Damn! Another one! 2020 has just sucked!
https://www.al.com/life/2020/12/tony-rice-master-bluegrass-guitarist-dies-at-69.html
Tony was a tremendous guitar player. A Martin man usually.
Apparently he was preparing coffee on Christmas morning and had a heart attack.
Didn't know he was living in Reidsville, N. C. which is just northeast of Greensboro.
Bluegrass yes but so much more. The Bluegrass Album Band series is a veritable encyclopedia of that genre.
Also his accomplishments in New Acoustic Music, jazzgrass, and his modern folk albums were all top shelf.
I did not hear him live until he had lost his singing voice, Tony Rice Unit at the Birchmere and the Allison Krause Sings Tony Rice tour at Constitution hall - that was a smoker! His songs, her singing and band including Jerry Douglas, and Tony playing.
Yes he was a Martin player but also had a Santa Cruz signature model, first production dreadnought with the enlarged soundhole to my knowledge.
Tony’s Martin D28 was originally owned by Clarence White. The fretboard was replaced at some point with a blank Gretsch fretboard hence the lack of inlays. Why and how the enlarged sound hole? One story is Clarence used to put out his cigs on it but who knows? Big sound hole now fairly common. Tony and Jerry Garcia’a back and forth conversation on the Pizza Tapes CD is fun
I like Martins and currently have a DR2, basically a D28 but with laminate rosewood instead of solid rosewood back and sides. A great sounding guitar and a great value if you can find one.
I once owned Santa Cruz Tony Rice Signature model #275 but I had to sell during divorce troubles. Bar none the finest dreadnought I have ever played. I miss that one.
Tony is as important to acoustic guitar as Miles Davis is to jazz.
RIP Big Dog.
Tony's reputation went beyond his studio albums. Go to tela.sugarmegs.org and search for "Tony Rice" (with quotation marks) and you'll find 274 (I think) downloadable live shows with setlists.
There's a boatload of his live performances on YouTube to track down also.
Billastro
Apparently he also lost his ability to play a guitar in 2013. Anyone know why?
@robertdee He complained of "tennis elbow" - so, I'd suspect arthritis of some sort. But I ain't his doctor.
As a bluegrass fan, I saw Tony play in multiple configurations too many times to count. His playing was always exceptional. In addition, having spoken to him many times, I'll also suggest he was a very kind and humble man. He always had time for fans. He will be greatly missed. His cd's are going to get a lot of play time in the future.
Apparently he also lost his ability to play a guitar in 2013. Anyone know why?
Yes, arthritis. That got bad just as he was starting to get a bit of voice back.
Getting old is not for sissies.
Thank you. I figured it was probably arthritis.
Yes too about getting old. I've got 5 years on Tony Rice (I'm 74) and everything aches and nothing works.
Don Reno was a good banjo player too. Here he is with his long time partner Red Smiley on guitar.
