Bluegrass singer/guitarist Tony Rice has been recording songs written by Gordon Lightfoot throughout his career, and this 17-track compilation gathers them together, adding a previously unreleased version of "Whispers of the North" that was cut for Rice's Me and My Guitar album. Included are tracks Rice recorded as part of J.D. Crowe & the New South, the Tony Rice Unit, the Rice Brothers, in a duo with Norman Blake, and as a solo artist. That means that on the various tracks he's joined by a newgrass who's who that includes Jerry Douglas, Ricky Skaggs, Sam Bush, Vassar Clements, and Bela Fleck, among others. The selections include "Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" and "Early Morning Rain," but for the most part Rice eschewed Lightfoot's better known compositions, and the collection serves to illustrate the overall quality of the songwriter's catalog. Rice did not just use the songs as platforms for picking sessions, either. His singing clearly influenced by Lightfoot's, he brought a strong interpretive ability to the lyrics. Of course, the picking is pretty hot, too. ~ William Ruhlmann
Includes liner notes by Scott Alarik.
Personnel: Tony Rice (vocals, guitar); Larry Rice , Norman Blake (vocals, guitar, mandolin); Bill Emerson (vocals, banjo); Jimmy Gaudreau (vocals, mandolin); Mark Schatz (vocals, acoustic bass); Kate Wolf, Kathy Chiavola (vocals); Ricky Skaggs (tenor, mandolin, fiddle, viola, trombone); J.D. Crowe (baritone, guitar, banjo); Sam Bush (baritone, mandolin, violin); Wyatt Rice (guitar); Frank Poindexter, Jerry Douglas (dobro); Béla Fleck (banjo); Bobby Hicks (violin); Ricky Simkins, Rickie Simpkins (fiddle, viola); Vassar Clements (fiddle); Cole Burgess (soprano saxophone); Bill Wolf (piano); Ron Rice (acoustic bass).
Liner Note Author: Scott Alarik.
Editor: Bill Wolf.
Photographer: Tim Talley.
Personnel includes: Tony Rice (vocals, guitar); Larry Rice (vocals, guitar, mandolin); Ricky Skaggs (vocals, mandolin); Sam Bush (vocals, violin); Sam Bush (mandolin); Jerry Douglas (dobro); Todd Phillips (bass).
(*) MP3 for this song is from a different CD. Listen to the sound sample to be sure this is the version you're looking for.
Tony Rice Sings Gordon Lightfoot Music Review
Customer Tony Rice Sings Gordon Lightfoot Reviews
Average Rating: (5 out of 5 stars)
Smooth Precision Tony Rice is a real find. His voice is gentle and his guitar technique is flawless. I didn't even know who he was. I love these Gordon Lightfoot songs and bought the CD on a lark.NOw I am looking for other Tony Rice CD's.
If you like folk music, if you like a little bluegrass, and you like the roots of America, great guitar picking and pretty harmony and Gordon Lightfoot songs, you'll like this a lot. Submitted by a reviewer (Atlanta, GA) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo 1 of 1 found this helpful.
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