The name Larry Rice should evoke enthusiastic nods of recognition and appreciation when the conversation turns to mandolin players; yet, in 2014 he remains undeservedly under the radar. The older brother of bluegrass guitar legend Tony Rice, he had a good measure of success musically, playing mandolin and singing harmony with J.D. Crowe in one of Crowe s earliest and best bands ever. Larry's untimely death in 2006 robbed the bluegrass world of his physical presence, but his recordings survive as a powerful legacy of musicianship, creativity and sensitivity. If You Only Knew is a 16-track Best Of collection drawn from Larry's five Rebel recordings. Songs range from traditional favorites such as Used to Be, Pretty Polly and Take My Ring from Your Finger to his own, powerful compositions including Plastic People Town and Unemployment Line that reflect an intensely personal, often-sardonic view of life.
T**S
Great collection
Larry Rice was such a fine writer, I will miss his outlook as well as his skill playing!
T**H
Five Stars
Classic Roots Music by a Rice brother who left us way to soon.
D**N
excellent recording!
No words would be enough; excellent recording!
D**K
Excellent collection of a newgrasser who's gone on...
Larry Rice"If You Only Knew... The Best Of Larry Rice"(Rebel, 2014). . . . .This best-of set draws on five albums recorded by mandolinist Larry Rice, Tony Rice's older brother and a bluegrass stalwart who sadly passed away in 2006. Larry Rice played in a number of bands, and frequently collaborated with his brothers, including on several tracks collected here.It would be difficult not to compare him to his brother, a superpicker guitarist and stylistic innovator who set the bar for a generation of bluegrass flatpickers. However, the reissue of this material is a nice way to evaluate Larry Rice on his own terms... There is of course a strong family resemblance, in vocal tone and phrasing and in the sweet sentimental mode they both gravitated towards. Larry Rice stuck closer to traditional songs and progressive, poetical ballads, not going in for jazz-grass with the same fervor as Tony, and this album is a great collection of beautiful, eloquent vocal numbers -- very nice and very listenable, the kind of album I could listen to again and again for years to come. Several tracks, from Rice's 1987 album, "Time Machine," also feature harmonies from Sharon White, who blends perfectly with Rice's ragged-edged vocals.By all means, pick this one up: it's a delightful collection of a top-notch artist whose work is still cherished by old fans, and waits for new fans to come. (DJ Joe Sixpack, Slipcue Guide To Country Music)
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