On August 16, 2005 at the age of 77, Vassar Clements lost his battle with lung cancer. It'd been a long and arduous battle but it came the time for him to lay down his fiddle and rest as his daughter Midge comforted him in his passing. He played a 400-year-old French violin with the head of a bearded man carved on the scroll. His website's opening page displays a weeping picture of the instrument's carving.

Vassar Clements career spanned over 50 years becoming known as the "King of Hillbilly jazz." While best known (and loved) within the Bluegrass realm, Vassar's repertoire included Country, Jazz, Swing, Rock and Pop music. Clearly versatile on the fiddle, he grew in popularity and was invited to play on various recordings with artists such as Bonnie Raite, Hank Williams Jr., Jerry Garcia, The Grateful Dead, The Allman Brothers, Linda Ronstadt, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, David Grisman, and Paul McCartney. Quite honestly the list seems endless. In fact, Vassar is featured on more than 2000 recordings and 27 releases as a solo artist. In his own right, Vassar was recognized with various awards including five grammy nominations.

Clements was a self-taught musician and begin playing "what he heard" by ear at the age of 7. Vassar felt that his talent was a gift from God born within him. At the age of 14, Vassar's career was launched when he joined the legendary Bill Monroe's Bluegrass Boys. According to David Grisman "His (Vassar's)first recording with Bill was 'New Mule Skinner Blues'. His solo on that recording is one of the cornerstones of bluegrass fiddle playing." He went on to perform with Jim & Jesse McReynolds and Earl Scruggs. To say his work is influential is an understatement. As a pioneer and virtuostic fiddler, Vassar has been defined as a musical genius with an incredible imagination and a unique sound.

Vassar Clements was a man of faith and was revered for his gentle spirit. Throughout his career, this humble man's greatest ambition was to bring love and happiness to people. His music lives on in the heart of those who loved him and in the memories of all those who have had the pleasure of listening to his music.