The bluegrass and acoustic guitar world has been buzzing this past two years, awaiting the publication of Still Inside – The Tony Rice Story.

This authorized biography of the legendary guitarist and vocalist, written by Tim Stafford and Caroline Wright, has suffered its share of birth pangs and has been delayed a number of times on the way to the delivery room. First projected for a 2007 release, it has now been finally and officially slated to hit on April 12, with a grand premier during Merlefest 2010.

What sets this book apart from most musical biographies is that it follows Rice’s life on multiple tracks simultaneously. It is laid out chronologically, as you would expect with any biography, dividing Tony’s life into five stages, followed by a detailed look at his offstage work in the music business, and a chapter on what sets his guitar technique apart from what had come before.

A chapetr list follows:

• Chapter 1: Hard Love/Origins, Birth-1970
• Chapter 2: Summer Wages/Bluegrass Years, 1970-1975
• Chapter 3: Gasology/Jazz Cats And Dawgs, 1975-1982
• Chapter 4: Units Of Measure/The New Acoustic Age, 1979-1988
• Chapter 5: Night Flyer/Transitions, 1989-2009
• Chapter 6: The Man Behind The Curtain/Tony Rice Offstage
• Chapter 7: Me and My Guitar:  Part I, The Antique

Each chapter starts with a section called Tony’s Story, where Rice tells the story of this part of his life in his own words. That is then followed by testimony from others (friends, family, fans, and fellow musicians) who were crucial during that period. Each section also features a segment called On The Road with Tony, where Wright offers a revealing look into Tony’s life from her travels with him on tour.

In the final chapter, Stafford examines Tony as a musician, with the keen eye that only another world class guitarist muster. It includes a detailed analysis of his technique, and a look at the Clarence White D-28 herringbone which has become so closely associated with his music. An introduction from Ricky Skaggs, who performed with Tony in the mid-70s with JD Crowe & The New South, gets things started.

Given Rice’s stature in acoustic music, it’s no surprise to find quotes and remembrances from the likes of J.D. Crowe, Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas, David Grisman, Alison Krauss, Emmylou Harris, Ricky Skaggs, and Linda Ronstadt. Tony’s surviving family members share a wealth of memories, and the book details the sorrows and tragedies that have marked his family life.

Stafford tells us that Still Inside is a remarkably personal memoir, particularly in light of Tony’s reputation for privacy. Further, he says  thatit has been Rice’s insistince on getting every detail right that had delayed publication until this spring.

An email list is being assembled online should you wish to be notified when pre-orders are being accepted. It will be a big day for the very many Tony Rice fans out there.

Another of the many CDs that have crossed the threshold this month comes from Ohioan Missy Werner. I wasn’t familiar with her music prior to receiving this copy of Drifting and Dreaming, but when I saw that Dwight McCall had produced and Jon Weisberger had written liner notes, I was sure that this was a serious project.

This CD captivated me from the very first notes. Werner’s voice is clear and attractive and the musicianship is stellar. Tim Stafford plays guitar, Ron Stewart banjo and fiddle, Alan Bibey mandolin, and Harold Nixon bass. Randy Kohrs adds his resonator guitar on several tracks and Rickey Wasson plays guitar on one.

It seems clear that Missy was heavily influenced by Lynn Morris, and there is much of Lynn’s sincerity and passion in Werner’s voice. McCall provides the harmony vocals with the same high standard of excellence he has demonstrated for years with JD Crowe & The New South and his solo projects.

The songs she has chosen are perfectly suited to her voice. Two of Dolly Parton’s are featured (Gypsy, Joe and Me, Early Morning Breeze) along with one of my favorite old bluegrass songs, Plant Some Flowers, which Bill Monroe and Ralph Stanley had both memorably recorded. Other standouts are The Rope (Stephanie Davis), Sarah Siskind’s Bridge, Jennifer Strickland’s Goodbye, and Morning Train from Harley Allen.

The music is arranged in a light, contemporary bluegrass style and performed with crispness and precision by these crack pickers. This is a first rate album.

Audio samples can be heard on Werner’s AirPlay Direct page, where radio programmers can download tracks for broadcast. CDs can be purchased on eBay.

The February 2010 issue of Acoustic Guitar magazine has a year-by-year listing of what they deem to be the finest acoustic music of the past two decades. It’s part of the magazine’s 20th Anniversary issue, billed as a collector’s edition.

They call the list 20 Years of Essential Acoustic Albums, and it can be found on their web site. Of course, bluegrass and bluegrassy albums are included, taking up a substantial percentage of the total.

Unsurprising titles include the Nickel Creek debut, the Alison Krauss Live CD, Bryan Sutton’s Bluegrass Guitar, Tone Poems from Tony Rice and David Grisman, and Slide Rule from Jerry Douglas. We were also pleased to find Blue Highway’s Midnight Storm and Tim Stafford’s Endless Line make the list, along with Cherryholmes’ Don’t Believe, Alison Brown’s Simple Pleasures, and Bluegrass Rules from Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder.

Read the complete list online.

Blue Highway is zeroing in on the 15th anniversary of their very first live performance, which ocurred on New Year’s Eve in 1994.

At that time, Tim Stafford had just left his position with Alison Krauss, as had Shawn Lane his gig with Ricky Skaggs. Rob Ickes was recently married and none of the original members of the band, which also included Jason Burleson and Wayne Taylor, were looking for a full time musical venture.

From a vantage point late in 2009, it’s hard to visualize Blue Highway as a group of weekend warriors. Their first album, It’s A Long, Long Road, was released in 1995, and won the IBMA Album of the Year Awrd in 1996. The band picked up the Emerging Artist trophy that year as well.

Now, 8 albums later, Blue Highway is a major player in bluegrass and Americana music, touring worldwide and winning acclaim from fans, critics and peers alike. Their next release on Rounder, Some Day: The Fifteenth Anniversary Collection, is due on January 19 of next year, and will include 13 tracks, 3 of which are new recordings.

The band will hold an official 15th Anniversary Show this Friday in Roanoke, VA and the Roanoke Times has an extensive article and podcast with Tim Stafford in today’s (12/15) edition. Tad Dickens of the Times asked Tim if he had anticipated this level of success when they launched the band in ‘94.

“No. Naaaaw,” Stafford said when asked if he had expected any of this when he made the decision to leave Union Station. “That was really the farthest thing from my mind. It was really just a way to keep on playing bluegrass at as high a level as I could. … I was playing with some really, really high-quality players when I was with Union Station. It’s tough to go back. Nothing against part-time pickers, but it’s hard to go back and just play with anybody.

“So I was really lucky that I was able to hook up with these guys. I feel like they’re just right up there with those other guys.”

You can read the full interview online, and hear a 45 minute podcast with Stafford about the history of the group, which also includes a sneak peek at one of the new songs from the 15th Anniersary CD. More details about the concert on the 18th can be found at www.bluehighway15.com.