An American virtuoso jazz and bluegrass fiddler.
Clements was born in Kinard, South Carolina, but grew up in Kissimmee, Florida. He taught himself to play the fiddle at the age of 7 and soon formed a local string band with two cousins. In his early teens, he met Bill Monroe and the Bluegrass Boys when they came to Florida to visit Clements' stepfather who knew Chubby Wise. In late 1949, when Wise left Monroe, Clements was hired as his replacement in the Bluegrass Boys where he remained for 7 years.
Between 1957 and 1962, he was a member of the bluegrass band Jim and Jesse. Returning to Nashville in 1967, he became a much sought after studio musician.
After a brief touring stint with Faron Young he joined John Hartford's Dobrolic Plectral Society in 1971 where he met guitarist Norman Blake and dobro player Tut Taylor, and recorded Aereo-Plain, a widely acclaimed 'newgrass' album that helped broaden the bluegrass market and sound. After less than a year he joined Earl Scruggs, who first earned widespread renown for playing the theme to the Beverly Hillbillies TV sitcom.
His 1972 work with the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band on their album Will the Circle Be Unbroken earned him even wider acclaim, and he later worked on the Grateful Dead's Wake of the Flood.
In 1974, he joined Jerry Garcia, David Grisman, Peter Rowan and John Kahn in releasing the bluegrass album, Old and in the Way. That same year he lent his talents to Highway Call, a solo album by Allman Brothers Band guitarist Dickey Betts.
In his 50 year career, he played with artists ranging from Woody Herman and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band to the Grateful Dead, Linda Ronstadt and Paul McCartney, and earned at least 5 Grammy nominations and numerous professional accolades. He also appeared in Robert Altman's 1975 film Nashville and Alan Rudolph's 1976 film, Welcome to L.A.
Clements played on over 2000 albums. His last album, Livin' With the Blues, released in 2004, featured guest appearances by Elvin Bishop, Norton Buffalo, Maria Muldaur and others.
Clements' last performance was in February 2005 and he died of cancer in August 2005 aged 77.