Cigar Weekly

7070 · 03-15-2005, 01:04 PM

Edit: I was given some misinformation.
Vassar has lung cancer. Prayers sent.

For those that don't know who he was, Vassar Clements is probably the greatest bluegrass fiddle player of all time. He started playing with Bill Monroe at the age of 14. Most of you have probably heard him whether you know it or not. In addition to playing bluegrass he played with several rock and jazz bands.

Stone · 03-15-2005, 01:23 PM

He was a memorable part of Old & in the Way with Jerry Garcia.

If you loved blugrass you loved Vassar's fiddle.....RIP

alfa · 03-15-2005, 01:28 PM

I went to school at Vanderbilt. He played the Bluegrass Inn at least once/month.

SmoKerch · 03-15-2005, 03:48 PM

He did some great work with Flatt and Scruggs as well.

mannish · 03-17-2005, 04:08 AM

he was enjoying a resurgence of sorts with the 'jam band' crowd from what I understand. He has been at several of those types of festivals. He can play anything on that fiddle.

Stone · 08-17-2005, 01:31 PM

UPDATE!

Vassar passed away yesterday.

NASHVILLE (Billboard) - Acclaimed fiddle virtuoso Vassar Clements, dubbed the "Miles Davis of bluegrass," died Tuesday near Nashville following a battle with lung cancer. He was 77.

Clements performed with a variety of artists including the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Faron Young, Dicky Betts, the Grateful Dead, the Allman Brothers, Linda Ronstadt, David Grisman and Paul McCartney.

He recorded 27 albums exploring country, swing and developing. His only bluegrass album was 1992's "Grass Routes" (Rounder Records). In addition to fiddle, he also played viola, cello, bass, mandolin, guitar and tenor banjo.

Clements began performing with Bill Monroe's Bluegrass Boys when he was 14 and became a regular member of the legendary group in 1949. In 1956, he started a four-year stint with Jim & Jesse McReynolds and later performed with Earl Scruggs.

"Vassar Clements was a special artist and notable among the early pioneers as well as his remarkable work in recent years," says Dan Hays, president of the International Bluegrass Music Association.

Clements' work on the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band's groundbreaking 1972 multi-artist album "Will the Circle Be Unbroken" was a milestone in a career that spanned more than five decades.

"He was the nicest guy. He treated everybody like you were either family or friend," the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band's John McEuen told Billboard. "He was the greatest fiddle player in the world, but you never knew it if you talked to him. He did it all and he influenced with (the "Circle") album the next 30 years of fiddle playing. Ask Mark O'Connor, Stuart Duncan, any of them."

Reuters/Billboard

http://today.reuters.com/news/newsAr...LEMENTS-DC.XML

magnus5 · 08-18-2005, 11:10 AM

Had the opportunity to meet him and talk to him on several ocassions when I was hanging out with the Wilburn brothers. A great artist and a very nice man.

03-15-2005, 01:04 PM	#1
7070 Club Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 3,348	Vassar Clements Update Edit: I was given some misinformation. Vassar has lung cancer. Prayers sent. For those that don't know who he was, Vassar Clements is probably the greatest bluegrass fiddle player of all time. He started playing with Bill Monroe at the age of 14. Most of you have probably heard him whether you know it or not. In addition to playing bluegrass he played with several rock and jazz bands.

03-15-2005, 03:48 PM	#4
SmoKerch Herf God Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Indiana Posts: 23,607	He did some great work with Flatt and Scruggs as well. __________________ Kercheval Bros. LLP Professional Procrastination Consultants 1 - (900) - GO# - SAND The Great State of Confusion Just because I may be paranoid, it doesn't mean there aren't people out there trying to get me. Visit us on The Facebook: Kercheval Bros. Procrastination Consultants ! Galatians 5:24 - NLT

03-17-2005, 04:08 AM	#5
mannish Herf God Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Springville, AL USA Posts: 15,792	he was enjoying a resurgence of sorts with the 'jam band' crowd from what I understand. He has been at several of those types of festivals. He can play anything on that fiddle. __________________ “We do not see things as they are, we see them as we are.”

08-17-2005, 01:31 PM	#6
Stone Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: San Diego Posts: 419	UPDATE! Vassar passed away yesterday. NASHVILLE (Billboard) - Acclaimed fiddle virtuoso Vassar Clements, dubbed the "Miles Davis of bluegrass," died Tuesday near Nashville following a battle with lung cancer. He was 77. Clements performed with a variety of artists including the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Faron Young, Dicky Betts, the Grateful Dead, the Allman Brothers, Linda Ronstadt, David Grisman and Paul McCartney. He recorded 27 albums exploring country, swing and developing. His only bluegrass album was 1992's "Grass Routes" (Rounder Records). In addition to fiddle, he also played viola, cello, bass, mandolin, guitar and tenor banjo. Clements began performing with Bill Monroe's Bluegrass Boys when he was 14 and became a regular member of the legendary group in 1949. In 1956, he started a four-year stint with Jim & Jesse McReynolds and later performed with Earl Scruggs. "Vassar Clements was a special artist and notable among the early pioneers as well as his remarkable work in recent years," says Dan Hays, president of the International Bluegrass Music Association. Clements' work on the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band's groundbreaking 1972 multi-artist album "Will the Circle Be Unbroken" was a milestone in a career that spanned more than five decades. "He was the nicest guy. He treated everybody like you were either family or friend," the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band's John McEuen told Billboard. "He was the greatest fiddle player in the world, but you never knew it if you talked to him. He did it all and he influenced with (the "Circle") album the next 30 years of fiddle playing. Ask Mark O'Connor, Stuart Duncan, any of them." Reuters/Billboard http://today.reuters.com/news/newsAr...LEMENTS-DC.XML __________________ The invisible and the non-existent look very much alike.

08-18-2005, 11:10 AM	#7
magnus5 Contributing Editor Herf Meister Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: NOVA Posts: 5,181	Had the opportunity to meet him and talk to him on several ocassions when I was hanging out with the Wilburn brothers. A great artist and a very nice man. __________________ Making the daily grind inside the Beltway.

03-15-2005, 01:23 PM	#2
Stone Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: San Diego Posts: 419	He was a memorable part of Old & in the Way with Jerry Garcia. If you loved blugrass you loved Vassar's fiddle.....RIP

03-15-2005, 01:28 PM	#3
alfa Guest Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 23,219	I went to school at Vanderbilt. He played the Bluegrass Inn at least once/month.