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Restaurant owner to be honored by Vincent at Grand Ole Opry

September 27, 2006|Betty Smith

What started as a routine night for Ms. B's Restaurant, 30 N. Main St., turned into the dream of a lifetime for the owner. The staff of the recently opened restaurant had prepared dinner for Rhonda Vincent, a country music star, who was performing Friday evening at the Leeds Center for the Arts and her staff of five.

"We had put the big pot into the little one," Beverly A. Perkins Chism, restaurant owner, said. "The good china, crystal and silver."

"When the crew came in, I sat down to chat with Ms. Vincent, and she told me some of upcoming plans, including the 17th annual International Bluegrass Music Awards Show Thursday night at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville.

She told me that she was going to sing one of her hits, "Til They Came Home," which covers military service personnel from 1941 until the present.

"In our conversation she said she would like to find a female veteran to participate in that portion of her presentation and asked if I knew of one. I smiled and said that I was a three-year veteran of the United States Women's Army Corps that now has been changed to the regular Army.

"She invited me to come and be escorted on stage at the Grand Old Opry as she sang 'Til They All Come Home. I was speechless, but managed to accept her offer." The announcement of Ms. Chism's selection was announced at the concert.

When Vincent finishes her song the United States Navy Band will play a medley of patriotic selections, Chism said.

Also appearing will be Marty Stewart, who will be host; Ricky Skaggs, Allison Krauss and Union Station, Vince Gill, The Graskells and Alan Jackson just to name a few."

Chism said that Vincent has been nominated for entertainer of the year, an award she received in 2001. Female Vocalist of the Year, which she has won five consecutive years, and for Vocal Group of the Year. Two of Vincent's band members also are nominated for awards, one for Fiddler of the Year and one for Mandolin Player of the Year.

"While I am excited about the opportunity to appear as part of her presentation, I am humbled and proud to represent the women in the military," Chism said.

She added that when the group left, she gave them a homemade apple pie to take with them, and when Vincent called the next morning to confirm Thursday's events, she told Chism that she had eaten apple pie for breakfast and dared the members of the group to touch the remainder.

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