One of the most beloved and well-respected members of our veteran bluegrass community is in need of help.
Bassist Todd Phillips, who has found himself performing with the very best in bluegrass music throughout his career, has been diagnosed with Parsonage-Turner Syndrome, also known as neuralgic amyotrophy, a very painful shoulder condition that hs left him unable to play since spring of 2025.
An original member of the David Grisman Quintet, Todd also played bass with the Tony Rice Unit, and the acclaimed Bluegrass Album Band, plus PsychoGrass, Laurie Lewis, NewGrange, the Tim O’Brien/Darrell Scott Band, and with Phillips, Grier & Flinner. He’s recorded with Russ Barenberg, Brittany Haas, Sierra Hull, Jim Lauderdale, David Peterson, John Cowan, Roland White, Mike Compton, Andrea Zonn, Janis Ian, Jim Hurst, Molly Tuttle, and Bobby Osborne. You may also have seen him on stage or on record with Vassar Clements, Ricky Skaggs, Sam Bush, John Hartford, Alison Brown, Mike Marshall, Stuart Duncan, Tim O’Brien, Del McCoury, Darrell Scott, Larry Campbell, John Doyle, and more.
Most recently Todd had been a member of Appalachian Road Show until this rare and most unkind disease hit.
Gary Upton, of Upton Bass, has taken the lead to launch a GoFundMe campaign for Todd, who has been unable to work for more than a year.
Phillips explained his situation, and it’s not pretty.
“I want to thank my friend Gary Upton for suggesting and initiating this page for me. 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, six years old and eight years 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.
As briefly as possible, here is what has happened over the last year.
I’m happy to say, the last show I got to play was David Grisman’s 80th birthday concert (capping the 50 year anniversary of the original DGQ). That was in Seattle on March 25, 2025, but about a week after that in the first week of April last year I had extreme unbearable pain in my left shoulder. I was prescribed oral painkillers and steroids. A few days later the pain got somewhat better but my arm dropped to my side nearly paralyzed. I was initially/incorrectly diagnosed with, and underwent treatment for, ‘frozen-shoulder.’ I was administered a massive shot of painkillers and steroids through the cartilage straight into the shoulder joint. It didn’t help. No relief.
That began a series of 20 more doctor’s and physical therapy appointments over the next six months, including X-ray, three MRIs (shoulder, spine, and brachial plexus) and an EMG. Finally, the brachial plexus MRI revealed nerve damage and a condition called Parsonage-Turner Syndrome. The specialist I now see says it’s typical to wait about 18 months before significant improvement, though it can be between one to three years to heal. It’s a rare disease affecting only about two people in 100,000. I’ve met one guy that had it and he said his lasted two
For the last 12 months I’ve relied on family, friends, and gracious help from the IBMA (thank you), Grand Ole Opry (thank you), and Nashville Musician’s Union (thank you). Even with that, my family and I are in a very deep financial hole due to this condition, and having suffered the loss of almost all of my income over the last year. The wellbeing of my kids is in play now so I feel it’s time to reach out. Hopefully my abilities will return by year’s end and I can play some more big-low-musical-notes for all of you.
Thank you.”
Gary’s GoFundMe campaign is trying to raise $100,000 for Todd and his family. There is no doubt that the bluegrass community has the resources to make this happen.
Donations can be processed quickly and safely online.
Dig deep, folks, for Todd Phillips!
