TONY RICE

The legendary Tony Rice was arguably the greatest practitioner of the art of bluegrass flat-picking in the world. He also was a stellar vocalist whose talents were showcased during his tenure with J.D. Crowe and the New South in early 1970s, a group that also included Ricky Skaggs and Jerry Douglas.

In 1975, Tony became the original guitarist in the David Grisman Quintet. With The DGQ he helped revolutionize American string band music. After four years of touring and recording with David, he embarked on a solo career with his own Tony Rice Unit. He also produced numerous recording projects such as the widely acclaimed Bluegrass Album Band series of albums.

Tony was a featured artist on many of the most popular Acoustic Disc releases including Tone Poems (with David Grisman), The Pizza Tapes (with Jerry Garcia and David Grisman), Live at The Great American Music Hall (with the DGQ) and Dawg & ’T’ Live at Acoustic Stage.

Tony Rice passed away on December 25, 2020. As David Grisman reflected on that occasion, “It’s with a heavy heart that I mourn the loss of my dear friend and colleague. Tony was the original guitarist in my quintet and his playing established a standard for acoustic flat-top playing that remains unequalled. He left an amazing legacy and brought much joy to his legions of fans. Rest in peace, ’T’.