Butch Baldassari R.I.P.
We are saddened to note that Butch Baldassari, mandolinist, business owner and bluegrass entrepreneur, passed away earlier today (1/10) in Nashville.
Butch had fought a long and hard battle with a pernicious brain cancer, by all reports remaining upbeat and in good spirits to the end. His impact on our music has been longstanding, and ongoing up to the point that his cancer took him from us.
For most bluegrass fans, Butch first appeared on the scene in 1985 as a member of Weary Hearts, a band which also included fellow future luminaries Ron Block, Chris Jones and Mike Bub. He had a tenure with Lonesome Standard Time before launching the Nashville Mandolin Ensemble to recreate the music of the classic mandolin orchestras in 1991.
Baldassari also founded a record label, Sound Art Recordings, which specialized in mando-centric music. His discography lists 14 titles under his name and dozens where he is featured as a performer or producer.
Butch also has a number of instructional books and DVDs to his credit, but the most lingering legacy among his many friends in the bluegrass business will be his dry sense of humor and dedication to musical excellence.
Butch leaves his wife, Sinclair, and a son, Blake.
We will have more information about arrangements when they are announced.
Email This Post
| Print | Top | 1 Comment
A new CD has been released from Sound Art Recordings as a tribute to the late Butch Baldassari, who founded the company, and ran it until his death earlier this year.
Butch was a true leader in the mandolin world - as a player, composer, instructor, entrepreneur, and fierce proponent of musical literacy...
What a treat to get an upbeat and positive message from Butch Baldassari this Christmas! As our regular readers know, Butch has been undergoing treatment for brain cancer, and until recently, had not had the strength to even pick up a mandolin.
Perhaps a Christmas donation to Butch's Medical Fund,...
Noted mandolinist Mike Compton has also sent along his reflections on the death of Butch Baldassari, who passed away after a lengthy battle with brain cancer on January 10, 2009.
Butch's passing has sort of caught me off-guard really. He seemed like he was actually going to just outlast the situation...
The Tennessean, Nashville's hometown newspaper, remembered Butch Baldassari with a pair of articles over the weekend.
Both were written by Peter Cooper, who noted Butch's passing on Saturday (1/10) and celebrated his work with The Nashville Mandolin Ensemble on Sunday (1/11).
Mr. Baldassari was a...
We got a note last night from Chris Jones with a remembrance of his friend and former band mate, Butch Baldassari, prompted by Butch's untimely passing on Saturday (1/10).
Chris is not only an accomplished bluegrass singer, songwriter and bandleader, but also a popular radio host. His weekday show...
Here are some more reflections on Butch Baldassari from members of his musical family.
It has been nearly 20 years ago that Butch and I moved to Nashville with Chris Jones and Ward Stout to pursue our musical endeavor in Weary Hearts. I have known Butch since I was probably 15 or 16 and that is...
Leave a comment
Comments are open and unmoderated for our registered users, only your first comment will require approval before publication. Comments do not necessarily reflect the views of The Bluegrass Blog. Obscene, abusive, silly, or annoying remarks may be deleted, but the fact that particular comments remain on the site in no way constitutes an endorsement of their content by The Bluegrass Blog.
[...] American mandolinist Butch Baldassari passed away on Saturday from brain cancer. (via reader email) For most bluegrass fans, Butch first appeared on the scene in 1985 as a member of Weary Hearts, a band which also included fellow future luminaries Ron Block, Chris Jones and Mike Bub. He had a tenure with Lonesome Standard Time before launching the Nashville Mandolin Ensemble to recreate the music of the classic mandolin orchestras in 1991. [...]
You must