Died On This Date (August 16, 2005) Vassar Clements / Bluegrass Great
themusicsover Vassar Clements
April 5, 1928 – August 16, 2005
Vassar Clements was an influential fiddler who, although mostly associated with bluegrass, also performed swing and jazz. Self taught at the age of seven, it was only a matter of time before Clements successfully auditioned for Bill Monroe’s Blue Grass Boys. He played and recorded with Monroe for the better part of seven years, after which he went off to become one of Nashville’s most in demand session fiddlers. The list of artists he recorded with is staggering. It includes Faron Young, John Hartford, Earl Scruggs, Jim & Jesse, the Grateful Dead, Paul McCartney, the Monkees, Dickey Betts, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Linda Ronstadt, and Jimmy Buffett. Clements played on over 200 albums including nearly two dozen of his own. In 2005, he won a Grammy for Best Instrumental Performance. Vassar Clements died of cancer on August 16, 2005. He was 77.
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Ola Belle Reed was a respected folk and old-timey singer-songwriter and banjo player. She got her start playing with the North Carolina Ridge Runners in 1936. In 1945, Reed was offered a slot in 
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