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Roderick “Rory” MacLeod was a Rhode Island bassist and music educator whose career spanned more than 50 years. He died on December 6, 2025, after a vehicle struck him while he was walking his dog in Hope Valley. The Grammy connection belongs to Roomful of Blues: MacLeod played bass on the band’s Grammy-nominated 1988 album Glazed; he was not individually nominated.
What happened in Hope Valley
MacLeod, 70, of Richmond, Rhode Island, was walking his dog along the shoulder in the Hope Valley area of Hopkinton when he was struck by a vehicle, according to contemporaneous reports citing police. He was taken to Rhode Island Hospital and died from his injuries.
Boston.com reported that police responded at approximately 7:21 a.m. on December 6 near 42 Spring Street, also Route 138. In the police account as reported by the outlet, an eastbound vehicle left its lane, hit roadside objects including two telephone poles, and then struck MacLeod on the shoulder. These are preliminary reported details, not an independent reconstruction of the crash. Boston.com’s account identified the location, time and reported sequence.
Who Rory MacLeod was
MacLeod was a working musician and teacher in Rhode Island’s roots-music community. Ocean State Media described him as active in the local scene for more than 50 years; a Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame statement cited by The Boston Globe likewise characterized his musical career as spanning more than five decades.
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His credits reached beyond Roomful of Blues. The Boston Globe reported that he played with the band, on early solo outings by Duke Robillard, and on recordings with Paul Geremia. He also worked with Jack Smith & The Rockabilly Planet and released a solo album in 1995. The available reporting does not identify that album’s title. The Boston Globe’s obituary details those credits.
His connection to Roomful of Blues and the Grammy nomination
MacLeod played bass on Glazed, Roomful of Blues’ 1988 album, which was Grammy-nominated. The nomination recognized the album, not MacLeod as an individual. The Boston Globe also names the band’s Dressed Up to Get Messed Up and Live at Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel among releases featuring him. The Globe’s report identifies the album and his performance credits.
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Teaching, partnership and community
MacLeod’s work also centered on passing music on. He and his wife, fiddler Sandol Astrausky, performed and taught together, including through Brown University’s long-running old-time stringband class. Ocean State Media reported that the pair taught and mentored hundreds of students.
In a retrospective conversation with Ocean State Media, MacLeod recalled his initial attraction to old-time music: “My initial attraction had a lot more to do with how it’s presented.” The Boston Globe also quoted him on performing with Astrausky, in a remark it attributed to a Brown Alumni Magazine interview: “You probably can tell that playing music with someone that you’re in love with is an added bonus to playing music with just other people.”
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What is known about the case
Boston.com reported that Shannon N. Godbout was charged in connection with the crash and that additional charges could follow while the investigation continued. That report describes the case at that point in time; the sources cited here do not establish a final court disposition.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why his death mattered to Rhode Island music
MacLeod’s significance was not limited to a single high-profile recording credit. He contributed to bands and recordings across blues, roots and rockabilly, while sustaining a local career that lasted more than five decades. His teaching with Astrausky extended that influence to generations of students. His death therefore marked the loss of both a veteran performer and a community educator.
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The Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame maintains an archive of biographies, discographies, photographs and related materials documenting the state’s music history. Its archive offers context for exploring musicians and scenes connected to Rhode Island.
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