Dubbed by the The Wall Street Journal as the “new queen of bluegrass,” Rhonda Vincent will return to Stuart’s Opera House on Sunday for a matinee performance.
Vincent and her band, the Rage, require no introduction to the Stuart’s crowd; she performs at the Nelsonville location about once a year. So far, 400 tickets have been sold for her appearance, filling the 395 seats the venue holds for the 3 p.m. show.
“She’s the real deal for people that are into bluegrass,” said Brian Koscho, marketing director for Stuart’s Opera House. “Her fans are so engaged and excited, and have a personal relationship with her.”
Vincent, who has been recognized with more than 80 bluegrass awards, said she and her band have been playing together for a long time.
“(The show is) very high energy,” she said. “I travel with talented musicians … They are world class. We switch all of the vocals and instrumentals around. It’s a very exciting show.”
The group transitions between different genres during their set lists, ranging from their trademark bluegrass to gospel songs, which is the main type of music on the band’s most recent album.
“The transition is seamless,” Vincent said. “I grew up in a musical family where you would take your turn, and each new singer would change style … It was something I learned and bring to my shows.”
She added that she was excited to return to Stuart’s Opera House and that people could send requests to her Facebook page.
“(This) becomes like a homecoming because we have friends there,” Vincent said. “It makes it like a family union, which is very exciting for us.”
Vincent said she makes it a point to meet and greet with the audience during her performances and to interact with fans after every show, something she added that people find surprising.
Koscho said a lot of the same people return for each performance that the band does at the opera house, and the band’s longevity and frequent tour schedule sets the band apart from some other groups.
“They are one of the top-tier kinds of acts,” said Koscho. “It’s a band that has a recipe for success. (They have) a lot of talent and really close fan involvement.”
eb104010@ohiou.edu
