Customer Reviews

Native American

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This is one of the most varied, atmospheric, and melodic CDs you'll ever come across. Rice is unbelievable on the guitar, as usual, and if you're a guitarist, you'll be shaking your head in disbelief (How do you play THAT on an accoustic guitar?!) Also, the supporting players, to include Jerry Douglas on the dobro, are outstanding. It's the songs, however, that carry this disc. Though none are penned by Tony, he has a way of arranging that makes a great song even better. He has a tendency to "jazz up" a song by substituting add 9 chords and major & minor seventh chords on some of the slower songs, making them absolutely gorgeous (check out Shadows, Go My Way, and Urge for Going). The highlights here are definately the two Gordon Lightfoot songs, Shadows & Go My Way; the Joni Mitchell one, Urge For Going; and the new and excellent John Wilkes Booth, written by Mary Chapin-Carpenter. However, there honestly is not a weak song on the disc if you like folk, bluegrass, or country (although it'd be tough to catagorize this--but who needs to anyway?). I own all of Tony's stuff, and the only album I like better is his "...sings Gordon Lightfoot" disc, because Lightfoot is one of my favorite songwriters. Any serious music lover should own this disc by a man who is truly one of the best guitarists to ever live.

Not much can really be added to all of these glowing reviews, but I'm compelled to add my two cents' worth. Compelled, I say, because ... well ... I LOVE Tony's music. And this is simply an incredible collection of covers, executed with a style and nuance that only Tony can seem to bring to dusty ol' standards and popular tracks as well. I am sure that this album figures prominently in the collection of bluegrass fans all around the world. I have filed it in the "definitive" section my CD rack. An absolute favorite. I wish Tony could still sing it like he did on this one. ("John Wilkes Booth" is an exceptional piece of music.) Some of these cuts will break your heart.

WARNING: This is one of those albums you don't really want to spring on your friends too quickly if you're trying to initiate them into bluegrass. It might cause paralysis. Or, barring that, you might spoil 'em too badly for some of the other great stuff out there. Nothing worse than a jaded neophyte. Make 'em work up to it!

I have been a Tony Rice fan since as long as I can remember...and his music just gets better and better. His album "Manzanita" sustained me during a period of time while I was plying the fiddle trade with a Bay Area bluegrass band back in the late 1970's--I thought his work had reached perfection, but I was wrong.

As good as his guitar work is, Jerry Douglas almost carries the album instrumentally as well as Tony. But the real kicker--"John Wilkes Boothe" written by Mary Chapin-Carpenter...how do you get a zippy song about the assassination of President Lincoln out of your mind? "In the name of God and Dixie, in the name of God and Dixieland...." this could be one of the best songs penned by Ms. Chapin-Carpenter...just one man's opinion.

I disagree with the critic who fears this would turn neophytes away from bluegrass. I've used it to great effect even with punk-rockers....way to go Tony.

Essential to any acoustic music collection.

Listeners that know Tony Rice solely through his exploits as one of the pre-eminent bluegrass guitarists of our time may be a little surprised the first time they cue up Native American. On this album Tony is joined by a number of musicians well known for their contributions to bluegrass: Vasser Clements, Jerry Douglas, Mark Schatz, Jimmy Gaudreau, and his brother Wyatt. The difference is that in addition to the traditional string band lineup there are drums, electric guitar, and keyboards. The song selection reflects Tony's eclectic taste in music spanning the range from Gordon Lightfoot to John Mayall and the sound is darker and definitely more folksy than albums such as "Manzanita" or "Cold on the Shoulder". Tony's guitar is a tasteful accompaniment to his soulful vocals throughout the album driving each selection along with his solid rhythm and punctuating each song with tasteful bass runs, licks, and lead breaks. "Native American" is a good example of at least one other facet of Tony's musical personality and a good addition to anyone's collection.

This is my personal favorite of the ~20 Tony Rice CDs I know and love. There is not a weak track on this disc, period, and the high points are as good as folk/blues/bluegrass can get. We were fortunate to be able to see three different live shows about the time this disc was released and I believe Tony hit a live performance peak at this time also.

One of the highpoints of this disc is an outstanding cover of James Taylor's "Nothing Like a Hundred Miles". Tony now owns this tune. Sorry James, I love your stuff but how can you ever sing it again and call it your own after this masterpiece recording? Likewise, Mickey Newbury's "Why You Been Gone So Long" is so right on, how can it get any better? The playing and singing are so natural and unforced, it really is remarkable. In the past, Tony has been able to find this space on maybe half of an album, give or take, but on Native American, the band is in the groove from front to back. Great stuff.

If you're a fan of Tony because of his scorching bluegrass guitar work then you may also want to pick this cd up to see another side of Tony.

While none of this music is bluegrass, Tony has chosen songs that sound wonderful with his voice and playing. ST. JAMES HOSPITAL is sort of a dark and moody song that Tony works to perfection. This is one of my all-time favorite songs.

NOTHIN' LIKE A HUNDRED MILES is sort of a "love in distress" song but it doesn't resort to baby oh baby cliches and sappy sweetness. I don't usually like songs about "love gone bad" but this is a great one, one of the best tunes on this full-of-great-tunes cd.

There are lyrics I like throughout this cd but the lyrics for JOHN WILKES BOOTH are fantastic. The song flows so well and yet the lyrics perfectly tell the story of Lincoln and Booth. Writing great lyrics is a feat in itself, writing great historically-accurate lyrics seems even harder, and then crafting a great song out of those lyrics even harder still, but this song is successful on all counts. Tony didn't write these lyrics, but still.

For those of you who want the guitar stuff though it's here also. Tony and Jerry Douglas both have hot-picking moments. Oh, and the reason I said this cd is such a tease is because never have I heard Tony do St. James Hostpital or John Wilkes Booth in concert. He treated these songs so perfectly on this album but then didn't tear through them on stage! I'll live though, I just revisit this great cd when I want those songs.

Excellent playing and singing, moody American folk music by Lightfoot, Joni Mitchell, James Taylor, Phil Ochs, Ian Tyson; great songs,help by Jerry Douglas and Jimmy Gaudreau

Tony Rice's Native American is a confident, accomplished recording of superb musicians performing breath-taking songs. From the opening "Shadows", which echoes Rice's Bluegrass background, to the two closing tunes: Mary Chapin Carpenter's "John Wilkes Boothe" and a re-recording of "Summer Wages" Rice leaves an indelible stamp on American string music history.

Summer Wages was included in one of Tony's earliest noteworthy recordings, the highly acclaimed J.D. Crowe & The New South. From that earlier, yearning, version Rice has matured over 15 years to the life-experience that allows him to open a "bluegrass" tune with sparse piano and other instrumentation and finally that voice - in the last few moments before vocal chord maladies robbed us of one of the great American singing voices. Tony imparts meaning and feeling to Ian Tyson's lyric:

"Never hit seventeen when you play against the dealer
For you know that the odds won't ride with you
Never leave your woman alone when your friends are out to steal her
She'll be gambled and gone - like summer wages."

Rice commissioned Carpenter to write the amazing ballad about the assassin of Abraham Lincoln, and although the narrative of the haunting song doesn't make Booth any less pitiful, the haunting final refrain made the hairs stand straight on my arms as you peer into the motivation of the remorseless southern sympathizer:

"In the name of God and Dixie..."

Other Rice recordings have excellent music. These songs bore into my marrow.

This is my favorite of all of my Tony Rice albums. his voice is easy on the ears and his guitar playing is without peer. If you are into folk/ bluegrass and you don't have this album, shame on you.

Here is a great cd by the great Tony Rice "Native American". If you havent' bought one....you need to, Today! Its a great CD. There are some great songs on this CD. John Wilkes Booth is one of my favs, written by Mary Chapin Carpenter for Tony Rice. Tony is a huge Civil War buff and asked Mary to write a Civil War song, she did, and boy, she wrote a good one. What made it all the more better was Rice himself singing it. Its definitely one that'll be hard to beat! Other greats are "Why You've Been Gone So Long" and "Shadows". This CD is definitely one for anyone who loves Tony Rice! Its got awesome guitarwork from Tony (as always) and also has Tony singing! Thats a combination thats unbeatable!