The Performing Arts Center at Rockwell Hall is proud to present the "New Queen of Bluegrass," as crowned by The Wall Street Journal, Rhonda Vincent and The Rage on Friday, January 23, at 8:00 p.m.

This concert is part of the Performing Arts Center's 2008-2009 Great Performers Series, presented by M&T Bank.

Tickets for Rhonda Vincent are $35-$30 each, with a discount for seniors and rush tickets for students. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at the Rockwell Hall Box Office, 1300 Elmwood Ave., by calling 716-878-3005 or online at www.buffalostate.edu/pac.  Box Office hours are Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

The hardest working woman in bluegrass music is on the road in support of her latest CD Good Thing Going which has topped Billboard's Top Bluegrass Albums Chart, Bluegrass Unlimited's Top 15 Bluegrass Albums Chart and Bluegrass Music Profile's Top 10 Bluegrass CDs Chart.

Blending soul, intensity, and tenderness, Rhonda Vincent's unique brand of bluegrass is rich in tradition while remaining unmistakably modern. Among the most beloved figures in today's bluegrass scene, Vincent has earned Entertainer of the Year and an unprecedented seven consecutive Female Vocalist of the Year awards from the International Bluegrass Music Association, is a top concert and festival draw, and, with her road band The Rage supporting her, is one of the most dynamic and high-energy performers in any genre of music.

Vincent infuses her golden voice with some all-star pickin' and playin' into a mix of country-fied bluegrass ballads and revved up standards. She sings about life, love and anything in between.  Her voice is as beautiful as she is, and her music is to die for.

Born and raised in a musical family, Vincent made her onstage debut singing and tapping a snare drum with her family's band The Sally Mountain Show when she was five years old. She picked up the mandolin (the instrument most associated with her) at age eight, the same year she released her debut 45 - a driving take on "Muleskinner Blues." Learning the nuances of harmony, arrangement, and stage presence by performing throughout her childhood, Vincent grew into a formidable musician and a radiant, captivating lead singer able to deliver both overpowering up-tempo numbers and soulful, introspective ballads. Her early bluegrass solo albums led to a Nashville deal, and the experience of recording her two commercial country efforts taught her essential lessons about the inner workings of the music industry.

Vincent triumphantly returned to bluegrass with her 2000 Rounder debut Back Home Again. That same year, the bluegrass community welcomed her back with Female Vocalist of the Year honors at that year's International Bluegrass Music Association awards - her first of an unprecedented seven consecutive wins in that category. She received the coveted Entertainer of the Year award from IBMA in 2001, concurrent with the release of her second Rounder album The Storm Still Rages. One Step Ahead followed in 2003, which included "You Can't take It With You When You Go," a top-five video hit on CMT. A live CD and DVD project, Ragin' Live, was released in 2005, while All-American Bluegrass Girl, featuring the propulsive title track (a number one hit on the Bluegrass Unlimited charts), came out in 2006.

In addition to her rigorous touring, performing and recording schedule, Vincent opened her own studio, Adventure Studios, in Nashville in 2005 - where All-American Bluegrass Girl and Good Thing Going were recorded. With her invigorating performances continuing to forge powerful connections with her fans, a richly constructed new album, and her continued growth as a songwriter, Rhonda Vincent has reached a new peak in her already storied career.

The Great Performers Series is sponsored by M&T Bank and WBFO.