RIP Tony Rice

Really weird. I was just listening to Pizza Tapes just two days ago. I absolutely love their recording of Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door. Probably my favorite of all time. If it weren’t for too much dialog at times on some of the tracks Pizza Tapes would be on my desert island list (probably still would take it with me :)).

Seen him live twice! This was at Telluride Bluegrass, once with just him and Alison Krauss. Simple awesome. Pizza tapes on vinyl please MOFI!

Another huge loss, and far too young. The recordings with Grisman are dynamite.

I got to see him from the second row about nine years ago.  You could tell that underneath that suit, he was thinner than his cigarette.  A breeze might have blown him off the stage.

But good lord, he could still slay on guitar.  On solos, he'd intersperse phrases that sounded like pretty-standard bluegrass with riffs that would just blow your mind with inventiveness.  An all-time great.

RIP Tony.

Sad to hear the news.  I was blessed to have seen him live a few times from just a few rows back at music festivals here in the South.  At one fest I got to see him roll right by me onto the grounds in his 5 liter Mustang and he gave me a reassuring nod as I waved to him and smiled.  I think he liked fast cars and probably drove in from NC to North FL for that one.

RIP Tony... thanks for all the great music