Gene Watson Archives - Bluegrass Today

Rhonda’s Christmas in October

Rhonda Vincent had a dream to see her own realization of a bluegrass/country 12 Days Of Christmas, which she realized in the studio this year. She’s assembled a roster of country music royalty to perform with her on a new album, Christmas Time, set for release October 30 on her Upper Management Music label.

Joining Rhonda on this set of Christmas favorites, and new holiday songs from Vincent herself, are The Oak Ridge Boys, Willie Nelson, Charlie Daniels, Bill Anderson, Dolly Parton, Ronnie Milsap, Gene Watson, Lorrie Morgan, Pam Tillis, Jeannie Seely, Larry Gatlin, and EmiSunshine.

The vocalists are supported by Rhonda’s touring group, The Rage, along with Stuart Duncan on fiddle, Sierra Hull on mandolin, Mike Johnson on steel, and Michael Rojas on keys. Flatt Lonesome also joins her singing harmony vocals.

The pièce de résistance is the all-star version of the ever-popular Twelve Days, which Vincent says took more time than anything else.

“It was a dream of mine to create this celebrity version of the Twelve Days of Christmas. As I started sharing my vision with family and friends, my bandmate Mickey Harris, began sharing his ideas, relating the line to specific artists. When I told him I had invited Dolly, he suggested she sing the line ‘Eight Maids A Milking.’ It was then I set to work to match artists with specific lines, and taking on the task of contacting each artist. Dolly was the first to respond, and the first to record. From there, it became a chaotic coordination of schedules, and a victory celebration with the completion of each artist’s contribution. I appreciate every artist that joined me in making this incredible dream come true!”

Track listing follows:

Dreaming of Christmas (Rhonda Vincent original)
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
Twelve Days of Christmas (Featuring The Oak Ridge Boys, Willie Nelson, Charlie Daniels, Bill Anderson, Dolly Parton, Ronnie Milsap, Gene Watson, Larry Gatlin, Jeannie Seely, Lorrie Morgan, Pam Tillis, and EmiSunshine)
Angels We Have Heard On High
Milk & Cookies (Rhonda Vincent original)
Christmas Time (Rhonda Vincent original)
Christmas Time At Home (Rhonda Vincent original)
Away In A Manger
Jingle Bells
Silent Night
O Little Town of Bethlehem
Christmas Medley (What Child Is This, We Three Kings, It Came Upon The Midnight Clear, O Come All Ye Faithful, The First Noel, O Holy Night, Hark The Herald Angles Sing)

Pre-orders are available now from Rhonda’s web site.

Jeckyll Island 2015

The 39^th edition of the Jekyll Island, Georgia Bluegrass Festival was opened by The Clinton Gregory Bluegrass Band, a Georgia group. The James King Band was next up, with Don Rigsby filling in on mandolin The Spinney Brothers from Nova Scotia brought their brother harmonies to the stage for the first of two days. Spring field Exit gave their normal – read wonderful – performance.

Rhonda Vincent and the Rage provided a high-powered show with James King joining Rhonda for a couple tunes. Gene Watson and the Farewell Party Band closed the day’s show. Rhonda joined Gene for several numbers as well.

Saturday at Palatka 2014

Cody Schuler and Pine Mountain Railroad opened the show on Saturday at Palatka, and Dry Branch Fire Squad appeared for the second day. They were followed by the high energy of Little Roy and Lizzy.

Marty Raybon and Rhonda Vincent followed. The show was closed out by the legendary country music star, Gene Watson.

Gene found himself in the middle of some Rhonda/Lizzy shenanigans when he started singing Has Anybody Seen Sweet Thing. Lizzy ran out, grabbed the mic and started singing. Rhonda came out gagged, tied and sputtering! It was really good schtick!

Rhonda Vincent and Gene Watson

Last Thursday evening (6/9) I took advantage of being in Nashville and stopped in for the Gene Watson and Rhonda Vincent CD release show for Your Money and My Good Looks. The album is a set of “real” country music duets, in the style popularized by George Jones and Tammy Wynette, and Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn.

The show was held at the Troubadour Theater, adjacent to Ernest Tubb’s Record Store near the Grand Ole Opry, which was filled to the brim with country music fans in town for the annual CMA Music Festival.

Gene and Rhonda sang brilliantly, of course and entertained the audience with stories from the tracking sessions for this new release on Vincent’s Upper Management Music label. It was mildly disconcerting seeing her (and the Rage) in this unfamiliar format, with her guys using more common country instrumentation. Hunter Berry remained on fiddle, but Mickey Harris was on electric bass, Ben Helson on electric guitar and Aaron McDaris on acoustic.

Rhonda was up front with Gene, using a hand held microphone, as was he, and the band was completed by Bill Douchette on pedal steel, Peter Jeffrey on piano and Eddy Anderson on drums.

The degree of confidence Upper Management had in this show was clear when I noted that every VIP goodie bag included a small, cast iron Matha White frying pan. That could have gotten ugly if the audience had turned on them!

But the music kept everyone in their seats, and it seemed that the entire lot stood in line after the show for a chance at autographed copies of the duet album, which is being offered on both CD and vinyl LP.

Gene and Rhonda hit in June

Upper Management Music has announced June 7 as the release date for the new, all-duet album from Gene Watson and Rhonda Vincent.

Your Money and My Good Looks will feature 11 vocal pairings from these two noted practitioners of traditional country and bluegrass music, plus a bonus instrumental.

Rhonda told us this morning that they recorded the entire project live (in the studio) at Ronnie’s Place in Nashville (the former home of Ronnie Milsap’s studio) in just two days earlier this year.

“It’s true, authentic country music. The music is as much a part of this project as the vocals.

We let the musicians play, and ended up doing an impromptu instrumental at the end of the session, when we had 45 minutes left and all the songs were tracked.”

Recording with Gene and Rhonda were Stuart Duncan and Hunter Berry on fiddles, John Gardner on drums, Dirk Johnson and Michael Rojas on piano, Mike Johnson on steel guitar, James Mitchell on electric guitar, Michael Rhodes on electric bass, and Biff Watson on acoustic guitar.

Gene and Rhonda sang duets throughout, with Rhonda adding some harmony vocals as well.

“There’s not a better singer to sing with than Gene Watson.

So the entire process was pure pleasure; and a real treat for me for sing country music. I’ve gotten a taste of that in the last few months on Country Family Reunion. And since my favorite instrument is the steel guitar, and Mike Johnson is one of my favorite steel players, it was lots of fun as something a bit different from our bluegrass shows.

We’ll be back on the road in full force starting May 1st, and back to bluegrass. But Gene and I will be doing many performances this year, promoting this duet project too.”

No audio samples are up as yet, but pre-orders can be placed now online.

As Rhonda mentioned, the duet partners will be performing some together this summer as their separate schedules allow. Things kick off with a June 6 appearance on the Woodsongs Old Time Radio Hour and a June 9 kickoff concert at the Troubadour Theater in Nashville.

Gene Watson and Rhonda Vincent

Upper Management Music, the record company owned and run by Rhonda Vincent and her husband/manager, Herb Sandker, has signed country legend Gene Watson to the label.

His first Upper Management album will be a duet project with Rhonda, following on the success of the two previous songs on which they were paired, Staying Together and Together Again. The two are recording this week, with a June release anticipated for the CD. A debut single (and music video) is expected in May.

There is also talk of the two celebrated vocalists touring together later this year. We’ll report further details as we learn them.

Gene Watson and Rhonda Vincent duet video

Here’s the music video for Staying Together, a duet between Gene Watson and Rhonda Vincent. It’s a delightful country song – in the old time style.

Staying Together is one of the tracks on Gene’s latest CD, A Taste Of The Truth, released in August on Schanachie Records.