Just got this off the Co-mando list, some very sad news regarding legendary fiddler Vassar Clements.
It is with a heavy heart that I tell you Vassar’s condition has taken a turn for the worse. Two weeks ago Vassar had an MRI and the results showed that the cancer has spread to his brain and spinal fluid. The doctors put him back in the hospital and the oncologist wanted to start a week of radiation.
However, Vassar refused the most recent round of treatment.
Midge is currently arranging for Hospice and Vassar should be home by Wednesday. His condition has rapidly declined in the last month, yet Vassar still retains his will to do whatever is possible for himself with limited assistance.
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Please send your love and prayers to Midge, George, Vassar, and their entire family at this difficult time. Feel free to pass this email onto those I may have missed.
Sad. He’s such a unique fiddler. I even got to talk to him once. At the time I had no idea what a big name he is in fiddling.
I have a story to tell about him in fact. A decade or so ago I went to a bluegrass festival. The temperature baked in the high 90’s. Throughout the day strings kept breaking. Vasser appeared with a relatively unknown band of young BG players. During one of their tunes the banjo, guitar and mandolin started popping strings one after the other. It was so bad they had to stop to put on new strings.
They apologized and the three darted behind the stage to get strings while the roasting crowd sat patiently. Vasser and the bass player remained. Without hesitation, Vasser started soloing and soon the bass joined in. When the other three returned they joined.
I admired his professionalism. He didn’t make jokes or stand in imbarrassed silence. He knew we were there for music and he gave us music.
On August 16th 2005 at 8:35 am Nashville time, the angels in heaven stopped singing for a moment, as they heard the most beautiful music approaching from a distance - the high lonesome sound of Vassar Clements’ fiddle.
We are deeply saddened by the passing of this truly wonderful and beautiful man whose purpose in life on Earth was in spreading love and happiness to people, both through his music and through his generosity and light of spirit.
A great loss.
One of the greatest fiddle players ever.A man with a unique style wrought from many diverse sources and who was not nearly as well known as he should have been to the world in general.
He was someone special. I had the good fortune to meet him once too. Great fiddler and performer. Gracious man. May his soul fly free and his loved ones find peace and strength to get through this.
