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
Tipper
Tony Rice Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Te dieron ganas
de destrozarme el corazón aunque te quiero
y a mi me dan ganas de destrozarte el cuello
con las cadenas de oro que otros te regalan
Pero pues no
mi corazón es bueno y ese es mi consuelo
yo te quise dar amor
y preferiste el sabor de un buen buchanan's
te empedaron, me engañaste
pinche alcohólica, inmadura, desgraciada
Lo único que no sabe el bato que te carga
es que esta ciego porque la fila esta larga
tienes más admiradores con carrazos
más chingones que el de el
y que esta apunto de perderte como yo
pues amarte es una muy mala elección
Y así o más claro chiquitita
PURO CALIBRE 50 oiga, aaajay
Pero pues no
no iré a la cárcel por chingar a un pinche perro
mi corazón es bueno y ese es mi consuelo
yo te quise dar amor
y preferiste el sabor de un buen buchanan's
te empedaron, me engañaste
pinche alcohólica, inmadura, desgraciada
Lo único que no sabe el bato que te carga
es que esta ciego porque la fila esta larga
tienes más admiradores con carrazos
más chingones que el de el
y que esta apunto de perderte como yo
pues amarte es una muy mala elección
The lyrics in Tony Rice's song "Tipper" express the frustration, anger, and heartbreak of a man who is betrayed by a woman he loves. He uses a metaphor of chains made of gold, which symbolize the material things that other men gift to her, but the chains will ultimately strangle her. The woman's infidelity leads the singer to feel rage and at times he imagines harming her, but he comes to realize that his heart is good, and he will not do anything that will land him in jail. He finds solace in the fact that there are other men vying for her attention, but ultimately, he knows that loving her has been a bad choice. The final lines suggest that the woman's current suitor may soon lose her, just as the singer has, as her attractiveness is fleeting and others are waiting in line to take her place.
The lyrics of "Tipper" highlight themes of love, betrayal, and revenge. The singer's frustration with the woman is clear, and the use of profanity demonstrates the depth of his anger. However, he also recognizes that his actions have consequences and chooses to take the higher path, refusing to commit violence against her. The use of imagery and metaphors also adds a layer of complexity to the lyrics, giving them more nuance and depth.
Line by Line Meaning
Te la tiene sentenciada
You are doomed
Te dieron ganas de destrozarme el corazón aunque te quiero
You had the desire to break my heart even though I love you
Y a mi me dan ganas de destrozarte el cuello con las cadenas de oro que otros te regalan
I feel like strangling you with the gold chains others have given you
Pero pues no no iré a la cárcel por chingar a un pinche perro mi corazón es bueno y ese es mi consuelo yo te quise dar amor y preferiste el sabor de un buen buchanan's te empedaron me engañaste pinche alcohólica inmadura desgraciada
But I won't go to jail for hurting a worthless dog. My heart is good and that's my comfort. I wanted to give you love but you preferred the taste of a good Buchanan's. You got drunk and cheated on me, you alcoholic, immature and wretched woman.
Lo único que no sabe el bato que te carga es que esta ciego porque la fila esta larga tienes más admiradores con carrazos más chingones que el de el y que esta apunto de perderte como yo pues amarte es una muy mala elección
The only thing the guy who's with you doesn't know is that he's blind because the line is long. You have more admirers with better cars than his and he's about to lose you like me because loving you is a very bad choice.
Y así o más claro chiquitita PURO CALIBRE 50 oiga aaajay
And if that's not clear enough, little girl, PURO CALIBRE 50 listen to it, aaajay.
Contributed by Owen O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@robertjackson9628
7 years later, I repeat, what matters is good music, and my friend Mr. Tony knew all about that. We all loved him, right? I will miss him forever. Robert Jackson....Now 74.
@dragknuckle
Tony Rice has the rare ability to play hot licks with the level of poetry usually only heard in ballads.
@datsunlambchops4624
Excellent metaphor!!
@francoispetit8687
Deep in my French countryside, I am so sad to learn of the death of Tony, so elegant in his playing and his attitude. RIP
@bennyshaversmusic590
Tony Rice at the top of his game.
He would chase the melody through anything.
@guitarice
In my opinion, Tony's the greatest flatpicker of all time. He is considered at or near the top in every category of comparison. Technique, speed, tone, timing, phrasing, influence, and diversity of material. All things considered, I think He's the man.
@guitarice
Cool song and just in case anyone doesn't know it, Tony wrote this tune and it's one of my favorites.
@fuggedaboudit223
There never be another Tony Rice.
@akiwayneukonmaanahoa1590
Hollywoodonrecord had the best comment and it should be brought to the top of the list here again.....HE/SHE said that most people who aren't musicians don't take bluegrass seriously. AMEN
@johntrik
No one can even come close to the taste,speed and accuracy of Tony Rice solos! Classic!!