My Blue Tears (Rebel, 2002)

With her newfound stature as one of the brightest stars in bluegrass, this is a perfectly timed retrospective for Rhonda Vincent. While even most casual fans know of her upbringing in the family act The Sally Mountain Show and her short-lived stab at mainstream country, the years between those two are less familiar. This collection covers four albums recorded from 1988 to 1991, all on Rebel.

Though she wasn't yet a star, Vincent still rated a top-notch band, including Roy Huskey, David Grier, Jerry Douglas, Bela Fleck, David Parmley and more. The songs reflect both her future country music albums as well as her bluegrass past, with selections from Dolly Parton ("My Blue Tears"), Eddy Raven (the buoyant "Good Morning Country Rain"), Harlan Howard ("Deepening Snow") and a pair of Pat Alger/Fred Koller tunes ("Goin' Gone," and "Lone Star State Of Mind").

For both old and new fans, this collection is ample evidence that Vincent's music has been in a bluer place for a long time, regardless of the source.