There’s nothing like two musicians, in a room together, with just their voices and instruments. This video will cover the 10 BEST Acoustic Dio albums ever recorded. If I left your favorite one out, be sure to leave a comment!
Here’s the Spotify Playlist featuring my favorite songs from the featured albums:
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All of the albums I picked were selected because they are outstanding. I had to leave tons of albums out of the list, but I believe this list has 10 of the best examples of musicianship and collaboration in acoustic music.
In this video, you’ll also have the chance to hear from TAC Family member Kurt. After struggling to find a way to fit guitar into his life, he’s thriving and collaborating with family and friends through music!
For our acoustic guitar news you can use, you’ll hear from @Heartbreaker Guitars on their latest Bourgeois arrival that is just truly stunning. You’ll also hear Trey Hensley playing his new Thompson Guitar.
Manzanita/Tony Rice, should rank in the top ten
sorry forgot it’s duo
but it is a good one…
Crosby and Nash yes am telling my age . Tony Rice and Ricky is my favorite bluegrass
Tony I’m smh. You make me re-like bluegrass. Long story short when i was introduced to it I didn’t like it . I was born & raised musically 1970s the defining era of my life. But as a strummer knowing basic chords here was a stile of music even I could participate in. Enter all female artists (all genres females influence my taste since I love to sing) at first Alison Krause she was an acquired taste that I grew to love along with many others. Bluegrass harmonies come naturally so I could usually find the high harmony. All added up to a great 20 yrs musically for me. Unfortunately stuff happened & I dropped out for a couple years, my husband jammed with some guys, more than one young guy could easily hit the high harmony so in the end there wasn’t a place for me and I quit messing with bluegrass. If I’d learned to take a lead break it would have been a different story I’m sure. Never had the patience & there are always guys primarily who hold that down
Pre covid I tried very hard to find some females to jam with but nothing came together. At this point in time as a senior gal there’s not a lot of call or interest not to mention the obvious people just quit getting together.
I really like. your top 10 acoustic list. No there’s no females in there or if there are I haven’t gone thru it in detail. Not a lot of welknown female lead pickers. Anyways you said Tony Rices name omg yes. And some of your tunes as I scan thru kind of surprised me lol the very ones I cut my teeth on. If it weren’t fir a spot to grab a harmony (or lead) I prob wouldn’t have gotten into bluegrass but looking back there’s some incredible material with staying power not here today gone tomorrow like imho a lot of new music is.
Very cool list of duo albums, Tony!
I was pleased to see a few I know and will have some fun listening to others. Glad to see Skaggs in duo format and Don Ross/Cal Graham, Milkcarton Kids. Happy to see you had a Jerry Douglas and VM Bhatt’s record. This one is new to me, but I love the Duo of VM Bhatt with Ry Cooder -A Meeting By the River . It’s all improvised and quite something. Thanks for sharing your favs list, as well as other Acoustic Tuesday goodies. Cheers! Charlie D
Tony – you kept referencing Simon and Garfunkel yet didn’t think them worthy of inclusion? Life is not all about bluegrass. What about TajMo? Let’s see a little diversity here!
Hello and Good Morning Tony, Thank you for the Top 10 Duo Albums , I will be checking them out. As far as the Drinking before you’re going to play in Public, I 100% agree with you , it ends up Not Good more often than Good. Thank you for the time you put into Acoustic Tuesday, I really look forward to it every Week.
Hello and Good Morning Tony, Thank you for the Top 10 Duo Albums , I will be checking them out. As far as the Drinking before you’re going to play in Public, I 100% agree with you , it ends up Not Good more often than Good. Thank you for the time you put into Acoustic Tuesday, I really look forward to it every Week.
No Willie? I just like his blues country style. Great show Tony.
My favorite acoustic duo album – The artists are John Batdorf and Mark Rodney, The album is called Off The Shelf
Loggins and Messina “Sittin In” not purely Acoustic, but not to be missed from my formative years
I LOVE these TAC Tuesdays–You share knowledge and excitement.
HOWEVER, I wish that you would play longer selections!! You give us less than a minute of listening exposure
to these songs, players and instruments…You tempt us and then take it away much too soon..
Great list, but no Garcia/Grisman?
Quite aware of Frank Zappa’s inciteful comment regarding opinions, the resultant pairing of these two was way more than the sum of the singular parts. Every record they did was sublime perfection. Two best friends with equal skill, love and respect for each other, and mastery of all things stringed.
Chad Stewart and Jeremy Clyde – Distant Shores 1966.
What I was thinkin’.
Hi Tony, have you heard Ezio’s Black Boots On Latin Feet? Ezio and Booga’s acoustic guitar work, delivered in very strong songs, is well worth a listen.
Thanks for all the encouragement, entertainment, and introductions to music I might not have heard otherwise!
The duos you noted Tony are all fantastic! I would add to the list, Gillian Welch and David Rawlings. Their voices and instruments just meld into a fabulous sound. David’s guitar playing in inspirational, I hope you agree…https://youtu.be/GSPQcPvobOo
The Doc and Merle Watson blues album. Or for that matter, any Doc and Merle. Chet and Jerry Reed, Chet and Mark Knopfler. Not as toe tapping, but yeah.
ou missed one ….
Bluegrass Guitar Duets – Sandy Rothman & Steve Pottier
Great List, I would like to mention Doc and Merle Watson.
1st time on Acoustic Tuesday. This is GREAT. Just started TAC and added the fretboard class. I’ve been overwhelmed with the amount of info, but this is the best thing I could have done. Thanks. Steve
Tony, for your next documentary fix, I recommend “Without Getting Killed or Caught”. It’s the Guy Clark story – pretty good stuff.
Bert and John by Bert Jansch & John Renbourn should be there. But then again, it’s not bluegrass!
Shovels & Rope. Songs: Birmingham, (featured on Heartworn Highways Revisted), Carry Me Home
Album: O’ Be Joyful.
Koerner Ray and Glover If you can add a Harmonica to the acoustic duo. Not a harmonica on all the songs
Hey Tony,
I get the impression that you strongly prefer listening to vinyl albums as opposed to CDs. Would you mind sometime sharing what type of set up you use to play your vinyl . . . turntable, phono cartridge, speakers, etc. Thanks!
Gillian Welch & Dave Rawlings!
Love this show Tony! First, it was great to hear Kurt’s story – he is such a talented musician and songwriter as I have learned on our Virtual Open Mics. And the top 10 list is awesome. I bought the Scaggs & Rice CD soon after it was released in 1989. If it had been vinyl I would have worn it out. The best thing is this is the only album on your list I own. So I will have tons of fun checking out the other 9! You should check out the album Julian and John (RCA LSC-3257 released 1972). John Williams and Julian Bream were top classical guitar virtuosos of that era and this album is a rare and beautiful gem. A different genre than I suspect you typically listen to but I guarantee you will love this if you can find it. It is definitely in my top 10. Another amazing album that almost fits with acoustic “duos” is Rhino Records 2014 compilation: Linda Ronstadt Duets. It will bring you to your knees!
Tony – May we have a print version of the list?
Hey Tony, while you knocked it out of the park again, I am stunned that you chose the Lindsey Buckingham Fender Acoustasonic recreation of Never Going Back Again, when there is the blindingly brilliant duet with Billy Strings and Molly Tuttle in the same series, especially as this weeks episode was about duets!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVAyXopT2XA&list=PLoi2sDiBa0EaWCYHtrFqH8H9LJwmBKk3k&index=18
Enjoy!!
I love your list of 10 best acoustic albums, and there are certainly a few there that I need to have. I particularly liked seeing Chris Thile & Michael Daves there, as I just saw Chris live on Thursday night at the Levitt Pavilion in Bethlehem, PA. I’ve seen him live about a dozen times, in many settings, from solo on up to performing his mandolin concerto with the Orpheus chamber orchestra.
As far as additions to your list, I strongly suggest “Against the Storm” by Johnny and Phil Cunningham. I have an autographed copy on vinyl. I was friends with Johnny in the 1980s when he lived not too far from me. As good as the album is, this was one act that you needed to see live – no longer possible, since Johnny died some years ago. Fortunately there’s a YouTube of them performing as a duo during a Silly Wizard concert: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DY2wUGLFx8Y – go to the 1:06:00 mark where Andy M. stewart (also now deceased) introduces them. You probably don’t even realize it, but you already had Phil Cunningham on AT episode 152 at the 14:25 mark, accompanying Rhiannon Giddens on the “Stomach Steinway,” as John & Phil often joked during their live concerts. I was lucky enough to see them about a dozen times as a duo.
Just as a side note the Last Blockbuster is in Bend Or USA down the road from Sister Or . So Rent a movie and get a new Guitar what a great road trip
I love your list of 10 best acoustic albums, and there are certainly a few there that I non’t have but need to find. I particularly liked seeing Chris Thile & Michael Daves there, as I have been a big Chris Thile fan since Nickel Creek days. I just saw Chris live on Thursday night at the Levitt Pavilion in Bethlehem, PA. I’ve seen him live about a dozen times, in many settings, from solo on up to performing his mandolin concerto with the Orpheus chamber orchestra.
As an addition to your list, I suggest “Against the Storm” by Johnny and Phil Cunningham. I have an autographed copy on vinyl. I was friends with Johnny in the 1980s when he lived not too far from me. As good as the album is, this was one of those acts that you just needed to see live – no longer possible, since Johnny died some years ago. Fortunately, there’s a YouTube of them performing as a duo during a Silly Wizard concert: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DY2wUGLFx8Y – go to the 1:06:00 mark where Andy M. Stewart (also deceased) introduces them. You probably don’t even realize it, but you already had Phil Cunningham on AT episode 152 at the 14:25 mark, accompanying Rhiannon Giddens on the “Stomach Steinway,” as Johnny jokingly called Phil’s accordion during their live concerts. I was lucky enough to see them about a dozen times as a duo.
Always hard to do a top 10 lists but also turn people on to new stuff right. So instead of going for one of my all time favorites Simon and Garfunkel I’ll mention a very Simon and Garfunkel ish duo kings of Convenience their album Riot on an Empty Street and in particular the song Home Sick. I love their harmonies. I think it would be nice to Mention the sisters in First Aid Kit as well all though their albums as they go have become more band oriented check out an early album Drunken Trees and the song Tangerine. ✌🏼🖤🤘🏼
Great episode! I’m a big Ricky Scaggs fan, and I also really like Chris Thile for his mandolin work. I never new of the great duo recordings on this list so, thanks for introducing a nice group of collections. It’s got much of what I love about string instruments, as well as vocal harmonies. Thanks Tony 🙂
Had the ultimate pleasure to see Ricky Skaggs and family play in a farm field bluegrass fest in Northern Vermont many moons ago! It was such a small event which made it so personal! Co-headlined by the local bred Gibson Brothers such an amazing weekend!