Long-standing bluegrass and country music aficionado and student, Phillip Wells, passed away suddenly at his home in South Hadley, Massachusetts, on Friday, July 9, 2021.
Born May 23, 1936, Wells grew up on a small dairy farm in The Berkshires of western Massachusetts, and worked as a food scientist until he retired in 2001.
A guitar player from his teenage years, he was an avid musician, collector of vinyl record albums, and a lifelong bluegrass music fan. He enjoyed playing and recording his own songs as well as those of various artists, most notably Hank Williams. Wells was Editor of the Hank Williams Fan Club Newsletter also.
While at Rutgers University, from where he obtained his PhD, he was a regular DJ on Sudzin Country, and following his retirement often filled in as DJ at Country Corner, WTCC Springfield, 90.7 FM, Springfield, Massachusetts.
Wells was a particular fan of the Gibson Brothers and his input for their Brotherhood album (Rounder Records) was significant.
Here he performs the Gibson Brothers song Farm of Yesterday (At the Wells Family Reunion in 2012.
R.I.P. Phillip Wells
