GoFundMe Launched for Bluegrass Bass Icon Todd Phillips After Rare Nerve Damage Sidelines Him
Another bass icon needs our help, as a GoFundMe has been set up for bluegrass legend Todd Phillips. The bassist, who played on seminal records by artists like Tony Rice and David Grisman, has been suffering from Parsonage-Turner syndrome, a rare type of nerve damage affecting the shoulder that has left him unable to play.
“No shows, no sessions, no income. He has a young family, a long recovery timeline, and difficulty covering living expenses,” the GoFundMe states. “If his playing has meant something to you, here’s a chance to give something back while he’s here to receive it.”
The GoFundMe campaign was set up at the insistence of luthier Gary Upton of Upton Bass, and Phillips resisted for months.
“I want to thank my friend Gary Upton for suggesting and initiating this page for me,” he writes. “We haven’t known each other long but when I told him about my health issues preventing me from playing upright bass as I have for 55 years, and also that I have a young family, 6 year old and 8 year old, he immediately suggested that he start this GoFundMe page. As much as I resisted and waited, I am finally in a position of no choice having lost most of my income for a full year now. I truly appreciate Gary’s effort and that you are here looking at it.”
Upton recently interviewed Phillips, where they discussed bass playing, his career, and his current situation.
Phillips has played a role in some of the most influential bluegrass projects in history. He was a member of the David Grisman Quintet, The Bluegrass Album Band, The Tony Rice Unit, The New South, Sam Bush, PsychoGrass, and much more.
Please consider donating to help Todd Phillips if you can. Find more details and donate on GoFundMe.
In his time with No Treble, Kevin has met hundreds of amazing bassists and interviewed icons like Jack Casady, Victor Wooten, Les Claypool, Marcus Miller, and more. He's a gigging bassist performing jazz in Northern Virginia and bluegrass with The Plate Scrapers up and down the East Coast. Kevin appreciates all genres of music, from R&B to metal and everything in between. Connect with Kevin on Facebook and check his performance schedule on his website.
