JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) — East Tennessee State University (ETSU) announced it will host Grand Ole Opry star Rhonda Vincent and The Rage on March 11 at 7 p.m.
An ETSU release revealed that tickets for the Martin Center for the Arts event are available on the university’s event webpage.
The event is hosted by ETSU’s Bluegrass, Old-Time and Roots Music Studies, as Vincent was named the “New Queen of Bluegrass” in 2000 by the Wall Street Journal.
“Vincent powers one of the hottest bands in any genre of music today, organizers said,” the release read. “Vincent’s early life of music evolved into a successful career in bluegrass music after Grand Ole Opry Star Jim Ed Brown discovered her, and later spent what she called her ‘musical college years’ recording for Giant Records.”
The 2017 Grammy-award-winning artist’s two daughters earned degrees from ETSU, and her son-in-law, Brent Burke, marked the university’s first graduate with a bachelor’s degree in Bluegrass, Old-Time and Roots music Studies, according to program director Dan Boner.
“Her longtime fiddler, Hunter Berry, got his start in an ETSU bluegrass band over 20 years ago and now teaches for our program. I can’t think of anyone better to help us launch out 40th anniversary series of events.”
The bluegrass program, founded in 1982 by Jack Tottle, will celebrate the anniversary throughout the year with a series of events and festivities. It has awarded 116 degrees since launching the bachelor’s degree option 12 years ago.
ETSU’s Department of Appalachian Studies offers a variety of educational programs, including both undergraduate and graduate options. For more information, contact the department by calling 423-439-7072 or emailing bluegrass@etsu.edu.
