Dale Vanderpool, noted bluegrass banjo player and good friend to many in the central US, died Sunday after a three year struggle with cancer. He was 59 years old.
His professional work included stints with Don Rigsby, Larry Stephenson and Melvin Goins. Dale was also a part of Rock County for a time, the group Rigsby formed after leaving Lonesome River Band.
Vanderpool was a stalwart practitioner of the Scruggs style of banjo and an aficionado of the classic pre war banjos Earl played. Here’s video of him on a Scruggs classic with Rigsby in 2010.
Don posted this tribute last night on Facebook:
“After a lengthy struggle with cancer, my dear friend Dale Vanderpool has went home to be with our Savior. I am thinking back to some wonderful memories of times past and things we did together and his warm personality and big ole belly laugh. I have really missed being around him and no doubt as this sinks in I am gonna miss him even more. I hate cancer. It has robbed this life of too many great people. Rest well old friend.”
