Thursday, March 19, 2026
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How To Play Tony Rice’s Manzanita – Advanced Bluegrass Guitar Lesson


The Manzanita Saga Continues…

Here’s the tab!:
https://lessonswithmarcel.com/product/manzanita-tony-rice/

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#Play #Tony #Rices #Manzanita #Advanced #Bluegrass #Guitar #Lesson

Originally posted by UC1jEI1YY5DFd4SUCRDt5nUg at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHnumn69PHI

36 thoughts on “How To Play Tony Rice’s Manzanita – Advanced Bluegrass Guitar Lesson

  • its a big ask but would you make a more advanced version? i see all these videos of tony rice playing by himself, without any band and the chords are all mixed into the melody all jazzy like, which is really what i think makes things song so great, without being able to do something like this solo if you aren't in a band you really only get a quarter of the real magic. like if you watch this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFBWOvSuCE8 , compared to what this tutorial shows you (and this is the best tutorial available this is a great channel all together) i feel there's still a lot to be said

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  • Mando player, here. When I want the lowdown on how to play anything Tony I check out Marcel first. He landed a home run on this one … everything I need to know to do this song on mando is right here. Thanks again Marcel.

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  • This is a really great tutorial, thanks! The chords are different from the original album version; for example in bar 15 it's clearly an F on the original rather than a D7. But I hear the D7 in at least one later version (Jerry Douglas and Tony Rice Live in Hickory, recorded off FM radio by a friend.) But that's how it is; music isn't frozen in time.

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  • Banjo Geoff Hohwald from Atlanta Georgia put out that Tony Rice book from the early 1980's. Tony never gave him permission. Al Smith from Georgia claimed to have done the transcribing. Tony told me it was very inaccurate…plus he told Geoff Hohwald to get lost when Geoff showed up with a "royalty" check many years after the book had been released…and the check amounted to pretty much nothing. Tony told Geoff he hoped that he never saw him at another one of his shows!! Tony told me this straight from his mouth!!!!

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  • Wow! I’ve been listening to this tune lately and thinking I must learn it. Thanks for this very clear and easy breakdown! ????????????????

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  • Problems with stupid phone. Do you know Norman Blake's Old Brown Case? That's another good one for someone who likes to pick.

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  • Hi Marcel, good lesson. I'm not sure about the billy goat part.
    By any chance do you happen to know Norrma

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  • Hi Marcel, Though I love your videos, I have to say that I have the Tony Rice guitar book, and I find that transcriptions of the original recoding of Manzanita and other songs I've learned are quite accurate as far as the notes. I've always assumed that the tabs were hand written by Tony. I would be disappointed to find out otherwise. Perhaps Tony originally played the whole first half in the 5th fret Box Position? This seams like the easier way to play it, though I now like switching the positions as you've shown. It gives it a little better tone and feel. The hardest part for me to get down accurately are the slurs he does on the G and D notes in the second half of part A on the original recording. If the saga continues, that would be a good thing to address. Some things we just can't do like Tony does.

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  • Such a great lesson, RIP Tony. I listened to this so much in college, his playing was so effortless.

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  • I never subscribe to channels but you sir have made an excellent video and an excellent lesson

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  • good lesson but it might help to tell people you dropped your low e to d on your lead video…..

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  • If anyone could point me in the direction of a Backing Track for this, I'd really appreciate it!

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  • We're learning this tune as we change performance genres from hard classic rock to bluegrass. Your are one of the very best we have seen as online tutors. My guitarist, who is a very talented blind woman, has asked if it is reasonable for you to pan your lessons hard right and left to isolate rhythm or lead, thus making it clearer for one who cannot access the tabs and notation. Thanks. Keep it up.

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  • Thanks so much. Very nice instruction and great sheet music.! Jerusalem Ridge or Waltz for Indira would be my request.

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  • Dude, you are AWESOME! Thanks for teaching us this vital music to all bluegrass guitarists looking to advance their knowledge and ability!

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  • Great video. How about Waltz for Indira, perhaps more like the 1985 recording from Japan or the 2003 recording from Grey Eagle?

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  • Marcel, your link for Manzanita tab is a dud. Any chance you can post the entire link. Thanks

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  • Great lesson! My favorite Tony song. I was working through off the book but now I have your tab! Thanks much!

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  • Thumbs up Thanks Marcel
    Cool tune I'm going to try learning Manzanita on my Irish 10 String Cittern DD GG DD AA DD

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  • Love this vid! Could you make a tutorial and things to take from the way Tony Rice plays Wayfaring Stranger?

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  • Wonderful tutorial of a challenging tune! Thanks so much for the hard work. I was wondering if I missed the link to the tab in the comments? And would you consider selling the tab in Powertab format? Thanks for sharing your love of BG with the rest of us!

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  • Hi Marcel, that must have cost a lot of time and devotion to figure this all out. Hats off! I enjoy this lesson very much. Thank you, thank you!!

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