The Tony Rice Unit was an influential group in the world of acoustic and bluegrass music, renowned for their virtuosic instrumental skills and progressive approach to traditional sounds. The ensemble was formed by Tony Rice, an American guitarist and bluegrass musician whose style and technique have set a high standard in the genre since the 1970s. Rice, a pivotal figure in the acoustic music scene, was known not only for his extraordinary flatpicking prowess but also for his smooth baritone voice, which unfortunately was silenced in later years due to vocal health issues.

Among the Tony Rice Unit's most prominent releases is "Manzanita," an album that was first released in 1979 and stands as a milestone in the bluegrass genre, blending traditional tunes with jazz-flavored improvisation, something that became a signature for the group. Other significant albums such as "Acoustics" (1978) showcased the Unit’s ability to push the envelope within instrumental music, while "Backwaters" (1982) found them exploring the deep waters of bluegrass with artful arrangements and technical brilliance. "Devlin" (1987) continued this tradition of excellence with a collection of songs that further melded the realms of jazz and bluegrass. Their final studio album, "Unit Of Measure" (2000), was a testimony to the continuing evolution of the group's sound and an epitaph to Rice’s enduring legacy after he stopped recording due to health issues, preserving the innovative spirit of the Tony Rice Unit for future generations to appreciate.