The last time we ran into dobro meister Phil Leadbetter was at SPBGMA back in February, he looked fully a decade or two older than his 56 years. Dealing with a nagging hip issue, he was moving slowly around the hall and had difficulty standing very long, or getting up from a seated position.
His pain was such that the only way he was able to perform was sitting down, but he told us he was heading in for hip replacement surgery soon and hoped to be back to his old self this summer.
Inspired by the Alpine scenery at Bluegrass Camp Germany in Fischbachau over the weekend, and prodded gently by fellow instructor Ashby Frank, he showed off his new svelte and agile self in this video tribute to a ’60s classic.
Leadbetter has had a rough time of late, with several years of cancer treatments and now this hip surgery, but he says he is back and better than ever, ready to pick and sing.
Well done, Uncle Phil! Glad to see you feeling so spry.
