Vassar Clements fiddled for variety of musicians

Published 9:00 pm Tuesday, August 16, 2005

Vassar Clements, a fiddle virtuoso and A-list studio musician who played with Paul McCartney and an array of others, died at his home in National, Tenn., on Tuesday after a battle with lung cancer, his daughter said.

Clements, 77, was hospitalized for 18 days earlier this year, receiving chemotherapy and other treatment.

“He had no quality of life since he’d been diagnosed,” said daughter, Midge Cranor, who added that the cancer had spread to his liver and brain.

Clements’ last performance was Feb. 4 in Jamestown, N.Y., Cranor said.

His work bridged a variety of styles, including country, jazz, bluegrass, rock ‘n’ roll and classical.

“When the rhythm is good, I can play it,” he said in 1988.

During his career, he recorded on more than 2,000 albums, joining artists as varied as McCartney, Johnny Cash, Bonnie Raitt, the Grateful Dead, Bruce Hornsby, Hank Williams Jr., the Byrds, Woody Herman and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band.

Clements, a Kinards, S.C., native who grew up in Kissimmee, Fla., also recorded more than two dozen albums of his own.

The 2005 Grammy for best country instrumental performance went to “Earl’s Breakdown,” by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band featuring Clements, Earl Scruggs, Randy Scruggs and Jerry Douglas.

He even once recorded with the Monkees – by happenstance. He was working on a recording session when someone asked him if he wanted to stay for another.

“I didn’t know until later it was the Monkees,” he said.

From Herald news services