Mar 1:
Tommy Texino is a pseudonym. No one apparently knows who he actually
is. But his BGRASS-L posts are quite funny. - Carl

Begin forwarded message:

From: Tommy Texino <texino@GMAIL.COM> Date: February 29, 2008 7:02:30 PM EST
To: BGRASS-L@LSV.UKY.EDU Subject: Old Man Trouble takes a look at RV
Reply-To: "Bluegrass music discussion." <BGRASS-L@LSV.UKY.EDU>

Hi, it's Texino. That's El Texino to you covites and grinders and generic
pea pickers who conspired to keep my review of the recent Voyage of
Discovery led by Rhonda Vincent and The Rage off the list.

Other than remarking how swell the ladies looked in their formal dress and
how it wouldn't kill the men to rent a Dinner Jacket, I didn't say anything
mean at all. I even said that Rhonda had lost the look that she was always
just about to bite someone and said plenty of complementary stuff about
her band and Rounder Records too. I did not come right out and say how
glad I was that RVATR do not work for "Skaggs Family of Fine Religion and
Fast Grass and,by the way, Did We Mention We Love Jesus Records?" but I
guess someone could have drawn that inference. Still, I did say many many
positive things about the band being a good hard working force in BG and
how I had really grown to like and respect them. And my post got canned?
Oh well something could have happened to it, like I left off the title or
just thought I posted it, but I'm pretty serious about what I write, so who
knows? Well that is water under the bow and past the counter .

Now I have been rethinking some of the things I said and when I compare the
performance of RV and her band in contrast with what was going on back in
the days before BG sort of died out and got modern, I come to this
conclusion. Rhonda sings too well. That is correct. A woman singer of
Bluegrass music should sing like Wilma Lee Cooper. Rhonda Vincent sings
like a Star. Not only that, but it would seem from some pictures I've seen
lately, she has taken to lying around like a kitty. You ever see Wilma Lee
Cooper lying around like a kitty? I'll answer that one for you. No. To me
the Kitty cat look says: "Welcome to Nashville Tennessee Music City USA, We
control the cream Meow."

I would prefer that RVATR remain a Bluegrass Band. They probably make a
decent living at it, but I don't think they are wealthy in terms of having
lots of dough. Lots of respect and fans yes; millions of bucks like Garth
Brooks, no. One way you can tell is they are riding around on a damn bus
for the next 7 seven months working an average of every other day. Now I
got that number by using The New Math, so they will actually work several
days in a row and then skip one but it works out to about every other day.
That also means hauling butt from Virginia to NH and from Canada to VA. to
play consecutive nights. Try driving that yourself. I know that Rhonda
doesn't drive the bus, but riding around like that will put it to you just
the same.

Now the thing is, between places like Giles High School in Pearisburg, VA
and The Holiday Inn Select in Naperville, Il, there are gigs like A Prairie
Home Companion which can put your music into a lot of ears and the Ryman
Bluegrass series which just sounds important. I'm just wondering with a
record on the chart and what looks like a very good, but subtle makeover,
Mrs. Vincent might not be tempted into a cross over arrangement.

I can hear people saying oh no! Wouldn't happen! Then I look at that tour
schedule and figure the take in a lot of those places is not much at all
compared to what AKUS is pulling down. I think a lot. About a lot of
things. There have been many talented individuals who stayed with BG for
ever until they just sort of turned into regular people again. I think
that's because Bluegrass doesn't really have a "Star System" so when one
shows up they almost have to cross to Alt Country or something. Well we
will just have to see what happens. I can't help but feel something will.

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