Your Louisville Bluegrass Community since 2001
Your Louisville Bluegrass Community since 2001
June 9, 1951 - December 25, 2020
Happy New Year to you. It’s got to be better than last year. I hope you’re doing well.
I’m sure you heard about Tony Rice. It’s real sad but it’s no surprise. I talked to him in the past year or so and he seemed to be doing well. I’m not totally sure what happened.
I sent the following out to my jam group. I thought you might want to send it to yours.
Harry
A Video Tribute to Tony Rice
To all,
Unless you were there, it is difficult to understand the Bluegrass Music scene in Louisville and Lexington from the mid-1960s through the 1970s. There was nothing quite like it anywhere else. Many of the best acoustic musicians in the country lived here. Tony Rice was a big part of that scene. I thought some of you might like to see some really good videos of Tony over the years.
Tony moved to Louisville in 1970, at the age of 19, to play with the Bluegrass Alliance. The band at that time included Sam Bush, Courtney Johnson, Ebo Walker and Lonnie Pierce. The first three of those would go on to form the Newgrass Revival.
The Bluegrass Alliance
The Seekerhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPdDt0zedm8
Whisper Your Namehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92w7nRIxbIc&list=RDHPdDt0zedm8&index=2
Tony left the Alliance to join J.D. Crowe & the New South in Lexington, Kentucky. Members of that band included J.D., Tony, Ricky Skaggs, Jerry Douglass and Bobby Slone. That band was a game changer in the world of Bluegrass. Their album, Rounder 0044, is still considered one of the most important albums in the history of Bluegrass Music.
J.D. Crowe & the New South
The Old Home Placehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gK0iMLvCfFM&list=RDPy9ZPX-8CUE&index=3
The Nine Pound Hammerhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfaclUfJuI4&list=RDPy9ZPX-8CUE&index=8
Around 1975 Tony left the New South and moved to the west coast to play with David Grisman. Over the years Tony played with various groups, including his own Tony Rice Unit. In 1994 Tony developed a vocal disorder and was forced to quit singing. A number of years later, problems with his right arm forced him to quit playing guitar. Since then, he has lived in relative seclusion in North Carolina with his wife Pam.
Below are some additional videos of Tony over the years. Once you get to a video in YouTube, you will find other examples to go along with it. If you only have time to watch one video, watch Church Street Blues. It shows you what Tony’s guitar playing was like up close.
Where the Soul of Man Never Dies-Tony Rice and Ricky Skaggshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSc1205qlX8
Church Street Blues-from An Intimate Lesson with Tony Rice-1984 Homespun Tapeshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JFgC3Ub10E
The Early Mornin’ Rain-The Tony Rice Band-Berkshire, 1985https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=608tDKO6aL0&list=RD608tDKO6aL0&index=1
The Last Thing On My Mind-from the album Church Street Blues-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0M_RTqP9Ms
Here is a good article about Tony that just appeared in Rolling Stone Magazine
https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-country/tony-rice-bluegrass-music-legacy-1108100/
There are many, many more examples of Tony’s playing and singing available on the internet and via records and downloads. I would encourage people to explore some of them. Few people have left their mark on the music world like Tony Rice. He was a good person, a good friend and a great musician. Rest in Peace old friend.
If you're craving some of Tony's music, tune in to Aaron Bibelhauser's Bluegrass Evolution Sunday at 6pm on WFPK 91.9. Aaron always has great music for us, but this weeks selections will feature lots of Tony's tunes.
Berkley O. "Berk"Bryant 90, long-time resident of Radcliff, KY, and a 30-year bluegrass radio icon on Louisville public radio, passed away suddenly December 24, 2020, after a period of declining health. Read more about his rich career and the music he brought Louisville bluegrass fans over the years.
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Bluegrass Anonymous, Louisville’s Bluegrass Music Association, is dedicated to promoting and supporting bluegrass music, preserving its tradition, and nurturing its growth by providing inclusive opportunities for pickin’, singin’, and listenin’.
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Bluegrass Anonymous is a Louisville, KY based music association dedicated to promoting and supporting bluegrass music, preserving it's tradition, and nurturing it's growth by providing opportunities for pickin', singin' and listenin'. Our organization received non-profit 501c3 status from the IRS in 2006.
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