The Tradition

Joe Mullins playing a banjo

Joe Mullins

Joe Mullins began to recognize the power of music to bridge traditions and create new communities while listening to his father Paul “Moon” Mullins, a radio broadcaster and accomplished fiddle player from Kentucky. Like so many people, the Mullins family found themselves in the Dayton/Cincinnati, Ohio area as a result of the great Appalachian out-migration…

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Paul Mullins holding an instrument for a portrait

Paul “Moon” Mullins, Legendary Broadcaster

This is an excerpt from Industrial Strength Bluegrass: Southwestern Ohio’s Musical Legacy (edited by Fred Bartenstein and Curtis W. Ellison, © 2021 by the University of Illinois Board of Trustees. Used with permission of the University of Illinois Press.). The book chronicles the important roles Cincinnati, Dayton and surrounding areas played in the development of…

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Portrait of Tony and his guitar

Tony Rice

A brilliant guitarist, vocalist, and creator of life songs who inspired a generation In the summer of 2003, at the second Floydfest, the most anticipated headlining act on the bill was a special reunion of the David Grisman Quintet. Featuring Grisman, Darol Anger, Mike Marshall, Jim Kerwin and Tony Rice, it was the one show…

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The Tony Rice Unit, circa 1985. (left to right) Tony Rice, Mark Schatz, Jimmy Gaudreau, Wyatt Rice pose for a group photo

Tony Rice Interview with Pete Wernick

September 14th, 1985 Editor’s Note:  This article is a transcription of a conversation between Pete Wernick and Tony Rice recorded in 1985—a transitional period in Tony Rice’s career. We thank Pete Wernick for providing us with the transcript and this unique glimpse into Tony Rice’s life at that point in time. PW:  …on the road…

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The David Grisman Quintet performing on stage together in 1979

Tony Rice & The Grisman Years

During a video interview with Bryan Sutton, which was broadcast online shortly after Tony Rice’s passing, Blue Highway guitarist—and Tony Rice biographer—Tim Stafford pointed to three “schools” of Tony Rice’s development as a guitar player. The first occurred during Tony’s early years, when he was greatly influenced by Clarence White. The second was when he…

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Tony and Wyatt Rice playing their guitars on stage

Wyatt & Ronnie Rice Remember Their Brother Tony

or the friends, collaborators and fans of Tony Rice, the unexpected word of his death hit us hard. The response to the announcement on social media, in news print and on the radio was nothing short of astounding as Rice’s music was played relentlessly, and his life story was covered by many outlets. For the…

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