Tony Rice (born David Anthony Rice in Danville, Virginia, on June 8, 1951; … Read Full Bio ↴Tony Rice (born David Anthony Rice in Danville, Virginia, on June 8, 1951; died December 25, 2020 in Reidsville) was an American bluegrass guitarist, singer and songwriter (earlier in his career he was also an excellent bluegrass singer). He was an influential acoustic guitar player in the genres of bluegrass, progressive bluegrass, newgrass and flattop acoustic jazz. He was inducted into the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame in 2013.

As well as his solo recordings and as The Tony Rice Unit, he was a founding member of The David Grisman Quintet (setting the guitar standard for the bluegrass-jazz fusion music often called Dawg after the bearded facial appearance of David Grisman) and The Bluegrass Album Band. He has also recorded as Ricky Skaggs & Tony Rice, Norman Blake & Tony Rice, Tony Rice & David Grisman, Tony Rice & John Carlini, Jerry Garcia, David Grisman & Tony Rice, Peter Rowan & Tony Rice, and John Hartford, Tony Rice & Vassar Clements.

Rice spanned the range of acoustic music, from straight-ahead bluegrass to jazz-influenced new acoustic music, to songwriter-oriented folk. He is remembered as perhaps the greatest innovator in acoustic flatpicked guitar since Clarence White. Over the course of his career, he played alongside J.D. Crowe and the New South, David Grisman (during the formation of “Dawg Music”), led his own groups, collaborated with fellow picker Norman Blake and recorded with his brothers. He recorded with drums, piano, soprano sax, and with straight-ahead bluegrass instrumentation.

Rice was born in Danville, Virginia but grew up in California, where he was introduced to bluegrass by his father. He and his brothers learned a lot from hot L.A. pickers like the Kentucky Colonels, led by Roland and Clarence White. Crossing paths with fellow enthusiasts like Ry Cooder, Herb Pederson and Chris Hillman reinforced the strength of the music he had learned from his father.

In 1970, Rice moved back to Kentucky where he played with the Bluegrass Alliance, and shortly thereafter, J.D. Crowe’s New South. The New South was known as one of the best and most progressive bluegrass groups - even adding drums and electric instruments. But when Ricky Skaggs joined up in 1974, the band recorded J.D. Crowe & the New South, an acoustic album that became Rounder’s top-seller up to that time. With Rice on guitar and vocals, Crowe on banjo and vocals, Jerry Douglas on Dobro, Skaggs on fiddle and mandolin and Bobby Slone on bass, the band’s energy, as well as their instrumental and vocal drive have rarely been matched.

Around this time Rice met mandolinist David Grisman, who played with Red Allen during the ‘60s and was now working on some original material that blended jazz, bluegrass and classical styles. Rice left the New South and moved to California to join Grisman’s all instrumental group. As part of the David Grisman Quintet, Rice expanded his horizons beyond three chord bluegrass, studying chord theory, learning to read charts and expanding the range of his playing.

In 1979, he left the group to pursue his own music. He recorded Acoustics, a guitar-oriented record, and then Manzanita which collected some favorite folk and bluegrass vocals. In 1980, Rice, Crowe, Bobby Hicks, Doyle Lawson and Todd Phillips formed a highly successful coalition, attacking bluegrass standards under the name the Bluegrass Album Band. This group recorded six volumes of music.

Rice’s solo career hit its stride with Cold on the Shoulder, a collection of bluegrass vocals. With this album, Native American and Me & My Guitar, Rice arrived at a formula that incorporated his disparate influences, combining bluegrass, the songwriting of folk artists like Ian Tyson, Joni Mitchell, Phil Ochs and especially Gordon Lightfoot, with nimble, jazz-inflected guitar work. Simultaneously, he pursued his jazz and experimental “spacegrass” with the Tony Rice Unit on Mar West, Still Inside and Backwaters.

Two highly regarded albums with traditional guitar virtuoso Norman Blake gained a great deal of acclaim, as well as two Rice Brother albums that reunited him with his younger brother, Wyatt. Tony Rice remained one of bluegrass’ top instrumentalists and singers, bringing originality and vitality to everything he played.

Official Website: Tony Rice

Pony
Tony Rice Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I've seen it all, boys
I've been all over
Been everywhere in the whole wide world
I rode the high line
With old blind Darby
I danced real slow with Ida Jane

I was full of wonder

When I left Murfreesboro
Now I am full of hollow on Maxwell Street
And I hope my pony
I hope my pony
I hope my pony knows the way back home

I walked from Natchez
To Hushpakina
I built a fire by the side of the road
I worked for nothin'
In a Belzoni saw mill
I caught a blind out on the B&O

Taluah's friendly
Belzoni ain't so
A forty-four'll get you ninety-nine
And I hope my pony
I hope my pony
I hope my pony knows the way back home

I run my race
With burned-face Jake
Gave him a Manzanita cross
And I lived on nothing
But dreams and train smoke
Somehow my watch and chain got lost

I wish I was home
In Evelyn's kitchen
With old Gyp curled around my feet
And I hope my pony
I hope my pony
I hope my pony knows the way back home

Oh I hope my pony

I hope my pony
I hope my pony knows the way back home

Overall Meaning

In Tony Rice's song "Pony", the singer reflects on his experiences traveling and wandering around the world. He claims to have seen everything and been everywhere, from riding the high line with old blind Darby to dancing with Ida Jane. He expresses a sense of wonder when he initially left Murfreesboro, but now feels hollow and empty after so much time on the road. The verses describe the various places he's been to, from Natchez to Belzoni, and the people he's met along the way. The song ends with the singer expressing a strong desire to return home and be with his loved ones, but he hopes his pony can lead him back since he's been gone for so long.

Overall, "Pony" is a classic tale of homesickness and longing for the familiar. The singer has been on the road for so long that he's lost his sense of self and yearns for the people and places he left behind. The metaphor of the pony emphasizes this theme of the journey home, and the singer's hope that he can find his way back after all this time.

Line by Line Meaning

I've seen it all, boys
I have witnessed a lot in my life and traveled extensively.

I've been all over
I have covered a lot of ground and visited numerous places.

Been everywhere in the whole wide world
I have explored all corners of the world.

I rode the high line With old blind Darby I danced real slow with Ida Jane
I have shared some intimate moments with Darby and Ida Jane during my travels.

I was full of wonder When I left Murfreesboro Now I am full of hollow on Maxwell Street And I hope my pony I hope my pony I hope my pony knows the way back home
My journey has left me feeling empty, and I long to return home with my pony by my side.

I walked from Natchez To Hushpakina I built a fire by the side of the road I worked for nothin' In a Belzoni saw mill I caught a blind out on the B&O
I have experienced hardships such as walking for miles, working for nothing, and catching a ride on a train in difficult conditions.

Taluah's friendly Belzoni ain't so A forty-four'll get you ninety-nine And I hope my pony I hope my pony I hope my pony knows the way back home
While some places I visited were kind to me, others were unfriendly and potentially dangerous, and I hope my pony will help me return home safely.

I run my race With burned-face Jake Gave him a Manzanita cross And I lived on nothing But dreams and train smoke Somehow my watch and chain got lost
I have formed relationships and shown kindness to people I met, but I also lost some of my belongings along the way.

I wish I was home In Evelyn's kitchen With old Gyp curled around my feet And I hope my pony I hope my pony I hope my pony knows the way back home
I long for the comfort of my own home and look forward to being reunited with my loyal dog, Gyp, and my trusted pony when I return.

Oh I hope my pony I hope my pony I hope my pony knows the way back home
My deepest desire is for my pony to lead me back home safely.

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: THOMAS ALAN WAITS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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