Tony Rice

Tony Rice (born David Anthony Rice, June 8, 1951 – December 25, 2020) was one of the most influential acoustic guitarists in bluegrass history—an innovative flatpicker whose tone, timing, and melodic imagination helped redefine what the guitar could do in traditional music. Raised in a musical family and shaped by the bluegrass and folk scenes of the 1970s, Rice rose to prominence through high-level collaborations and bands, most notably J.D. Crowe & the New South, David Grisman’s groundbreaking acoustic projects, and the Bluegrass Album Band, where his playing and singing set a modern standard for “straight-ahead” bluegrass. (Wikipedia)

As a solo artist and bandleader (especially with the Tony Rice Unit), he bridged hard-driving tradition with jazz-informed improvisation and songwriter-driven material, leaving landmark recordings such as Manzanita and Church Street Blues that remain essentials for guitarists. Rice earned multiple IBMA Guitar Player of the Year honors and was inducted into the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame (2013). Health issues eventually took his singing voice (muscle tension dysphonia) and later limited his playing, but his artistry continues to influence generations across bluegrass, Americana, and acoustic music at large. (IBMA)