Vassar Clements was my Great Grandfather. I called him Papa Vassar. Hearing him play on youtube is just wonderful. I miss him so much. I remember when I first heard him play. It was just amazing. I would do anything to hear him play in person one last time.
Hailey I saw GG play a handful of times. Long live the Kissimmee kid. People still wear Vassar shirts and honor him up at Springfest. You should make the trip in March if you have not already. Love to you and your family.
Vassar Clements did a bluegrass album with Jerry Garcia called "Old and In the Way" which is also outstanding. Dickie real is enjoying himself on this! Love Vassar and Dickie together!
Old & In the Way was Peter Rowan (not Tony Rice)...THE JAM with Vassar and Dickey was "Hand Picked" from Dickey's Album "HIGHWAY CALL" ... an absolute must-have, level 10 album...
I really took for granted all the times I got to see Vassar play and the time I got to spend with him when I was a kid. It's kind of like getting to relive those times any time go around and listen to these old recordings.
Your Great Grandpapa was not only one of the most remarkably talented cross-genre musicians it has ever been my privilege to see and hear, but was also an exceptionally sweet, generous and honorable gentleman. My respects to you and your family!
Have you folks heard of an album Dickey and Vassar did together called, "Highway Call?" That is some fine, fine, fine, fine music! If you love this, you'll love that as well. It has the best version of Vassar's "Kissimmee Kid."
So many great fiddle players in acoustic/Bluegrass music and I couldn't put one above the other as far as talent but I always loved listening to Vassar the best. He played things that were so unexpected and that's what it takes to keep the listeners ear.
like another comment said, theres SO many good fiddlers, but the great ones, like mark oconnor, johnny hartford,etc., but unexpected flourishes on a note, make it look effortless, and never seem to repeat themselves. great players ALL !
We used to drive from Providence to a small club in Connecticut, right over the border. Vassar played there all the time. It was a great musical education and stayed with me all these years. Saw Dickey's band in Providence about the same time.
Vassar Clements is the star of this video for me. I don't recall hearing about Dave Sayler, but he put his best foot forward when given a chance to take a turn on his acoustic.
that was incredible, never had the pleasure of seeing Betts pickin' acoustic...and he's playing with Vassar, the preeminent fiddler of the 20th century IMHO
There's a great other post on youtube "ABB Unplugged," featuring Dickey, Gregg, and my memory fails on who else. Beautiful acoustic ABB tunes. As for this post, what a find. First time hearing Clements, and lordy what impressive fiddlin'. I just wish the banjo player was given a solo. BTW, as most know , Betts started out around the age of 7 playing along with father and uncles in family jams. He has said what fine music the elders made on all kinds of stringed instruments; he literally learned at his father's knee and never learned to actually read music!
It amazes me that he wrote lyrics and composed music without ever learning how to read music. His instrumentals such as In Memory of Elizabeth Reed, Jessica, and High Falls are genius.
Dickey Betts gets a royalties check throught the post every month from the BBC for his Top Gear tune, 'Jessica'..and he has done since they first started using it in the early 80's.
cool arrangement. I too was spoiled seeing Vassar so much over the years. dickey, too actually. Vassar did records and shows with Grappelli also. it don't get much better than that, trust me. he even does some nice work on a great dead studio cut. and obviously he owned bluegrass and old time fiddle.
WOW! I use to watch this show every week back in the day. Unfortunately, I didn't know who DIckey really was back then. I wish more episodes of Fire on the Mountain was here on youtube.
Yes, it faded with time, but he could still hit those notes on Blue Sky even in his mid-70s. I just wish his son Duane had gotten some of that vocal DNA along with his obvious pickin' ability.
my friend,(a free history lesson) this music is called bluegrass..before that it was called mountain music, and hillbilly music ( i am from kentucky where it all started).. also the style of guitar playing is called flat picking... i am glad this music made it to the U.K
@011001101599 I met Mr. Clements many years ago at the Tennesse valley old time fiddlers convention at Athens, Alabama. He was a very kind man. Did you take up the fiddle too?
This has some good licks, but it's not very good as a whole! This is the first bit of Dickey Betts doing "bluegrass" I have heard, and John barely touched his banjo... I still favorited it though!
No offense, vibrasonic99, but Vassar is the king of swing fiddle. He was a killer bluegrasser too, but his contribution is fiddling outside of the box. Listen to his first break again and tell me it's a bluegrasser trying to fit in. Lol. The one who is out of place here is Dickey. His heart is huge, but he is sitting for a reason. It's a little bit easier to fret something or other when sitting down.
No offense, vibrasonic99, but Vassar is the king of swing fiddle. He was a killer bluegrasser too, but his contribution is fiddling outside of the box. Listen to his first break again and tell me it's a bluegrasser trying to fit in. Lol.
most troubling thing about dicky betts is he thinks he's too cool. needs to back off the ego.. duane's gonna smack the crap out of you one day in that afterlife place
@@gunnerblankenship4132et, als. Just cut it out you folks, please. Any of you know Dickey? I don't, but those who did noted that his habit was alcohol more than anything else. As for Duane, he's been quoted as remarking that Dickey was his superior. And Gregg, he finally got fully straight a good bit before he went to the afterlife, which is more than you can say for Duane.Further, I've read what lots of folks who actually know Dickey have said what a humble person he is, whole family possessing a kind of thoughtful, slow, quiet way of talking (despite Dickey's well-known penchant for welcoming a good fight in the old days -- lol) Anyway, enough of the snide (unfunny) swipes.
Amen. Dickie Betts has given us all such great music, along with Gregg and Duane, and on his own as well. We don’t need a bunch of humorless clowns on here making negative remarks.
Vassar Clements was my Great Grandfather. I called him Papa Vassar. Hearing him play on youtube is just wonderful. I miss him so much. I remember when I first heard him play. It was just amazing. I would do anything to hear him play in person one last time.
Your Great Grandfather was the greatest fiddler to ever live, no one else is remotely even close.
bless. Your Papa Vasser was loved & respected so much. ❤ we miss him sorely.
Yes,he's the greatest ever lived.He's also playing with one of the greatest guitar players ever lived.
I saw your granddad play in NYC. What a fantastic fiddler
Hailey I saw GG play a handful of times. Long live the Kissimmee kid. People still wear Vassar shirts and honor him up at Springfest. You should make the trip in March if you have not already. Love to you and your family.
RIP: the great Dickey Betts
Vassar Clements did a bluegrass album with Jerry Garcia called "Old and In the Way" which is also outstanding. Dickie real is enjoying himself on this! Love Vassar and Dickie together!
That album was Jerry Garcia. Tony Rice. David Grisman...ole dog music.
Old & In the Way was Peter Rowan (not Tony Rice)...THE JAM with Vassar and Dickey was "Hand Picked" from Dickey's Album "HIGHWAY CALL" ... an absolute must-have, level 10 album...
That's some mighty fine pickin'! Dad's stories of hanging on the bus with Vassar and Dickey brought me here!
Vassar is like no other fiddle player...you can tell it's him in the first four beats of his break! One of a kind! Brilliant!
I really took for granted all the times I got to see Vassar play and the time I got to spend with him when I was a kid. It's kind of like getting to relive those times any time go around and listen to these old recordings.
I'd say. I'd try time travel to hear Vassar play live.
Your Great Grandpapa was not only one of the most remarkably talented cross-genre musicians it has ever been my privilege to see and hear, but was also an exceptionally sweet, generous and honorable gentleman.
My respects to you and your family!
That's one hell of a quilt.
Have you folks heard of an album Dickey and Vassar did together called, "Highway Call?" That is some fine, fine, fine, fine music! If you love this, you'll love that as well. It has the best version of Vassar's "Kissimmee Kid."
This is unbelievable! I had heard that Vassar and Dickey played together, but I had never heard it.
You need to pick up Dickey's Highway Call record then. FYI he was going by Richard Betts at the time.
One of my favorite albums!!!
Damn, Ole Forrest Richard Betts can pick!
So many great fiddle players in acoustic/Bluegrass music and I couldn't put one above the other as far as talent but I always loved listening to Vassar the best. He played things that were so unexpected and that's what it takes to keep the listeners ear.
like another comment said, theres SO many good fiddlers, but the great ones, like mark oconnor, johnny hartford,etc., but unexpected flourishes on a note, make it look effortless, and never seem to repeat themselves. great players ALL !
Dickey doing some Django guitar.
We used to drive from Providence to a small club in Connecticut, right over the border. Vassar played there all the time. It was a great musical education and stayed with me all these years. Saw Dickey's band in Providence about the same time.
Was that the Shaboo Inn?
Vassar Clements is the star of this video for me. I don't recall hearing about Dave Sayler, but he put his best foot forward when given a chance to take a turn on his acoustic.
Only if more people knew about that record !
I got it when I was 17. The title track is my favoite.
Vassar was just like he seems. One of the nicest people I have ever worked with. Nurse!
I believe the name of the song is Georgia on a Fast Train.
Now that's some fine pickin right there boys.
So cosmic. Two musical champs... n with good backup
i mean it don't get no better - thanks for posting -
that was incredible, never had the pleasure of seeing Betts pickin' acoustic...and he's playing with Vassar, the preeminent fiddler of the 20th century IMHO
There's a great other post on youtube "ABB Unplugged," featuring Dickey, Gregg, and my memory fails on who else. Beautiful acoustic ABB tunes. As for this post, what a find. First time hearing Clements, and lordy what impressive fiddlin'. I just wish the banjo player was given a solo. BTW, as most know , Betts started out around the age of 7 playing along with father and uncles in family jams. He has said what fine music the elders made on all kinds of stringed instruments; he literally learned at his father's knee and never learned to actually read music!
It amazes me that he wrote lyrics and composed music without ever learning how to read music. His instrumentals such as In Memory of Elizabeth Reed, Jessica, and High Falls are genius.
one of my favorite guitarist and one of my most listened to fiddlers playing a song by one of my favorite song writers billy joel shaver.
Good stuff right there!
Thank YOU!! Wow. Two legends. Sweet!!!
Check out Betts' album 'Highway Call'.
Yes,a great album!
oh yeh! I wore that one out back in the 70s! I even learned all Dickey's songs on guitar and grew a mustache :)
Original album had a poster. A green watercolor country scene. I still have it.
Thats awesome.
Thats john McEwen from nitty gritty dirt band on banjo, also known as the string wizard because he is awesome on any instrument he puts in his hands.
Dickey Betts gets a royalties check throught the post every month from the BBC for his Top Gear tune, 'Jessica'..and he has done since they first started using it in the early 80's.
Your Grandad was a natural. The Cherokee Kid ... !!!
This is bad ass
thanks,
great vidéo
many thanks
It turns to really nice jam session :) Love to hear musicians jamming joyfully.
good ol dickie,one of the best ever.
dickie is great! one of my favorite pieces is Les Brers ln A Minor,on Eat A Peach. vasser is one of a kind. great tune.
the best ever
cool arrangement. I too was spoiled seeing Vassar so much over the years. dickey, too actually. Vassar did records and shows with Grappelli also. it don't get much better than that, trust me. he even does some nice work on a great dead studio cut. and obviously he owned bluegrass and old time fiddle.
Yep.
Probably my favorite show on TNN. Wish there was a way to get copies of full episodes.
Wow!
Good job by Dave!!
Betts always had a twinkle in his eyes.
vassar rules
I would agree - they are all great - but Vassar is above em IMHO.
WOW! I use to watch this show every week back in the day. Unfortunately,
I didn't know who DIckey really was
back then. I wish more episodes
of Fire on the Mountain was here
on youtube.
DB's voice was sooooo much stronger back then. Miss that now...
Yes, it faded with time, but he could still hit those notes on Blue Sky even in his mid-70s. I just wish his son Duane had gotten some of that vocal DNA along with his obvious pickin' ability.
RIP Billy Joe!
@vibrasonic99 I'm no fan of Ovation guitars myself, but I love this performance! I miss TNN.
Dave Salyer
Killer!
I regret not having the nerve to speak to Betts at the grocery store.
my friend,(a free history lesson)
this music is called bluegrass..before that it was called mountain music, and hillbilly music ( i am from kentucky where it all started)..
also the style of guitar playing is called flat picking...
i am glad this music made it to the U.K
👋😃 🇺🇸
#longlivedickeybetts
@mikealberice shit , i didn't even notice there is a bass player xD
Curious, I wonder why the are all tuned down to A flat
@joshua9312 And Clements is playing a lot like Stephan Grapaldi
Grappelli, you mean? Sorry for correcting, but just in case someone wants to check out your reference.
this is FLA music
@011001101599 I met Mr. Clements many years ago at the Tennesse valley old time fiddlers convention at Athens, Alabama. He was a very kind man. Did you take up the fiddle too?
someone please tell me who the other guitarist in this video is
Hot...ouch!
This is some fine a picken and a singing
Isn't that a bearded Roy Huskey, Jr on ELECTRIC (!) bass?
DICKY Betts looks and sounds like TonY Rice and then you have Vassar . YaHoo
I'll hand ya $'s all Day - :) QC
This has some good licks, but it's not very good as a whole! This is the first bit of Dickey Betts doing "bluegrass" I have heard, and John barely touched his banjo... I still favorited it though!
OK, I a huge Dickey Betts fan, and no disrespect to the man, but that other guitar player is the hottest picker on this song.
Yes he gets zero credit on here from people. Who is he ??
Man, Ovations have always sucked😂. Excellent performance
No offense, vibrasonic99, but Vassar is the king of swing fiddle. He was a killer bluegrasser too, but his contribution is fiddling outside of the box. Listen to his first break again and tell me it's a bluegrasser trying to fit in. Lol.
The one who is out of place here is Dickey. His heart is huge, but he is sitting for a reason. It's a little bit easier to fret something or other when sitting down.
No offense, vibrasonic99, but Vassar is the king of swing fiddle. He was a killer bluegrasser too, but his contribution is fiddling outside of the box. Listen to his first break again and tell me it's a bluegrasser trying to fit in. Lol.
All great players, great song. I met McCune in person, he is not too cool. very condesccending
Sorry folks I dont care if its a 15 dollar Montgomery Ward geetar they are both legends but I will bite down and shut up
The bass player looks lonely...
most troubling thing about dicky betts is he thinks he's too cool. needs to back off the ego.. duane's gonna smack the crap out of you one day in that afterlife place
botaduck he's slapping Greg's rat butt right now
He is wanting to know where his cocaine is.
@@gunnerblankenship4132et, als. Just cut it out you folks, please. Any of you know Dickey? I don't, but those who did noted that his habit was alcohol more than anything else. As for Duane, he's been quoted as remarking that Dickey was his superior. And Gregg, he finally got fully straight a good bit before he went to the afterlife, which is more than you can say for Duane.Further, I've read what lots of folks who actually know Dickey have said what a humble person he is, whole family possessing a kind of thoughtful, slow, quiet way of talking (despite Dickey's well-known penchant for welcoming a good fight in the old days -- lol) Anyway, enough of the snide (unfunny) swipes.
Amen. Dickie Betts has given us all such great music, along with Gregg and Duane, and on his own as well. We don’t need a bunch of humorless clowns on here making negative remarks.