Vassar's Violin edit.mov

The Great Vassar Clements talking about his historic fiddle. Video shot by Wood Newton in his studio. Also pictured is Grant Boatright. We three co-wrote a song called "Time To Pay The Fiddler".

[@pootinella]

Vassar was my mentor as I was learning fiddle, and he went out of his way to help me! He was so funny and so sweet. The word was dadbime (a bastardization of dadblamed.) It was definitely a Vassar word. He'd say the funniest, most hilarious things. He was talking about a problematic guitar player, saying, "he plays louder 'n a goat!" I wrote & typed words to "Lonesome Fiddle Blues" that he carried in his case for years! I was touched! I so miss this fabulous character!

[@rickholloway4970]

Vassar was my Granny Whitfield's nephew and she spoke of him often.

[@fwrcaster]

Vassar was just a great man , great fiddle player...I enjoyed playing guitar with him , as a part of his band in 82' !

[@Schillingsanders]

What a shame that i never had the opportunity to meet Vassar!

[@xiangqiforchessplayers9209]

I can’t imagine how I haven’t found this before. Thanks for posting it!

[@willisgillismusic]

Hey Wood! Thanks so much for posting. I drove Vasser to the PBS station in Minneapolis back in 1996 and he was gracious enough to thank me by recording a couple of tracks on a song I wrote. BTW, I met you at the NSAI lucheon in the spring of 2011 and sat with you for lunch. You fellas have illuminated my life! Thanks Wood! Gil LeDuc

[@cjgrinar6975]

Blaine Sprouse also has a head fiddle with a Latin transcription around the sides. In English it reads: "In the Forest I Silently Stood Living, Now in Death I Sweetly Sing.’' I know Hartford had a head fiddle as well. I wonder if they're all related...

[@hamburgerdan101]

That would be sweet

[@fiddlist1934]

Does anybody know where Vassars fiddle is now?

[@luilui2121]

very disgusting racists comment at 2:09

[@luilui2121]

@capitalismforme Well,! would you please videotape yourself at BLM chanting "Negro, Negro, Negro" to a group of black people? Then have your wife post the video for everybody to enjoy what would happen to you. I for certainly will laugh.

[@rickholloway4970]

Maybe you should understand Vassar comes from an era when that language was the norm.

[@2ndMounier]

Vassar did not make the comment@@rickholloway4970