NASHVILLE, TN (March 25, 2025) – Acclaimed musician and songwriter Bob Minner releases his latest single, “Listening to the Rain,” featuring Rhonda Vincent and John Meador. The track, premiering exclusively on Bluegrass Today, offers fans a fresh interpretation of the Don DeVaney-penned classic made famous by the Osborne Brothers. 

Reflecting on the inspiration behind the single, Minner shared, “My dad was an Osborne Brothers’ fan, and I remember their records being in the house when I was young. I had always heard 'Listening to the Rain' in my head as a slowed-down ballad due to the nature of the lyric, and I finally have a chance to give it that treatment. It’s an honor to bring my reimagined version of this timeless bluegrass song to the world featuring two of the greatest voices in today’s bluegrass genre, Rhonda Vincent and John Meador.”

“Bob is not only a master musician. He is also a brilliant producer and arranger. When he first showed me his arrangement on this Osborne Brothers classic, I knew it was going to be something very special. His choice of pairing the voices of the legendary Rhonda Vincent and the incredible tenor of newcomer John Meador, has created a beautiful duet that is destined to become a classic itself. It is simply a stunning recording of a timeless song,” states Jerry Salley, Creative Director, Billy Blue Records. 

Ronnie Reno, who played on the original Osborne Brothers recording, shared his thoughts on this new rendition, stating, “I played on the original recording of ‘Listening to the Rain’ with Bobby and Sonny in 1970. I love the new approach to this song, and it's wonderfully done. The vocals are outstanding. Bob’s production is outstanding. It's in the pocket and it's in time with your heart. I know Bobby and Sonny would be very proud of this recording.”

Minner’s “Listening to the Rain”  follows the success of his award-winning song “Fall In Tennessee,” which earned nominations for Song of the Year, Collaborative Recording of the Year, and Music Video of the Year, ultimately winning the International Bluegrass Music Association's (IBMA) Song of the Year award in 2024.

With this new release, Minner continues to solidify his reputation as one of Nashville’s most respected instrumentalists.

Song credits:
Bob Minner-Acoustic Guitar / Producer
Alan Bartram: Bass
Jesse Brock: Mandolin
Aaron Till: Fiddles
Engineer: Justin Kropf
Songwriter: Don DeVaney
Mix and master: Chris Latham
Sure Fire Music Company Inc./BMI

ABOUT BOB MINNER
Growing up on old-time string band music and bluegrass in Missouri, near St. Louis, Bob Minner’s lifelong love affair with music began at the tender age of 2 when he first strummed his plastic guitar. Since then, his musical journey has been nothing short of extraordinary, spanning across the United States, Canada, Australia, Italy, and beyond. His musical passion has played a serendipitous role in bringing Bob and his wife Ginger together, shaping not only their personal life but also providing a foundation for raising a family. After traveling with their own band for a while, the Minner’s settled in Nashville as Bob’s filled the role of acoustic guitarist for country icon Tim McGraw, a position he has held for an impressive 31 years and counting. 
 
Beyond being a skilled instrumentalist, Minner is a prolific songwriter with credits and cuts by TIm McGraw and by revered bluegrass bands like Authentic Unlimited, Blue Highway, Volume Five, Dailey & Vincent, Ronnie Bowman, Jim Lauderdale & the Po’ Ramblin’ Boys, Shannon Slaughter, Blue Moon Rising, and others. He received both IBMA and SPBGMA  Song of the Year award in 2024 for “Fall in Tennessee” and has many other nominations to his credit. While constantly crafting new solo guitar compositions, Minner released the album There and Back and Back Again in 2011, Six String Sanctuary in 2019, SOLO in 2021, and, most recently, Five From Frankie and From Sulphur Springs to Rising Fawn in 2022, to critical acclaim. 

Website: https://minnerguitar.com/home

Socials: 
https://www.facebook.com/bobminnerguitar
https://www.instagram.com/bobminner
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYpnXHKsufjRLApjAEYKI5Q 

 
ABOUT BILLY BLUE RECORDS
Billy Blue Records is a boutique bluegrass label, home to an award-winning roster of artists including Adam McIntosh, Alan Bibey and Grasstowne, Appalachian Road Show, Authentic Unlimited, Bob Minner, Caroline Owens, Carson Peters & Iron Mountain, Darin & Brooke Aldridge, Dave Adkins, Jason Barie, Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers, Kristy Cox, Marty Raybon, the multi-artist projects Blue Collar Gospel, Country Faith Bluegrass, and the Grammy-nominated recording Gonna Sing Gonna Shout. Founded in 2018 by Jerry Salley, Ed Leonard, and Dottie Leonard Miller, Billy Blue is distributed to retail by the Orchard (Sony) and New Day Distribution.