Wyatt Rice is an American guitarist and bluegrass musician. He is best known for his solo albums and his work in his brother's group the

Tony Rice David Anthony Rice (June 8, 1951 – December 25, 2020) was an American bluegrass guitarist and singer. He was an influential acoustic guitar player in bluegrass, progressive bluegrass, newgrass and acoustic jazz. He was inducted into the In ...

Unit.

Biography

Rice was born in

Long Beach, California Long Beach is a coastal city in southeastern Los Angeles County, California, United States. It is the list of United States cities by population, 44th-most populous city in the United States, with a population of 451,307 as of 2022. A charter ci ...

but grew up in Florida and other locations. He began playing guitar at age six, learning from his father Herb Rice. He also played alto saxophone, bassoon, and bass in his school marching band. At age 17, Rice moved from Florida to California to be a member of his brother

's band, the Tony Rice Unit. In 1990, Rice released his all-instrumental solo album ''New Market Gap'' on the

Rounder Records Rounder Records is an independent record label founded in 1970 in Somerville, Massachusetts, by Marian Leighton Levy, Ken Irwin, and Bill Nowlin. Focused on American roots music, Rounder's catalogue of more than 3000 titles includes records by A ...

label with help from

Rickie Simpkins Rickie Hal Simpkins is an American fiddler and mandolinist in the bluegrass tradition. He is best known for his solo albums and his work with the Lonesome River Band and the Seldom Scene. Biography Early years Simpkins was raised in Christ ...

(fiddle), Sammy Shelor (banjo), Ray Legere (mandolin), and Ron Rice (bass). Rice formed his own band Santa Cruz in 1995 and in 1996, released the album ''Picture in a Tear''. Personnel included Elmer Burchett (banjo), Ricky Riddle (mandolin),

Junior Sisk Harry Carpenter "Junior" Sisk Jr. is an American guitarist and vocalist in the bluegrass tradition, best known for his work with his band Rambler's Choice. He cites the hard-driving bluegrass of the Stanley Brothers as a major influence on his ap ...

(guitar), and Timmy Massey (bass). Rice joined Ronnie Bowman’s band The Committee in 2003 along with Andy Hall (resonator guitar), Jeremy Garrett (fiddle), Jessie Cobb (Mandolin) Mike Anglin (bass) and Garnet Imes Bowman (harmony vocals). In 2013, Rice began touring with fellow flatpicking guitarist Richard Bennett. In 2016, Rice and Dan Menzone released the ''Something Out of the Blue'' album on the Mountain Fever Records as the Wyatt Rice and Dan Menzone Alliance. Other artists involved include

Rob Ickes Rob Ickes (; born 1967) is an American dobro (resonator guitar) player in San Francisco, California. Ickes moved to Nashville in 1992 and joined the contemporary bluegrass band Blue Highway as a founding member in 1994. He currently collaborate ...

(dobro), Fred Carpenter (fiddle),

Adam Steffey Adam Carter Steffey (born November 24, 1965) is an American mandolin player, best known for playing in the bluegrass and old-time styles. He spent time as a member of bands such as Alison Krauss & Union Station, Mountain Heart, Lonesome Riv ...

(mandolin), and Ron Rice (bass). Donna Hughes wrote the lead-off song, "Lonesome Highway" which was sung by Russell Moore and

Dale Ann Bradley Dale Ann Bradley is an American bluegrass musician. She is a six-time (2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, and 2021) Female Bluegrass Vocalist of the Year, a distinction given by the International Bluegrass Music Association. She has released music bo ...

. Wyatt recorded the music instruction DVD “Advanced Bluegrass Rhythm Guitar” for Flatpicking Guitar Magazine, with

Kenny Smith Kenneth Smith (born March 8, 1965) is an American sports commentator and former professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed "the Jet", he played in the NBA from 1987 to 1997 as a member of the Sacramen ...

, Sammy Shelor, and Tony Rice. Rice also operates Rice Recording Studio, and currently serves as an adjunct faculty member at East Tennessee State University, teaching Guitar. Rice is also a member of the Crooked Road Guitar Masters, along with Claiborne Woodall, Josh Pickett, and Sammy Shelor.

Discography

Solo albums

* 1990: ''New Market Gap'' ( Rounder) * 1996: ''Picture in a Tear'' (Rounder) with Santa Cruz

With
Tony Rice David Anthony Rice (June 8, 1951 – December 25, 2020) was an American bluegrass guitarist and singer. He was an influential acoustic guitar player in bluegrass, progressive bluegrass, newgrass and acoustic jazz. He was inducted into the In ...

* 1982: '' Backwaters'' (Rounder) * 1983: ''

Church Street Blues ''Church Street Blues'' is an album by American guitarist Tony Rice, released in 1983. Allmusic entry for ''Church Street Blues''Retrieved September 2009. It is a folk oriented album, featuring only Tony Rice on guitar and vocals, except for fou ...

'' ( Sugar Hill) * 1986: '' Me & My Guitar'' (Rounder) * 1991: '' Native American'' (Rounder) * 1996: '' Tony Rice Sings Gordon Lightfoot'' (Rounder) * 2000: '' Unit of Measure (album)'' (Rounder) * 2003: '' Tony Rice Guitar Method - Instructional Video'' (Homespun) * 2014: '' Tony Rice: The Video Collection'' DVD'' (Rounder)

Larry and Wyatt Rice

* 1994: ''Larry and Wyatt Rice'' ( Pinecastle)

The Rice Brothers

* 1989: '' The Rice Brothers'' (Rounder) * 1994: '' The Rice Brothers 2'' (Rounder)

Wyatt Rice and Rickie Simpkins

* 2001: ''New Acoustic Christmas'' (FGM) * 2005: ''Pickin’ on Martina McBride'' ( CMH) * 2005: ''Pickin’ on Vince Gill'' (CMH) * 2006: ''Pickin’ on Van Zant'' (CMH)

Wyatt Rice,
David Grier David Grier is an American Steel-string guitar, acoustic guitarist. A three-time International Bluegrass Music Association, IBMA guitarist of the year, Grier has been lauded as highly influential and a master Flatpicking, flatpicker by music pub ...
, and
Kenny Smith Kenneth Smith (born March 8, 1965) is an American sports commentator and former professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed "the Jet", he played in the NBA from 1987 to 1997 as a member of the Sacramen ...

* 2002: ''Live in Concert'' DVD (Flatpicking Guitar Magazine)

The Dan Menzone and Wyatt Rice Alliance

* 2016: ''Something Out of the Blue'' ( Mountain Fever)

Also appears on

* 1986:

Larry Rice Larry Rice (24 March 1946 – 20 May 2009) was an American auto racing, racing driver in the United States Automobile Club, USAC and Champ Car, CART Championship Car series. He was the 1973 USAC National midget driver's champion and won the USAC S ...

- ''Hurricanes and Daydreams'' (

Rebel A rebel is a participant in a rebellion. Rebel or rebels may also refer to: People * Rebel (given name) * Rebel (surname) * Patriot (American Revolution), during the American Revolution * American Southerners, as a form of self-identification; ...

) * 1989:

Bill Emerson Norvell William Emerson (January 1, 1938 – June 22, 1996) was an American politician. He served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Missouri from 1981 until his death from lung cancer in Bethesda, Maryland in 19 ...

and Pete Goble - ''Dixie in My Eye'' ( Webco) * 1990: Larry Rice - ''Artesia'' (Rebel) * 1990: ''Once Again From the Top Volumes One and Two'' (Hay Holler Records) * 1991: Bill Emerson - ''Reunion'' ( Pinecastle) * 1991:

David Grier David Grier is an American Steel-string guitar, acoustic guitarist. A three-time International Bluegrass Music Association, IBMA guitarist of the year, Grier has been lauded as highly influential and a master Flatpicking, flatpicker by music pub ...

- ''Freewheeling'' (Rounder) * 1994: Emerson and Taylor - ''Appaloosa'' (Pinecastle) * 1996: Bill Emerson - ''Banjo Man'' (Pinecastle) * 1997:

- ''Dancing on the Fingerboard'' (Pinecastle) * 2002: Rickie Simpkins - ''Don't Fret It'' ( Doobie Shea) * 2004:

Melonie Cannon Melonie Cannon is an American singer, blending country and bluegrass on her solo albums and session work. Willie Nelson said, "Melonie Cannon is one of the best singers I know." Biography Early years Cannon was born in Jackson, Tennessee, but he ...

- ''Melonie Cannon'' (Skaggs Family) * 2005: Ronnie Bowman - ''It's Gettin' Better All the Time'' (

Koch Koch may refer to: People * Koch (surname), people with this surname * Koch dynasty, a dynasty in Assam and Bengal, north east India * Koch family * Koch people (or Koche), an ethnic group originally from the ancient Koch kingdom in north east In ...

) * 2005:

- ''Clouds Over Carolina'' (Rebel) * 2006:

Jimmy Gaudreau James Arnott “Jimmy” Gaudreau is a singer and mandolinist playing traditional and progressive bluegrass music. He is best known for his solo albums, and his work with The Country Gentlemen, Tony Rice, and J. D. Crowe. Biography Early life I ...

- ''In Good Company'' ( CMH) * 2007: Donna Hughes - ''Gaining Wisdom'' (Rounder) * 2007:

Steep Canyon Rangers Steep Canyon Rangers is an American bluegrass band based in Asheville and Brevard, North Carolina. Originally formed in 2000, the band has become widely known since 2009 for collaborating with actor/banjoist Steve Martin. SCR performed as a ...

- ''Lovin' Pretty Women'' (Rebel) * 2008: Melonie Cannon - ''And the Wheel Turns'' ( Rural Rhythm) * 2008: Tim Hensley - ''Long Monday'' (Rural Rhythm) * 2008:

- ''Blue Side of the Blue Ridge'' (Rebel) * 2012: Alan Bibey and

Wayne Benson John Wayne Benson is an American mandolinist and songwriter in the bluegrass tradition. He is best known for his unique approach to the mandolin, and his long-term involvement with Russell Moore and IIIrd Tyme Out. History Early years Benson wa ...

- ''The Mandolin Chronicles'' (Pinecastle) * 2017: Mike Bentley - ''All I've Got'' (Union House)

Music Instruction

* 2000: ''Advanced Bluegrass Rhythm Guitar'' DVD (Flatpicking Guitar Magazine)

Awards

* IBMA Instrumental Group of the Year – The Tony Rice Unit – 1991, 1995 * IBMA Recorded Event of the Year award for "What'll I Do" - Terry Baucom - 2013.

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Rice, Wyatt 1965 births Living people People from Long Beach, California American acoustic guitarists American male guitarists American bluegrass guitarists American male singers Rebel Records artists Rounder Records artists Country musicians from California Songwriters from California Guitarists from Los Angeles 20th-century American guitarists 20th-century American male musicians American male songwriters