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Grammy nominee killed by woman with 100+ prior arrests

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A Grammy-nominated musician was killed by a driver with more than 100 prior arrests, police in Rhode Island said.

Roderick MacLeod, 70, of Richmond, died Saturday morning while walking his dogs after Shannon Godbout drove her vehicle out of the travel lane on Spring Street in Hopkinton, struck two telephone poles, and hit MacLeod as he walked on the shoulder of the road.

MacLeod was a bassist for the Grammy-nominated blues band Roomful of Blues in the 1980s. He played on the band’s Grammy-nominated 1988 album “Glazed” featuring singer and guitarist Earl King. The band was also featured on albums “Dressed Up to Get Messed Up” in 1984 and “Live at Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel” in 1987.

He was inducted into the Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame in 2012 as a member of the band.

MacLeod was transported to Rhode Island Hospital, where he died from his injuries. His dog survived the crash and ran home, dragging his leash.

Godbout, 41, of Hopkinton, was arrested at the scene and transported to Westerly Hospital for medical evaluation. Officers said they found her “in possession of numerous illegal narcotics and packaging materials commonly associated with drug distribution,” according to the Hopkinton Police Department.

She was charged with driving to endanger resulting in death and possession of Schedule I/II narcotics with intent to distribute, third-plus offense. Additional charges may be filed.

Godbout has a criminal history of 102 arrests, including eight arrests by the Hopkinton Police Department alone. Police said 82 court warrants have been issued for Godbout, and she has received 40 traffic citations.

Godbout was held without bail Saturday and was scheduled to be arraigned in Washington County District Court on Tuesday.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with Mr. MacLeod’s family during this difficult time following this tragic incident,” Hopkinton Police Chief Mark J. Carrier said in a statement.

MacLeod had a musical career spanning more than 50 years. He was the original bassist for Duke Robillard’s first solo outings and recorded extensively with Paul Geremia. He was also a member and producer of Jack Smith & The Rockabilly Planet. MacLeod released a single in 1993 and an album in 1995 as a solo artist.

In recent years, MacLeod served as a teaching associate at Brown University alongside his wife, fiddler Sandol Astrausky. The couple directed the university’s Old-Time String Band program, where MacLeod taught guitar, banjo, and upright bass.

The Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame acknowledged MacLeod’s death “with great sadness” in a Facebook post.

“In addition to his time as bassist with Roomful, Rory enjoyed a career of more than 50 years in a wide variety of settings,” the Hall of Fame wrote. “In recent years, MacLeod had become a guiding light in the roots music community as a performer and educator.”

Roomful of Blues released a statement extending “our deepest condolences to Rory MacLeod’s family, friends and all of his fans.”

“We would like to acknowledge his diverse musical contributions as well as being a wonderful and gentle soul. There are no words for such an immense loss,” the band said.

The crash remains under investigation.

About the Author

Stephen is a U.S. Army veteran with over a decade of combined experience in political commentary, economics, and news.