Vassar Clements
Vassar Carlton Clements (April 25, 1928 – August 16, 2005) was a Grammy Award- winning American jazz, swing, and bluegrass fiddler. Clements has been dubbed the Father of Hillbilly Jazz, an improvisational style that blends and borrows from swing, hot jazz, and bluegrass along with roots also in country and other musical traditions.
Biography
Clements was born in Kinard, Florida, but grew up in Kissimmee, Florida. He taught himself to play the fiddle at age 7 and the first song he learned was "There's an Old Spinning Wheel in the Parlor". Soon, Clements formed a local string band with two first cousins, Red and Gerald. Gerald was the fiddle player and when he got married and left, Clements had to pick up the fiddle. In his early teens, he met Bill Monroe and the Blue Grass Boys when they came to Florida to visit Clements' stepfather who knew Chubby Wise. Clements heard Wise play and was impressed.
In late 1949, when Wise left Monroe, Clements, who was then only 21, travelled by bus to ask for an audition. When told he would have to return the next day, Clements was crestfallen because he didn't have any money for a hotel room or even for a return bus trip. Monroe gave him some money to a night's lodging, and the next day Clements auditioned and was hired as Wise's replacement in the Blue Grass Boys. He remained with Monroe for seven years. During this period he recorded with Bill Monroe and the Bluegrass Boys in 1950 and 1951. Vassar Clements soon became one of the most distinctive, inventive, and popular fiddlers in bluegrass music. His virtuosity and ability to blend several different genres, including swing and hot jazz, into his style made him a pioneer in country music and much sought-after session musician.
Podcasts:
Vassar Clements
ALBUMS
- Hartford, Rice & Clements released: 2011
- Livin' With the Blues released: 2004
- Full Circle released: 2001
- Three August Nights Live released: 2000
- Dead Grass released: 2000
- Back Porch Swing released: 1999
- 20 Fiddle Tunes & Waltz Favorites released: 1998
- Once in a While released: 1993
- Vassar Clements, John Hartford, & Dave Holland released: 1988
- Hillbilly Jazz Rides Again released: 1987
- Vassar Clements Band released: 1977
- Superbow released: 1976
- Norman Blake/Tut Taylor/Sam Bush/Butch Robins/Vassar Clements/David Holland/Jethro Burns released: 1975
- Hillbilly Jazz released: 1975
- Vassar Clements released: 1975
- Crossing the Catskills released: 1973
- The Bottom Line Encore Collection released:
- Grass Routes released:
- Together at Last released:
- The Bluegrass Sessions released:
Livin' With the Blues
Released 2004- Cypress Grove
- Dirty Drawers
- Honey Babe Blues
- Mambo Boogie
- Phonograph Blues
- Green Onions
- Rube's Blues
- Dead Cats on the Line
- That's My Thing
- Keep Your Lamp Trimmed and Burning
- I Ain't Gonna Play No Second Fiddle
- Mama I'm All Out and Down
- Fiddlin' and Faddlin'
- Cool Drink of Water
- Don't Stand Behind a Mule
Norman Blake/Tut Taylor/Sam Bush/Butch Robins/Vassar Clements/David Holland/Jethro Burns
Released 1975Hillbilly Jazz
Released 1975- San Antonio Rose
- Texas Blues
- Take Me Back to Tulsa
- Delta Blues
- Fais Do Do
- Breakfast Feud
- Brown's Ferry Blues
- It's Dark Outside
- Panhandle Rag
- Blues for Dixie
- Sentimental Journey
- (Back Home Again In) Indiana
- Sitting on Top of the World
- Crazy 'Cause I Love You
- Hang Your Head in Shame
- Vassar's Boogie
- Little Rock Getaway
- Yellow Sun
- Gravy Waltz
- "C" Jam Blues
- Tippin' In
- You All Come
- Last Song for Shelby Jean
Born: 1928-04-25
Died: 2005-08-16
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