." She ends by saying; "If you're going to tear two people apart, then maybe you better call this 'Portrait of a Woman Moving On'."
It was really hard to pick favorites from this album, but if I had to choose, then "This Is Our Night" would be towards the top of the list. It is a story of two people who are working through their troubles because the bottom line is that they are deeply in love. Rhonda lends an incredibly soulful sound to this song.
"Chemistry" is one of the songs written by Lionel Cartwright. It is also high on my list of favorites because it has the upbeat, fast moving style that I enjoy listening to. It is a song that deals entirely with the chemistry that is between two people. The slightest touch is energy, pure electricity. She says, "if love's like it oughta be, there's gotta be chemistry." How true this is.
Rhonda, Adam and bandleader Jamie Brantley got together and wrote "Better Be Serious." It is another really great song. They left it up beat, but there is definitely a point she is letting him know about. She is telling him that she could really be serious about him, and he'd better think twice about playing games. If she is just a game for him, then he needs to play with someone else. While it is somewhat serious, I like how they left it a little on the playful side.
Something I found really great about this album, is that many of the songs on it really make you think about Faith and what it means. "Tired of Being Strong" is one of those songs. It could mean that she is letting her love know that she is there to lean on and supports him. It could also be a reminder that no matter how bad life seems there is always a greater power there to help us through.
"Cornerstone" is a beautiful love song written by Rhonda and Adam. It is a testament to their love for each other. Love can withstand many trials and tribulations. It is there when it seems nothing else is. They use an old stone house as the symbolism for their story. The foundation may be cracked, there may be weeds growing through the cracks and the family may have moved out. However, through the years, the walls of stone remained standing - held by the strength of the cornerstone. The building is there, and with love and determination it will once again be a home.
"You Remind Me To Dance" is another one of those songs dealing with faith. This is the second song on the album written by Lionel Cartwright. The surface lyrics are dealing with all of the negative news stories we hear about on a daily basis. With all of the horrible things going on around us, we need to remember to sit back and take a deep breath. Again, no matter how bad it seems, there is someone to lean on - someone to "remind us to dance."
It was too hard to pick a favorite song from this album. I truly enjoyed the whole thing. There was even a fun track at the very end that testified to how much Rhonda has always enjoyed singing. Her grandma recorded Rhonda singing "Jackson" at age 7. This recording is used to close the album. I don't think anyone who got this album would be disappointed. Rhonda's style reminds me a little of Patty Loveless. I also thought she was a bit like Barbara Mandrell with her style and delivery on a few of the songs. I hope we hear much more from Rhonda in the future. There is no doubt that she loves what she does, it comes through loud and clear in her material.
Song List:
Album cover and audio clips courtesy of Kokopelli Music.