Uncle Billy Dunbar, a host at WorldWideBluegrass.com will be “spinning” a tribute to the late Larry Rice on Thursday May 10, 2007.

Larry Rice was the mandolin playing brother of guitar hero Tony Rice. Larry passed away last year during the month of May so this tribute will mark the one year anniversary of his passing. The tribute will air from 4-6 PM EST, and can be streamed online from WorldWideBluegrass.com.

I will be featuring music from his Albums “Time Machine” released on LP in 1987 and “Hurricane & Dreams” released in 1987 also on LP, this album has been re-released recently. I will be doing commentary on his life and music.

This is the regular time slot for Dunbar’s show Country Unplugged Bluegrass Radio, but the entire show on thursday is being dedicated to this remembrance of Larry Rice. The chat room, on WorldWideBluegrass.com, will be dedicated to a discussion of Larry at that time and all are invited to join in.

Thanks to reader Larry Jackson, who tipped us to this lovely Larry Rice tribute which appears in this morning’s Citrus County Chronicle. The article by Nancy Kennedy contains quotes from Larry’s widow, Linda, brothers Ronnie and Wyatt, and mom Louise Rice. Though brief, it is both a career overview and a personal glimpse into Larry’s life away from music.

Here’s just a taste:

Born in Danville, Va., Larry met Linda in a phone booth in Donalsonville, Ga. She was making a long-distance call and saw him and thought he was the handsomest man she had ever seen. All the girls in town wanted to date him, but he picked her.

On their first date they went to the fair. Linda recalled how they went on a ride and Larry lost all the change out of his pockets.

So many memories, so many stories, Linda said.

You can read the whole article here, though a quick, free registration is required.

Fans of the recently departed bluegrass musician will surely appreciate reading about his family life, and friends can relish the shared memories of the man they knew off stage.

Thanks to Reed Franklin who sent us the following.

St. Petersburg Times / Citrus County Edition.

RICE, LARRY PRENTIS, 57, of Crystal River, died Saturday (May 13, 2006) at Citrus Memorial Health System, Inverness. Born in Danville, Va., he came here 28 years ago from Kentucky. He was a professional musician/songwriter and a former employee of Progress Energy. He enjoyed listening to and playing music, and gardening. Survivors include his wife of 39 years, Linda; a daughter, Pamela, Hernando; a son, Travis, Crystal River; his mother, Louise Rice, Reidsville, N.C.; three brothers, Tony, Reidsville, Ronnie, Falls Church, Va., and Wyatt, Damascus, Va.; and three granddaughters. Strickland Funeral Home, Crystal River.

We learn from our friend Mark Johnson that Larry Rice has passed away after a long battle with cancer. Bluegrass fans know Larry from his time with JD Crowe and the Kentucky Mountain Boys, and his later work with brothers Tony and Wyatt in The Rice Brothers.

We are looking for formal obituaries in Florida papers, and will pass along links with more information as soon we find them. The funeral is scheduled for Wednesday (May 17) at the Strickland Funeral Home in Crystal River, FL.

Our most sincere condolences to Larry’s family and many close friends as they mark his passing.