Rhonda Vincent has a Good Thing Going on her latest effort...

Rhonda Vincent is a bonafide bluegrass star who's been around for a long time and, perhaps until recently, never got the fame she deserved. I didn't discover her myself until a few years ago, when I wandered away from Alison Krauss's music momentarily to hear other voices. Rhonda Vincent's was one that rang out like a bell, backed by her amazing mandolin playing and bandleading skills. Earlier this year, Vincent came out with her album, Good Thing Going. Looking at the artwork on the album's cover, I'm struck by how glamorous and sexy her image has become in the past few years. She's shown in a sexy evening gown, caressing her mandolin like a lover would. This is not the image I would have ordinarily associated with bluegrass music, but Rhonda Vincent doesn't strike me as the type of person to follow convention.

Good Thing Going consists of twelve songs and runs for a solid 40 minutes. Liner notes include an article written by Chris Stuart circa October 2007. While printed song lyrics are not included, Vincent includes personal notes on why each song was chosen. She also includes the credits for each of the musicians lending their talents to each track. Guest stars include Russell Moore and Keith Urban. Vincent claims sole or shared writing credits on five of the twelve tracks.

Vincent's own I'm Leavin' gets the album off to a blazing start. Vincent explains she was looking for a song that would make a good ending song for her shows, something kind of like "Muleskinner Blues". Indeed, melodically, the song does remind me a little of "Muleskinner Blues", as well as another one of Vincent's songs, "Kentucky Borderline". The words are about a woman who's decided to move on and declares it loudly. I like the song, but it does sound a little rehashed from Vincent's earlier efforts.

I like World's Biggest Fool a little more than the opening track. This song is a bouncy little swing number with tongue in cheek lyrics about a person doing a poor job of trying to convince an old lover that she's over him. This song has a playful melody featuring great fiddle work by Stuart Duncan and acoustic guitar playing by Bryan Sutton. What really sells the song to me, though, are the clever lyrics and Vincent's coy delivery.

Russell Moore lends his vocals to I Give All My Love To You, a song Vincent helped write for a friend's wedding. Vincent's husband Herb Sandker and daughter Tensel Sandker joined in the effort and they came up with a pretty love song. Vincent's brother, Darrin Vincent, sings harmony, proving this song was a real family effort. What a great gift this was for Rhonda Vincent's friend.

Good Thing Going begins with the jangle of banjos and Hunter Berry's blazing fiddle. I like this song for its optimistic lyrics and plucky melody. Vincent wrote this song, which celebrates being happy in love even when there are petty annoyances. At this point in my life, I can relate to this song's happy sentiment.

The waltzing Scorn of a Lover follows "Good Thing Going". It's not hard to reckon from the song's title that it's about a man who cheats and makes his woman suffer. I like the song, but the melody and words make me think of Hee Haw-- that old song that cast members did in the cornfield, Where oh where are you tonight? Why did you leave me here all alone? I can't help but giggle at the memory and how "Scorn of a Lover" makes me think of a corny TV show, even though the song should probably stand on its own.

Hit Parade of Love is a bluegrass standard that really shows off Vincent's impressive band. Hunter Berry is amazing on his fiddle, but Kenny Ingram's banjo is what really what stands out to my ears. From the song's first note, that banjo keeps the song tight and holds it together. I really enjoy this song.

I Will See You Again is a very touching song inspired by a 93 year old man Vincent met at a concert who told her he would never seen him again. Written by Tammy Pockstaller, the song's lyrics are about the love a woman shows at the funeral for her husband of 60 years. She says she'll seem him again because Jesus Christ died for our sins and allows us to have life after death. I imagine this song will bring much comfort for those who believe in Christianity. I like it for its very sweet melody and moving lyrics... and for the hopeful message it conveys for those who have lost the love of their life.

Just One Of A Kind has a slightly 60s retro sound to it. As it turns out, it makes sense that it sounds retro, since Vincent writes that her family band, The Sally Mountain Show, used to sing it. I like this song for its jangling banjo and the warm harmonies supplied by Kathy Chiavola and Darrin Vincent. It sounds retro and timeless at the same time.

I Gotta Start Somewhere is a beautiful song that Vincent discovered as she was preparing for a show at the Grand Ole Opry. This song sounds more like contemporary country than bluegrass. Rhonda Vincent does a fine job with it, though it sounds a lot like something I'd expect to hear from the likes of Trisha Yearwood or Martina McBride.

Who's Cryin' Baby is another raging song that reminds me a little of one of Vincent's earlier songs. Melodically, this song is very similar to Vincent's rendition of "Drivin' Nails In My Coffin", a song about someone who drinks too much to ease loneliness. Unlike "Drivin' Nails In My Coffin", "Who's Cryin' Baby" has a taunting spirit to it, as Vincent sings to an unfaithful lover who's now been left alone. I like the song, but wish it were a little more original.

Keith Urban joins Rhonda Vincent on a lovely rendition of the traditional song, The Water Is Wide. With Adam Steffey's gentle mandolin leading the way, Vincent sings a very sweet version of this old song. Keith Urban's vocals are pleasant, but I'm not sure he was really needed here. Of course, my favorite version of this song (so far) was done by James Taylor on his 1991 album New Moon Shine, but I give Rhonda Vincent props for her cover, too.

Bluegrass Saturday Night closes Good Thing Going with a song Vincent wrote about her life as a traveling bluegrass musician. Again, I'm reminded of other bluegrass songs when I listen to this one, but I appreciate the sentiment expressed in the lyrics. Vincent mentions members of her band, as well as the fact that they pitch Martha White products at their shows. I'm always smiling at the end.

My thoughts

Rhonda Vincent's music tends to be more traditional sounding than that of her contemporary, Alison Krauss. When I listen to Rhonda Vincent's music, I expect to hear a lot of fiddles, banjos, acoustic guitars, and great singing. I mostly get it. If she deviates from the bluegrass sound at all, it's more toward contemporary country. Alison Krauss, by contrast, has been known to experiment with all kinds of different styles of music, from contemporary country to classical to rock. While I love both women's music, I would probably recommend Vincent's albums to anyone who wants to hear a purer bluegrass sound.

I love most of Rhonda Vincent's music and I think I'll play Good Thing Going more than a few times. She has a first rate band backing her and, in my opinion, doesn't really need too much help from her guest stars here. However, I did notice that more than a couple of songs sounded "borrowed" from other sources. There's not one song in this collection that I actively dislike or would want to skip over, but I can't say this album has the most original material on it. I find Good Thing Going entertaining and pleasing, but there are other albums by Rhonda Vincent that I like better. Still, I would definitely recommend it to anyone who likes Rhonda Vincent's music as well as those who are just getting their feet wet in bluegrass.

Rhonda Vincent's Web site: www.rhondavincent.com