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The Tony Rice Story  Released on 12th April.

The long awaited release of the biography of one of bluegrass’s most revered guitar players, Tony Rice, is almost upon us. Industry news has the release  scheduled to co-inside with Merlfest on 12th April this year.

Tony’s story is told in his own words and features memories and insights from dozens and dozens of his family members, friends, and fans with an inside look at his life on and off the road. This is a bibliography of suggested reading for serious fans. More than 100 never-before published photos. Still Inside: The Tony Rice Story might be the bluegrass literary event of the year.

Woven throughout the anecdotes and memories are excerpts from a journal written by co-author Caroline Wright, who went on the road with Tony for a couple of weeks in the summer of 2003 and again in 2005, interviewing him as he drove to festivals, clubs, and recording studios. Caroline documents his everyday life in detail, and discovers things about Tony that will astonish and intrigue even his most knowledgeable fans.

Thanks to Blue Highway’s Tim Stafford, a highly respected acoustic guitarist in his own right, this book also provides insight into Tony’s matchless guitar playing. Tim explores Tony’s technique, his timing, his right hand, his choice of picks, and much more. Tim also discusses the life and times of Tony’s prize possession, formerly owned by the great Clarence White: the 1935 Martin D-28 Herringbone guitar also known simply as The Bone or The Antique.

You can pre-order your copy of The Tony Rice Story by going to this link and entering your email address -  Still Inside: The Tony Rice Story.

Artists, International News, Product Release Tony Rice

Still Inside: The Tony Rice Story.

The highly anticipated authorised biography of acoustic guitar legend Tony Rice is now in the final stages of production and will be released in the very near future.

Many consider Rice the greatest acoustic guitar player of all time.  Still Inside: The Tony Rice Story, written by Tim Stafford and Caroline Wright, is Tony’s incredible life in his own words and those of witnesses, friends, family, and fellow musicians.

The biography covers Tony’s entire life from toddler to living legend, from North Carolina to California, from bluegrass to jazz and all points in between. Tony discusses his real and musical family, his biggest influences, his greatest moments and tragedies such as the loss of his father, his first gigs to his latest, and finally his voice.

The book is full of eyewitness accounts from the people who were there when it all happened. His mother Louise and many other family members share their memories of Tony’s life as a child all the way up to today.

Musicians such as Sam Bush, J.D. Crowe, Jerry Douglas, David Grisman, Alison Krauss, Ricky Skaggs, and many many others share their stories of Tony and how it all began back in the days of playing bluegrass when bluegrass wasn’t so cool.  Over 100 people were interviewed for this exhaustive book, which has been ten years in the making.

You can pre-order your copy of thie biography from this website link

Artists, Product Release Tony Rice

Tony Rice is one of the many bluegrass start returning to Merlfest this year. Rice has been appearing at Merlfest for 21 years and 2009 will mark his 22nd as the festival winds into action this week in the small town of Wilksbro in North Carolina.

During his Merlfest appearances Rice has has played his famous acoustic guitar sound with almost every bluegrass name  from  Bela Fleck and Sam Bush to Alison Krauss and Union Station. The Merlfest website lists almost 100 acts playing on 15 stages to around 80,000 people over these four days. No small event.

Rice fans will enjoy an article in the Rockingham News N.C., written by Lisa Snedeker , a freelance writer.

Tony Rice – Rockingham News

Artists, Festivals Merlfest, Tony Rice

A report from the Bluegrass Bog this morning anounces Tony Rice’s Santa Cruz guitar is up for sale.

The Bluegrass Blog Reports:
Here’s a special opportunity for all you Rice heads…
Tony Rice is offering his personal, 2007 Santa Cruz Tony Rice model guitar for sale. This is a custom instrument, built specifically to Tony’s specs, and which he used on the road through much of 2007 and 2008.

The guitar is being sold through Steve Swan Guitars, which has a detailed description of the guitar online, along with a number of close up photos.

The guitar is pictured on Steve Swan’s Website and the asking price is $25,000.00.
The Tony Rice model began in 1979 as a stage and touring replacement for Tony’s famous 1935 D-28, that was once owned by Clarence White. Rice needed a replacement guitar for this D28 rather than just a copy of its standard specifications to take on the road.

Read the whole story on The Bluegrass Blog

Promotions Tony Rice

No other guitarist in the last thirty years has had a greater impact on acoustic music than Tony Rice. The new Rounder compilation, Night Flyer: The Singer-Songwriter Collection, due August 5, contains a broad selection of the music icon’s engaging vocal tunes taken from several of his albums – as well as three previously unreleased tracks – and demonstrates the wide range of non-bluegrass material that he incorporated into his signature sound.

Featured and accompanying musicians on this collection include Larry Atamanuik, Cole Burgess, Sam Bush, Kathy Chiavola, Vassar Clements, Jerry Douglas, Bela Fleck, Jimmy Gaudreau, Todd Phillips, Wyatt Rice, Mark Schatz, and Bill Wolf.
Previous ABB post Tony Rice

CD Release Tony Rice

Night Flier: The Singer Song Writer Collection
No other guitarist in the last thirty years has had a greater impact on acoustic music than Tony Rice. With his signature subtle touch, beautiful tone, amazing speed and imaginative phrasing, Rice has inspired guitarists far and wide for decades, as both a peerless lead player and the quintessential rhythm player. His inventive approach encompasses many acoustic music genres in addition to bluegrass, including jazz, blues, classical, folk, and swing, as is evident in his numerous solo and collaborative recordings. Twice nominated for a Grammy® Award, he won for Best Country Instrumental Performance in 1983 as a member of The New South.

The new Rounder compilation, Night Flyer: The Singer-Songwriter Collection, due August 5, contains a broad selection of the music icon’s engaging vocal tunes taken from several of his albums – as well as three previously unreleased tracks – and demonstrates the wide range of non-bluegrass material that he incorporated into his signature sound.

Night Flyer: The Singer-Songwriter Collection kicks off with the previously unreleased Rice original “Never Meant to Be,” a venting of his feelings in the aftermath of the breakup of a long-term marriage with a sad, bitter tone that is completely real in its sense of unresolved hurt and anger. In addition, a version of Gordon Lightfoot’s “Changes” is found here, and opens with a sublime guitar intro, with perfect counterpoint by the Dobro of Jerry Douglas. Also included in this collection are Joni Mitchell’s “Urge for Going,” James Taylor’s “Me and My Guitar,” John Mayall’s “Nightflyer,” Bob Dylan’s “Sweetheart Like You,” and Tom Waits’ “Pony.”

Featured and accompanying musicians on this collection include Larry Atamanuik, Cole Burgess, Sam Bush, Kathy Chiavola, Vassar Clements, Jerry Douglas, Bela Fleck, Jimmy Gaudreau, Todd Phillips, Wyatt Rice, Mark Schatz, and Bill Wolf.

CD Release Tony Rice