Vincent, Rhonda

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RHONDA VINCENT

  • From Kirksville, Missouri.
  • Grew up performing with her family band, The Sally Mountain Show. She appeared on their weekly TV show and recorded 11 albums before embarking on a solo career. She began singing professionally and playing mandolin at age five.
  • 1977, won the Missouri state fiddle championship.
  • 1985, began performing with Grand Ole Opry Star Jim Ed Brown on the Grand Ole Opry (as a background vocalist).
  • 1992, signed wth Giant Records for two country projects.
  • 1998, co-hosted the IBMA awards show with Ricky Skaggs.
  • 1998, formed Rhonda Vincent and the Rage. The original Rage was spelled “Raje” for the initials of the band members: Rhonda, Alan (Jones), Joey (Wieneman) and Earl (actually Irl Hees). It was later changed to Rage.
  • She owned a restaurant in Kirksville called “Bogie’s” (now closed.)
  • Nickname: “Mandolin Mama.” The New York Times called her “the Queen of Bluegrass.”
  • 2001, won the IBMA award for Entertainer of the Year.
  • 2002, was inducted into the George D. Hay Country Music Hall of Fame in Mammoth Spring, Arkansas.
  • 2009, began recording and performing with country artist Gene Watson.
  • 2014, won SPBGMA award for Entertainer of the Year.
  • 2015, won her 8th IBMA Award for Female Vocalist of the Year (she also won this award in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006).
  • 2017, released All the Rage–Live, Volume One album (Upper Management)
  • 2018, won a Grammy Award for her album All the Rage–Live, Volume One (Upper Management)
  • 2018, the Missouri state legislature voted to name a portion of Highway 63 in northeastern Missouri “The Bluegrass Queen Rhonda Vincent Highway.”
  • 2021, she was inducted as a member of the Grand Ole Opry (Feb 6). The induction was conducted by Dierks Bentley.

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