The String Cheese Incident Honors Tony Rice With "Old Train" Cover [Watch]

On Christmas Day, 2020, the world lost flatpicking pioneer Tony Rice. Since then, tributes to the bluegrass hero have continued to pour in, including a cover of “Old Train” by The String Cheese Incident which arrived on Thursday.

In this cover of the track off Rice’s seminal 1979 album Manzanita, The String Cheese Incident lean on their bluegrass stylings with this traditional romp. While Rice’s original recording featured a backing band comprised of, amongst others, Sam Bush, Jerry Douglass, David Grisman, and many more, this take from the Colorado-bred outfit does the original justice.

With acoustic guitarist and vocalist Bill Nershi taking point, the whole SCI outfit comes in full force behind him. The initial guitar solo from Michael Kang adds some new-school flair to the cover, while Nerhi’s acoustic improvisation strikes more at the heart of Rice’s legacy. In all, this fitting tribute to Rice shows the many ways his music has influenced contemporary guitar players who used traditional bluegrass music as their foundation.

“Tony Rice’s guitar playing shaped a generation of musicians. His impeccable tone, taste and timing were unmatched and highly regarded by players and listeners alike,” Nershi said in the video’s description. “We are very fortunate to have so many great recordings of his life’s work. If you haven’t had the pleasure of hearing him perform, check out The Tony Rice Unit and David Grisman Quintet albums. I recommend you start with the album ‘Manzanita.’ We’ll never forget you Tony!”

Watch The String Cheese Incident pay tribute to Tony Rice with its rendition of “Old Train”.

The String Cheese Incident – “Old Train” (Tony Rice)

[Video: The String Cheese Incident]