A Conversation with Vassar Clements   (continued)

PM: Now, what about places? Are there some places on the planet where you like to go and spend time sometimes?

VC: I like it out there in San Francisco. There are a lot of places I like, out of the way places.

PM: Have you done a lot of traveling abroad in your life?

VC: Just Germany and Japan and New Zealand, and oh, let's see--that's probably most of the places I've been.

PM: Did you like that international stuff?

VC: I enjoy it. I don't like to stay months, but I love to go because they treat you like a king, and it's good to see another part of the world.

PM: Yeah.

VC: I want to go to the Scandinavian countries, I want to go to the Asian countries. I want to see that. But I don't know if I'll have a chance or not. I just never did really pursue it, but maybe there'll come a time.

PM: They'll love you wherever you go, I know that.

VC: I met this guy from Ireland--this was in the last two days, when I was down here teaching at the Blair School of Music. And he said, "Mr. Clements, the first American I ever heard when I started was you. I've been listening to you ever since." I said, "Well, that's an honor. I didn't have any idea." He said, "You're the first American that I heard play."

PM: Because he grew up an Irish fiddler strictly listening to Irish players?

VC: Uh-huh.

PM: Wow.

VC: And that really made me feel good. In fact, the bass player, Vic, with Bela--

PM: Victor Wooten.

VC: Right. Somebody brought him over to the Station Inn. Kurt Story bought him by there. He always brought people by that was just starting in Nashville. And Vic come up. He said, "The first tune I ever learned on the bass was 'The Lonesome Fiddle Blues.'"

PM: [laughs]

VC: It's things like that that really make you feel good.

PM: Ain't that something.

VC: Grisman, I used to get on to him, "Can't you get out of a minor key for a while?" He'd say, "Hey, man, you're the one who started the minors." I said, "I ain't started no minors." He said, "'Lonesome Fiddle Blues.'"

[laughter]

PM: So, last question: Can you tell us some little something about yourself that your fans might not ever know?

VC: I really don't know anything much except go to church and you'll feel much better. I just love people and jamming and trying to make up licks and put them together to make something sound good.

PM: What a kick it is talking to you, Vassar. It's been a wonderful conversation.

VC: Listen, Frank, I appreciate you calling, and if I ever get around you I want to see you and talk with you.

PM: I hope we sit down and play us a tune sometime.

VC: Well, let's do that. We'll get Grisman to do another album, and you can go over there and we'll play.

PM: [laughs]

VC: Okay.

PM: Thanks, Vassar. It's great talking with you.

	print (pdf)
	listen to clips
	vassarclements.com
	acousticdisc.com
	photographers:
	Jim McGuire
	Steve Thompson
	Michael Sheehan
	Phil Harris
	Todd E. Gaul
	puremusic home
	archives