All American Bluegrass Girl

1	All American Bluegrass Girl 3:11
2	Forever Ain't That Long Anymore 3:30
3	Heartbreaker's Alibi / Dolly Parton 3:01
4	God Bless the Soldier 2:40
5	Rhythm of the Wheels 3:31
6	Midnight Angel / Bobby Osborne 3:12
7	Till They Came Home 4:09
8	Don't Act 2:14
9	Jesus Built a Bridge to Heaven 3:06
10	Prettiest Flower There 3:31
11	Ashes of Mt. Augustine 3:30
12	Precious Jewel 4:03

Barnes & Noble

If Rhonda Vincent's visual style tends to get more sultry with each new release, her music remains all substance -- the same raw, fundamental bluegrass that’s made her a giant of the genre. As usual, instrumental support is provided by the impeccable Rage band, whose members demonstrate a wonderful sense of the moment, whether it requires the full-on instrumental dynamism of the title cut (a Vincent original in which she celebrates the music and the artists who have defined her professional life) or more restrained, sensitive support, as on the touching ballad about a deceased loved one’s ascension to Heaven, “Prettiest Flower There.” Vincent’s singing remains one of contemporary music’s natural wonders, both for its clear, pure mountain soul and its dramatic expressiveness. Dolly Parton adds aching harmonies to the bustling cheatin’ song “Heartbreaker’s Alibi,” but Vincent’s restrained fury at catching her beau in the arms of another woman needs no help in evoking the searing betrayal the singer feels to her core. By contrast, her self-penned tribute to rank-and-file G.I.’s, “God Bless the Soldier,” avoids the maudlin by dint of an unadorned reading that enhances the humanity of the men and women in uniform extolled in the lyrics. Extra icing is added by guest Bobby Osborne’s keening, wrenching vocal turn on a mountain ballad about a wayward woman, “Midnight Angel,” and Vincent’s own tasty mandolin workout to her original instrumental “Ashes of St. Augustine.” If this is what happens when style meets substance, then play on, please. David McGee

All Music Guide

Rhonda Vincent has stuck closer to tradition than Alison Krauss over the long run, and with a title like All American Bluegrass Girl, she seems quite happy to have done so. She remembers to touch all the right bases, covering religious material like "Jesus Built a Bridge to Heaven," closing with Roy Acuff's "Precious Jewel," and even dueting with Dolly Parton on "Heartbreaker's Alibi," and Bobby Osborne on "Midnight Angel." At the same time, songs like "Forever Ain't That Long Anymore" and "God Bless the Soldier," while built out of acoustic instruments, sound much more contemporary and radio-friendly. The latter song, a Vincent original, veers much closer to contemporary country than bluegrass, complete with unabashed (and cloying) patriotism. "Till They Come Home" is perhaps worse, with successive citizens happily leaving their significant other to fight for World War II, Vietnam, and Desert Storm. These songs are nonetheless partially redeemed by recognizing that women, like men, also serve in the military. Whatever the material, the musicianship on All American Bluegrass Girl is exceptional. Fiddler Stuart Duncan really gets a chance to stand out on ballads like the "Prettiest Flower There," while guitarist Bryan Sutton's workout on "Jesus Built a Bridge to Heaven" is phenomenal. While some listeners may be a bit perplexed by Vincent's glamour shot on the album's cover (complete with go-go boots), All American Bluegrass Girl delivers solid mainstream bluegrass that will please fans. Ronnie D. Lankford Jr.