Re: [Harp-L] who's Dave Rice?

"Jim Greenwald" <staggerin@xxxxxxxxxxx> · Fri, 11 Feb 2005 18:09:52 -0800

IMHO, Dave's the leading Old Time (in short - pre-Bluegrass Country &
Stringband) harmonica player today; also he's an expert in pre-war Blues and
a walking Deford Bailey memorial. Dave lives in the Cleveland area and works
fulltime building stringed instruments at Goose Acres Folk Music Center. He
plays alot for dances in Ohio. Also plays and has been recorded on guitar,
fiddle, and other instruments. He usually gets out his area in the summer to
various festivals & gatherings. Has taught Old Time  harmonica several times
at Augusta Heritage (WV) and The Swannanoa Gathering (NC) and always tries
to get to the Appalachian Stringband Festival at Clifftop WV (the Mecca for
OT music), where he's played in prize-winning ensembles. He's got a huge
repertoire and has to be heard at a dance or session to be believed - his
recordings and "formal" gigs are just a hint of what he can do. He can play
with the elite-level fiddlers and banjo players and bring their sound to a
higher level. Obviously, I'm prejudiced <g>. American Harmonica Newsmagazine
had a nice article on him in June 2002 after "On the Job Too Long" came out,
and he's performed at SPAH. I always have some of his stuff in my playlist,
and if you all buy up his lasted CD, his wife might not make hime wait 3
years to do another.