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As Tony Sees It – A Conversation with Tony Rice

Posted on April 11, 2019 (https://bluegrasstoday.com/as-tony-sees-it-a-conversation-with-tony-rice-2/) By John Lawless
(Https://Bluegrasstoday.Com/Author/John/)

Jan Johansson, ddler in the North Carolina Triangle region, has posted a lengthy interview with his friend, Tony Rice. Swedish born,
Jan moved to the US in 1986, and has worked as a teacher and player there ever since.

Rice, of course, is the legendary bluegrass guitarist whose playing on stage and on records starting in the mid-1970s completely
revolutionized the way our music is played on the instrument. His approach to both rhythm and lead acoustic guitar caused the sorts
of gasps and disbelief in the ’70s that accompanied Earl Scruggs’ emergence in the late ’40s. 

Tony was as noted for his singing voice as much as his guitar, with a rich baritone that blended perfectly with his frequent singing
partner Ricky Skaggs. If he was merely an average guitarist, his singing alone would have put him in the bluegrass Hall of Fame.

Continuing on, Rice also made a mark with David Grisman’s band in California, and later in the new acoustic jazz style with his own
Tony Rice Unit. Then in the ’90s, Tony was back to bluegrass with the iconic Bluegrass Album Band, alongside fellow icons J.D.
Crowe, Doyle Lawson, Bobby Hicks, and Todd Phillips. He recorded six albums with this out t that are still viewed as having set the
 /
 
bar for contemporary bluegrass. 

But by the mid-90s, issues with his voice began to plague Rice, who then focused on being the best instrumentalist he could be. In a 
most unkind cut, arthritis attacked his hands in the late aughts, and even his joy in the guitar was taken away.

In 2013, when Tony was inducted into the Bluegrass Hall of Fame, he spoke on stage for the rst time in years, saying that he was
undergoing some new therapy on his voice, and even demonstrated how it sounded when he concentrated carefully. Again, gasps
from the audience. That sound was back!

In this roughly 45 minute discussion with Johansson, that vintage sound of Tony Rice is clear and strong. They talk about a good
many topics that will interest bluegrass fans, and guitarists in particular. Since he gives very few interviews these days, this one is
sure to delight his fans. Some of the language is coarse, but every word is valuable.

For more information, consider Tony’s authorized biography, Still Inside – The Tony Rice Story (http://www.tonyricestory.com).

Thanks to Jan for capturing this for posterity.

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About the Author

 /
 
John Lawless
John had served as primary author and editor for The Bluegrass
Blog from its launch in 2006 until being folded into Bluegrass 
Today in September of 2011. He continues in that capacity here,
managing a strong team of columnists and correspondents.

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Name

Travis Fast • a year ago • edited

Tony sounds great, and listening to him share his insight on the finer points of
ensemble bluegrass blew me away! Thank you, Tony and Jan Johansson;
just WOW!
△ ▽ • Reply • Share ›

Dave Berry • a year ago

Great interview Jan. Here is the youtube video of that set he mentioned from
Strawberry Music Festival in 86.

Tony Rice Strawberry '86

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△ ▽ • Reply • Share ›

Eric • 10 months ago

Great interview with Tony Rice. He's such a great musician and I respect
what he had to say so much, and can relate to it all. Even though I am in a
different genre of music, I have always loved Tony's musicianship and guitar
playing (I was a big fan of Clarence White). I am a professional guitarist in my
mid-60s, have thumb arthritis in both of my thumbs and in some of my
fingers. My hands are "worn out" (just like Tony said). And I totally respect
Tony's feelings that he does not want to play anything that is beneath his
extremely high standards, hence his hesitation to even get his hands
repaired. Incidentally, the repair that surgeons use for that thumb arthritis is
not as effective as many would like to think, and it usually takes a long time to
recover from that surgery. Hand surgeons have told me that they felt that I
would not be totally satisfied with the results. I am sure that Tony knows this
also. Thank you so much for this interview!

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