Larry Rice
Singer, songwriter and mandolinist Larry Rice is about the closest thing we might call an “underground Bluegrass legend”. Though many will know him as Tony Rice’s brother and a member of J. D. Crowe’s great early band of the early 1970s (with Doyle Lawson), Larry has remained in relative obscurity in Florida, since he gave up touring years ago. But, as this new record will show, he is a force to be reckoned with, as a powerful singer with an instantly recognizable voice and an equally distinctive song-writing style. He has a first-class album here, with fine material and stellar backup work from brothers Tony & Wyatt, Rickie & Ronnie Simpkins, ace banjo picker Sammy Shelor, Jeff Parker and Frank Poindexter (Larry’s uncle) on dobro. There are fine straight traditional versions of We Live In Two Different Worlds, Freight Train, Little Maggie and Not A Drop In The Bucket. But his own songs (If You Only Knew, Don’t Be Careful What You Wish For and the title song) are as good or better, and two other songs stand out as will: Tony Rice’s Never Meant To Be and the lovely Arthur Hancock song Sunday Silence. The great guitar work of Tony is enough to recommend this album, but Larry shines on this, probably his best record ever
Singer, songwriter and mandolinist Larry Rice is about the closest thing we might call an “underground Bluegrass legend”. Though many will know him as Tony Rice’s brother and a member of J. D. Crowe’s great early band of the early 1970s (with Doyle Lawson), Larry has remained in relative obscurity in Florida, since he gave up touring years ago. But, as this new record will show, he is a force to be reckoned with, as a powerful singer with an instantly recognizable voice and an equally distinctive song-writing style. He has a first-class album here, with fine material and stellar backup work from brothers Tony & Wyatt, Rickie & Ronnie Simpkins, ace banjo picker Sammy Shelor, Jeff Parker and Frank Poindexter (Larry’s uncle) on dobro. There are fine straight traditional versions of We Live In Two Different Worlds, Freight Train, Little Maggie and Not A Drop In The Bucket. But his own songs (If You Only Knew, Don’t Be Careful What You Wish For and the title song) are as good or better, and two other songs stand out as will: Tony Rice’s Never Meant To Be and the lovely Arthur Hancock song Sunday Silence. The great guitar work of Tony is enough to recommend this album, but Larry shines on this, probably his best record ever