Tony Rice nominated IBMA for Guitarist of the Year
Category: IBMA Nominees
By Dan Tackett
September 16, 2008
Tony Rice plays Shenandoah in Bluegrass Documentary “Bluegrass Journey.”
It’s been ages since Tony Rice was strictly bluegrass, but that hasn’t stopped his peers from making him a finalist nominee for the International Bluegrass Music Association’s Guitar Player of the Year.
He first gained prominence in the all-star 1970s version of J.D. Crowe & the New South, a band that also include future stars Jerry Douglas, Ricky Skaggs and Bobby Slone. He left the band to move back to California, where he grew up, at the invitation of mandolin wiz David Grisman. There, he expanded his musical wings to include jazz, blues, swing and pop influences to his playing.
During his career, Rice has recorded several critically acclaimed CDs, ranging from straight-ahead bluegrass to folk material to a fusion of styles.
Rounder Records recently released a New Tony Rice compilation, Night Flyer: The Singer-Songwriter Collection. It’s definitely a career path-winder with some of the most popular cuts off his many CDs, but it also includes some new, previously unreleased works.
Website: http://www.tonyrice.com/
Selected Discography
| 1975 | California Autumn | Rebel |
| 1977 | Tony Rice | Rounder |
| 1979 | Acoustics | Rounder |
| 1979 | Manzanita | Rounder |
| 1979 | Guitar | Rebel |
| 1980 | Mar West | Rounder |
| 1981 | Bluegrass Album | Rounder |
| 1981 | Still Inside | Rounder |
| 1982 | Backwaters | Rounder |
| 1982 | Bluegrass Album, Vol. 2 | Rounder |
| 1983 | Bluegrass Album, Vol. 3: California Connection | Rounder |
| 1983 | Church Street Blues | Sugar Hill |
| 1984 | Bluegrass Album, Vol. 4 | Rounder |
| 1984 | Cold on the Shoulder | Rounder |
| 1986 | Me & My Guitar | Rounder |
| 1988 | Native American | Rounder |
| 1989 | Bluegrass Album, Vol. 5: Sweet Sunny South | Rounder |
| 1993 | Plays and Sings Bluegrass | Rounder |
| 1994 | Crossings | Mountain Home |
| 1995 | River Suite for Two Guitars | Sugar Hill |
| 1996 | Sings Gordon Lightfoot | Rounder |
| 2000 | Unit of Measure | Rounder |
| 2001 | Runnin’ Wild | Rounder |
| 2002 | Acoustic Swing | Vivid Sound |
Selected Recording Credits:
| Year | Recording | Artist | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 | Bluegrass Evolution | J.D. Crowe | Guitar, Vocals, Tenor (Vocal) |
| 1975 | California Autumn | Tony Rice | Guitar, Vocals |
| 1975 | J.D. Crowe & The New South | J.D. Crowe & the New South | Guitar, Vocals |
| 1976 | Something Auld, Something Newgrass, Something Borrowe | Bill Keith | Guitar |
| 1977 | David Grisman Quintet | The David Grisman Quintet | Guitar, Vocals |
| 1977 | Tony Rice | Tony Rice | Guitar, Vocals, Producer, Mixing |
| 1978 | Hot Dawg | David Grisman | Guitar, Violin, Vocals |
| 1978 | Markology | Mark O’Connor | Guitar, Guitar (Rhythm), Mixing |
| 1978 | My Home Ain’t in the Hall of Fame | J.D. Crowe & the New South | Guitar, Vocals |
| 1979 | Acoustics | Tony Rice | Guitar, Vocals |
| 1979 | Manzanita | Tony Rice Unit | Guitar, Arranger, Vocals, Producer, Performer |
| 1979 | More Pretty Girls Than One | Buck White & Down Home Folks | Guitar |
| 1979 | Sweet Temptation | Ricky Skaggs | Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar, Vocals |
| 197 | Guitar | Tony Rice | Bass, Guitar, Vocals, Producer |
| 1980 | Mar West | Tony Rice Unit | Guitar, Performer |
| 1980 | Roses in the Snow | Emmylou Harris | Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar, Vocals, Harmony Vocals |
| 1980 | Skaggs & Rice | Ricky Skaggs/Tony Rice | Guitar, Arranger, Vocals, Performer |
| 1981 | Bluegrass Album, Vol. 1 | The Bluegrass Album Band | Guitar, Vocals |
| 1981 | Bluegrass Album | Tony Rice | Guitar, Vocals |
| 1981 | Close to You | Kate Wolf | Harmony Vocals |
| 1981 | Evangeline | Emmylou Harris | Guitar, Vocals |
| 1981 | Mondo Mando | David Grisman | Guitar, Vocals |
| 1981 | Still Inside | Tony Rice Unit | Performer |
| 1982 | Backwaters | Tony Rice Unit | Guitar, Guitar (Rhythm), Producer, Performer, Mixing |
| 1982 | Bluegrass Album, Vol. 2 | The Bluegrass Album Band | Guitar, Vocals |
| 1982 | Bluegrass Album, Vol. 2 | Tony Rice | Guitar, Vocals |
| 1982 | Dawg Jazz/Dawg Grass | David Grisman | Guitar, Vocals |
| 1983 | Bluegrass Album, Vol. 3: California Connection | The Bluegrass Album Band | Guitar, Vocals, Producer |
| 1983 | Bluegrass Album, Vol. 3: California Connection | Tony Rice | Guitar, Vocals |
| 1983 | Church Street Blues | Tony Rice | Guitar, Vocals, Producer, Remixing |
| 1983 | Robot Plane Flies Over Arkansas | Tony Trischka | Guitar |
| 1984 | Bluegrass Album, Vol. 4 | Tony Rice | Guitar, Vocals, Producer, Liner Notes |
| 1984 | Cold on the Shoulder | Tony Rice | Guitar, Vocals |
| 1984 | Double Time | Béla Fleck | Guitar, Producer |
| 1985 | New Acoustic Music | Various Artists | Guitar, Guitar (Rhythm), Performer |
| 1986 | Me & My Guitar | Tony Rice | Guitar, Vocals |
| 1987 | Blake & Rice | Norman Blake With Tony Rice | Guitar, Vocals, Producer, Performer |
| 1987 | Devlin | Tony Rice | Performer |
| 1987 | Everything Is Gonna Work out Fine | Jerry Douglas | Guitar |
| 1987 | Gator Strut | Mike Marshall | Guitar |
| 1987 | Rounder Bluegrass, Vol. 1 | Various Artists | Guitar |
| 1988 | 15th Anniversary Celebration | The Seldom Scene | Guitar, Vocals |
| 1988 | Drive | Béla Fleck | Guitar |
| 1988 | Dust on the Needle | Tony Trischka | Guitar |
| 1988 | Home Is Where the Heart Is | David Grisman | Guitar, Vocals |
| 1988 | Native American | Tony Rice | Guitar, Vocals, Producer |
| 1988 | Rounder Bluegrass, Vol. 2 | Various Artists | Guitar, Vocals, Performer |
| 1988 | Rounder Guitar: Acoustic Guitar | Various Artists | Guitar (Rhythm), Performer |
| 1989 | Bluegrass Album, Vol. 5: Sweet Sunny South | The Bluegrass Album Band | Guitar, Vocals, Producer |
| 1989 | Bluegrass Album, Vol. 5: Sweet Sunny South | Tony Rice | Guitar, Vocals |
| 1989 | Rice Brothers | The Rice Brothers | Guitar, Vocals, Producer |
| 1989 | Treasures Untold | Mike Auldridge | Guitar, Vocals |
| 1990 | Artesia | Larry Rice | Guitar |
| 1990 | Bluegrass Album | Various Artists | Guitar, Vocals |
| 1990 | Bluegrass Class of 1990 | Various Artists | Guitar, Vocals, Producer, Performer |
| 1990 | Bluegrass Suspects | Various Artists | Guitar, Vocals, Harmony Vocals |
| 1990 | Gold Plated Banjo | Bill Emerson | Guitar |
| 1990 | Home of the Red Fox | Bill Emerson | Guitar |
| 1990 | Long Time Gone [Bonus Tracks] | John Starling | Guitar, Vocals, Harmony Vocals |
| 1990 | Norman Blake and Tony Rice 2 | Norman Blake/Tony Rice | Guitar, Vocals, Producer, Performer, Art Direction |
| 1990 | Retrospective | Mark O’Connor | Guitar (Rhythm) |
| 1991 | Guitar Player Presents: Legends of Guitar: Country, V | Various Artists | Guitar, Vocals, Performer |
| 1991 | Music Among Friends | Jim & Jesse | Guitar, Vocals |
| 1991 | Reunion | Bill Emerson | Guitar, Vocals |
| 1991 | When It Rains | Lou Reid | Guitar, Guitar (Rhythm) |
| 1992 | Twilight Motel | Alison Brown | Guitar |
| 1993 | David Grisman Rounder Compact Disc | David Grisman | Guitar, Vocals, Baritone (Vocal) |
| 1993 | Plays and Sings Bluegrass | Tony Rice | Guitar, Vocals |
| 1993 | String Wizards II | John McEuen | Guitar |
| 1994 | Appaloosa | Emerson & Taylor | Guitar |
| 1994 | Carry Me | The Isaacs | Guitar, Producer |
| 1994 | Clawgrass | Mark Johnson & Clawgrass | Guitar, Vocals |
| 1994 | Cold Virginia Night | Ronnie Bowman | Guitar (Rhythm) |
| 1994 | Crossings | Tony Rice | Guitar, Arranger, Guitar (Rhythm), Vocals, Mixing |
| 1994 | Jammed If I Do | Dan Crary | Performer |
| 1994 | Rice Brothers, Vol. 2 | Rice Brothers | Guitar, Vocals |
| 1994 | Roundup Records CD Sampler, Summer 1994 | Various Artists | Guitar, Vocals |
| 1994 | Tales From the Acoustic Planet | Béla Fleck | Guitar |
| 1994 | Tone Poems | David Grisman | Guitar, Arranger, Performer, Author, Adaptation |
| 1995 | Gospel Gathering | Ralph Stanley/Joe Isaacs | Guitar |
| 1995 | Moonlighter | Claire Lynch | Liner Notes |
| 1995 | Pullin’ Time | Steve Huber | Guitar |
| 1995 | River Suite for Two Guitars | Tony Rice & John Carlini | Producer, Photography, Cover Photo |
| 1995 | Unlimited | Karen Peck & New River | Guitar (Acoustic), Arranger, Producer |
| 1996 | 25 Years of Strictly Country | Various Artists | Guitar |
| 1996 | Banjo Man | Bill Emerson | Guitar, Guitar (Rhythm) |
| 1996 | Catfish for Supper | Jon Sholle | Guitar, Vocals |
| 1996 | DGQ-20 | David Grisman Quintet | Guitar, Mandolin, Vocals |
| 1996 | Notions and Novelties | Larry Rice | Guitar |
| 1996 | Portraits | Emmylou Harris | Guitar (Acoustic), Vocals (bckgr) |
| 1996 | Sings Gordon Lightfoot | Tony Rice | Guitar, Vocals, Producer, Harmony Vocals |
| 1996 | Songs of Bill Monroe | The Bluegrass Album Band | Guitar, Vocals, Producer |
| 1996 | Songs of Flatt & Scruggs | Songs Of Flatt & Scruggs | Guitar, Vocals, Producer |
| 1996 | Strings & Wings | Radim Zenkl | Guitar, Performer |
| 1996 | Tony Rice Sings Gordon Lightfoot | Tony Rice | Guitar, Vocals, Producer |
| 1996 | Wooden Offerings | David Johnson | Liner Notes |
| 1997 | Bridging the Gap | Mark Johnson & Clawgrass | Guitar |
| 1997 | Dancing on the Fingerboard | Rickie Simpkins | Guitar, Liner Notes |
| 1997 | Leading Roll | Sammy Shelor | Guitar |
| 1997 | Makin’ a Difference | Karen Peck & New River | Guitar (Acoustic), Producer |
| 1997 | Out of the Woodwork | Tony Rice/Larry Rice/Chris Hillman/Herb | Guitar, Producer |
| 1997 | Walking Down the Line | Richard Bennett | Solo Instrumental, Guitar |
| 1998 | Living a Dream | Mark Newton | Guitar |
| 1998 | Man I’m Tryin to Be | Ronnie Bowman | Guitar |
| 1998 | Porquois Quebec | Tony Mcmanus | |
| 1999 | Bluegrass Sessions: Tales from the Acoustic Planet, V | Béla Fleck | Guitar, Photography |
| 1999 | Looking out the Fishbowl | Eddie from Ohio | Guitar (Acoustic) |
| 1999 | Rice, Rice, Hillman & Pedersen | Rice, Rice, Hillman & Pedersen | Guitar |
| 1999 | Southern Gospel | Karen Peck & New River | Guitar (Acoustic), Producer |
| 2000 | Carry Me Across the Mountain | Dan Tyminski | Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar, Guitar (Rhythm) |
| 2000 | Fair Weather | Alison Brown | Guitar |
| 2000 | Follow Me Back to the Fold | Mark Newton | Guitar |
| 2000 | Pizza Tapes | Jerry Garcia/David Grisman/Tony Rice | Guitar |
| 2000 | Unit of Measure | Tony Rice Unit | Guitar, Producer, Engineer, Song Notes |
| 2000 | Weaver of Visions: The Kate Wolf Antholgy | Kate Wolf | Harmony Vocals |
| 2001 | Anthology: The Warner/Reprise Years | Emmylou Harris | Guitar (Acoustic) |
| 2001 | Bluegrass Sessions: Tales from the Acoustic Planet, V | Bela Fleck | Guitar, Photography |
| 2001 | Running Wild | Rice, Rice, Hillman & Pedersen | Guitar |
| 2002 | Best of the Vanguard Years | Alison Brown | Guitar |
| 2002 | Bright | Billy & Bryn | Guitar |
| 2002 | Christmas Spirit | The Isaacs | Guitar (Acoustic), Producer |
| 2002 | Don’t Fret It | Rickie Simpkins | Guitar, Guitar (Rhythm) |
| 2002 | High Lonesome Cowboy | Peter Rowan and Don Edwards | Guitar |
| 2002 | Hummingbirds | Jim Lauderdale | Guitar (Acoustic) |
| 2002 | Lonesome Moonlight: Songs of Bill Monroe | The Bluegrass Album Band | Guitar, Vocals |
| 2002 | Old Ties | Norman Blake | Guitar, Vocals, Producer |
| 2002 | Roses in the Snow [Expanded] | Emmylou Harris | Guitar (Acoustic), Harmony Vocals |
| 2002 | Starting Over | Ronnie Bowman | Guitar |
| 2002 | Will the Circle Be Unbroken, Vol. 3 | The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band | Guitar |
| 2003 | Bluegrass Fiddle Album | Aubrey Haynie | Guitar |
| 2003 | Will the Circle Be Unbroken: The Trilogy | The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band | Guitar, Guest Appearance |
| 2004 | American River | Jonathan Elias | Guitar (Acoustic) |
| 2004 | Dirt on the Strings: The Instrumental Collection | The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band | Guitar |
| 2004 | You Were There for Me | Peter Rowan/Tony Rice | Guitar, Guitar (Rhythm), Producer |
| 2005 | Clouds Over Carolina | Larry Rice | Guitar, Guitar (Rhythm), Producer, Photography |
| 2005 | Crossings [2005] | Tony Rice | Guitar, Arranger, Guitar (Rhythm) |
| 2005 | Drive [Bonus Track] | Bela Fleck | Guitar |
| 2005 | Game’s Afoot! | John Carlini | Liner Notes |
| 2005 | Those Were the Days | Dolly Parton | Guitar (Acoustic), Guest Appearance |
| 2005 | Very Best of Emmylou Harris: Heartaches & Highways | Emmylou Harris | Guitar (Acoustic) |
| 2006 | Black Mountain Rag | Doc Watson/Merle Watson | Guitar, Producer |
| 2006 | Blockbuster Bluegrass | Various Artists | Guitar |
| 2006 | Celebration of Life: Musicians Against Childhood Canc | Various Artists | Guitar |
| 2006 | In Good Company | Jimmy Gaudreau | Guitar, Vocals |
| 2006 | Quartet | Peter Rowan/Tony Rice | Guitar, Arranger, Producer |
| 2007 | Bill Emerson and the Sweet Dixie Band | Bill Emerson and the Sweet Dixie Band | Guitar |
| 2007 | Double Banjo Bluegrass Spectacular | Tony Trischka | Guitar |
| 2007 | Gaining Wisdom | Donna Hughes | Guitar, Producer, Liner Notes, Author |
| 2007 | Hundred Miles or More: A Collection | Alison Krauss | Guitar |
| 2007 | Marching Home | Balsam Range | Guitar |
| 2007 | Songbird: Rare Tracks & Forgotten Gems | Emmylou Harris | Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar, Harmony Vocals |
| 2008 | Americana Master Series: The Best of Ricky Skaggs | Ricky Skaggs | Guitar, Arranger, Vocals, Producer |
| 2008 | Glide | Jerry Douglas | Guitar |
| 2008 | Secrets | Sierra Hull | Guitar |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Organization | Award | Presented To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | IBMA | Guitar Player of the Year | Tony Rice |
| 1997 | IBMA | Guitar Player of the Year | Tony Rice |
| 1997 | IBMA | Instrumental Album of the Year | Bluegrass Instrumentals, Volume 6(Rounder) (Bluegrass Album Band) |
| 1996 | IBMA | Guitar Player of the Year | Tony Rice |
| 1995 | IBMA | Instrumental Group of the Year | Tony Rice Unit |
| 1994 | IBMA | Guitar Player of the Year | Tony Rice |
| 1991 | IBMA | Guitar Player of the Year | Tony Rice |
| 1991 | IBMA | Instrumental Group of the Year | Tony Rice Unit |
| 1990 | IBMA | Instrumental Group of the Year | Bluegrass Album Band |
| 1990 | IBMA | Guitar Player of the Year | Tony Rice |
| 1983 | Grammy | “Best Country Instrumental Performance” - Fireball | The New South |
Read about all the 2008 IBMA Guitar Player of the Year Nominees
Who’s going to win the 2008 IBMA Guitar Player of the Year? Vote for your Favorite below!
IBMA 2008 Guitar Player of the Year
[...] Tony Rice [...]