Skaggs and Rice, the 1980 recording released by Rounder in 1980 and reissued in 1993, pairs two musicians whose roots in traditional bluegrass ran deep enough to support an entire album of unaccompanied two-part duets. Ricky Skaggs and Tony Rice recorded the session with minimal production intervention, allowing the vocal blend and instrumental restraint to carry the full weight. Bury Me Beneath the Willow, The Old Crossroads, and Where the Soul of Man Never Dies draw from the gospel and mountain ballad traditions, while There's More Pretty Girls Than One and Memories of Mother and Dad represent the domestic sentiment common to the old-time country repertoire. The album's starkness is its strength. Have You Someone in Heaven Awaiting and Talk About Suffering Here Below are delivered with a conviction that ornament would only diminish.
Tracklist
- 1 Bury Me Beneath the Willow Source Recording 2:43
- 2 Mansions for Me Source Recording 3:42
- 3 There’s More Pretty Girls Than One Source Recording 3:04
- 4 Memories of Mother and Dad Source Recording 2:30
- 5 Where the Soul of Man Never Dies Source Recording 2:36
- 6 Talk About Suffering Here Below Source Recording 2:09
- 7 Will the Roses Bloom Source Recording 2:50
- 8 Tennessee Blues Source Recording 1:49
- 9 The Old Crossroads Source Recording 2:43
- 10 Have You Someone in Heaven Awaiting Source Recording 2:56
