Rhonda and the Rage have been around for a long time. Even that great bluegrass newspaper The Wall Street Journal referred to Rhonda as “the new queen of bluegrass.” Rhonda is certainly one of the royal figures of bluegrass. She started as a child in her family’s band. She spent some time singing country but came back to bluegrass in 2000 with her “Back Home Again” album. Since then she has supplied her bluegrass fans with a new release about every two years.
Band member Hunter Berry co-produced this CD with Rhonda.
The album’s title song “Destination Life” continues where Mary Chapin Carpenter’s “He Thinks He’ll Keep Her” left off.
“Crazy What A Lonely Heart Will Do”
Rhonda co-wrote “What A Woman Wants To Hear,” “Last Time Loving You,” and “I Heard My Savior Calling Me.” “I Heard My Savior Calling Me” has some beautiful harmony in the ending, but for a real treat listen to the other gospel tune, the a capella “When I Travel My Last Mile (He Will Hold My Hand).”
“Crazy What a Lonely Heart Will Do” is a nice duet with Rhonda and Ben Helson–just the type of song you want on a jukebox in a cowboy bar. Ben had toured with Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder while still attending college.
Great harmony and musicianship flows through this album. “Last Time Loving You,” “Heart Wrenching Lovesick Memorie,s” and “Crazy What a Lonely Heart Will Do” has both. “Crazy What A Lonely Heart Will Do” has a ripping guitar solo by Ben Helson.
Rhonda covers three well-known songs. “Stop The World ” has an interesting “Mexicana” feel and is the best of the covers. “Crazy Love” is unremarkable; there is no interesting twist on this old hitm but if you’re a Rhonda fan you can throw out your Poco and Mulberry Lane versions. So many artists have covered “Eighth Of January” that you wonder why, out of all the possible great new songs available, this was included at all! Again, if you want the Rhonda Vincent and The Rage version, here it is.
Resophonic/dobro fans note that Mickey Harris is playing and promoting the new Weber resophonic guitar on “Crazy What a Lonely Heart Will Do.”
Rounder Records