Rhonda Vincent and the 'World of Bluegrass'

Used with permission of CMA Closeup News Service
By Rick Kelly

Bluegrass music has undergone a startling transformation in the past two decades, from obscure niche music to big business, and from cloddish stereotypes to recognition as the training ground for some of the greatest musicians of our time.

While the music echoes the ancient sounds of Appalachia, in truth it was born only 60 years ago, on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry. Bluegrass is a genre of music that confounds the preconceptions of the uninitiated who would pigeonhole it as a quaint folk music with little bearing on the modern listener. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth. Bluegrass music is a vibrant genre, with a rapidly growing retail and touring profile, and an unending stream of new players and fans that seem to get younger each year.

An artist who personifies the new face of bluegrass is Rhonda Vincent. Her mix of stellar vocal ability and fiery instrumental chops has made her a critical darling for more than a decade. Meanwhile, her trademark sartorial style has positioned her as a thoroughly modern and sophisticated woman.

Vincent won a record-breaking sixth consecutive International Bluegrass Music Association award in 2005 for Female Vocalist of the Year. This award will share mantle space with 10 other IBMA awards she has amassed during her career.

The year 2005 marked a new beginning for the IBMA, as it was the first time that the convention and awards show was held in Nashville. As bluegrass music has grown into a significant entertainment force, it became obvious that the IBMA would be serving its membership by moving the annual World of Bluegrass event from its former home in Louisville, Ky., to Nashville, where so much of the actual business of bluegrass is centered.

The World of Bluegrass event is divided into three distinct areas. One is the IBMA Business conference which starts the event. It offers workshops and panel discussions where artists, managers, promoters and broadcasters can come together to network and exchange knowledge that will benefit their own concerns, as well as the genre as a whole. Secondly, the awards show is the highlight of the week and was held at a sold-out Ryman Auditorium, was broadcast live by XM Satellite Radio and syndicated to more than 300 markets in the United States and to 14 foreign countries. The third element is the Fan Fest, a massive indoor bluegrass festival.

By all accounts, the move to Nashville for the awards and the IBMA headquarters has been a major success for the IBMA.

According to Dan Hays, the Executive Director of IBMA, registrations were up significantly for the business conference and for the Fan Fest this year. "We had great attendance from other music communities in Nashville," Hays said. "Respect and admiration for bluegrass has grown in recent years, and we feel that we have much to learn from the other genres centered here."

Vincent is also excited about the IBMA's move to Nashville, "The very first IBMA meeting was held in Nashville, at Belmont College," she noted. "It's an organization that does so much for bluegrass artists in every way. From the seminars on 'how do I keep my band together' to their musicians fund."

Meanwhile, Vincent's career path mirrors the evolution of bluegrass into the mainstream.