Rounder records will release a Tony Rice disc titled “Night Flyer: The Singer-Songwriter Collection” August 5. Photo by Thomas Stout.

Burlington, MA— 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.

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.”

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.

“To me, his music was never built on anything but emotion. That’s what’s so addicting – the pictures and the feelings it brings to you. Everything is played so beautifully…Even though he’s so technically amazing, the reason you put those records on, at least for me, isn’t because of that. It’s emotional, and that’s why those records last. He just happens to be technically beautiful, at the same time, beyond anybody else.” Alison Krauss

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.

Night Flyer: The Singer-Songwriter Collection Track Listing:

1. Never Meant to Be*
2. Urge for Going
3. Me and My Guitar
4. St. James Hospital
5. John Wilkes Booth
6. Four Strong Winds
7. Nightflyer
8. All the Way to Texas
9. About Love*
10. Changes
11. Sweetheart Like You
12. Green Light on the Southern
13. Hard Love
14. Why You Been Gone So Long
15. Wayfaring Stranger
16. Likes of Me
17. Pony*

* Previously unreleased track