Rhonda Vincent
is a
bluegrass
prodigy who has been a favorite on the
string band
festival circuit for years. Her 1994 album for
Giant Records
found her being pushed a little too forcibly toward the
country
mainstream; still, on occasion, the specialness of her hard-
twang shined through. With
Trouble Free
, she fulfills her promise with soaring beauty. Co-producer (and
chief)
James Stroud
backs off and allows
Vincent
to explore a
traditional country
terrain that encompasses the fierce, severe magnificence of
and the sorrowful whine of
honky tonk
heartbreak.
excels at both, showing the same kind of hard, soulful splendor that
Keith Whitley
displayed when he evolved from
to
.
's guests pretty much define her tastes: She performs a duet with
Randy Travis
-- in his best performance in years -- and, elsewhere, enjoys harmony support from
Alison Krauss
and
Dolly Parton
Krauss
have been linked for years (
was one a runner-up in a
contest that
won).
' commercial success certainly helped renew
Giant
's belief that
, too, could attract a larger mainstream audience. But the two aren't that similar as vocalists. Where
' voice is sweet and pure,
's is twangy and aggressive. What they share is a commitment to musical integrity. ~ Michael McCall