Macleod earned acclaim for his work with the distinguished swing revival band Roomful of Blues.

Grammy-nominated musician Rory Macleod killed while walking dogs by driver with more than 100 arrests on rap sheet

Macleod earned acclaim for his work with the distinguished swing revival band Roomful of Blues.

By Ryan Coleman

Ryan Coleman

Ryan Coleman is a news writer for with previous work in MUBI Notebook, Slant, and the LA Review of Books.

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December 10, 2025 4:48 p.m. ET

Rory Macleod in Charlestown, R.I., in 2012. Credit:

Douglas Mason/Getty

Rory Macleod, the Grammy-nominated blues musician and past member of the swing revival group Roomful of Blues, was killed on Dec. 6 after being struck by a car while walking his dogs.

The Hopkinton, R.I. Police Department announced Macleod's death in a post shared to its official Facebook account on Sunday. The press release issued by Chief Mark Carrier noted that the incident occurred at approximately 7:21 a.m. that Wednesday. A car traveling eastbound down Spring St. in Hope Valley, R.I., veered out of its lane, striking "several objects, including two telephone poles and the pedestrian walking his dogs in the shoulder."

Macleod, 70, was identified as the victim and transferred to a local hospital, where he eventually "succumbed to his injuries and passed away."**

Shannon N. Godbout.

Hopkinton Police Department

Police identified the driver of the vehicle as 41-year-old Shannon N. Godbout, whose prior criminal record includes over 100 arrests and 40 traffic citations. Godbout was also discovered "in possession of numerous illegal narcotics and packaging materials commonly associated with drug distribution" when police arrived on the scene.

Rhode Island State Police and its Accident Reconstruction Team are currently investigating the incident, but Godbout already faces two preliminary charges: Driving so as to endanger, resulting in death; and possession of narcotics with intent to distribute.

Godbout is currently on probation for several past charges, and will be scheduled for an appearance before a Justice of the Peace and the Rhode Island Attorney General's Office.**

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Macleod was a prolific and esteemed bassist, performing as part of the expansive, Grammy-nominated Roomful of Blues ensemble beginning in 1985. Not to be confused with the British folk singer Rory McLeod, the blues bassist enjoyed a dynamic career, releasing solo albums and recording with acts like Duke Robillard and Jack Smith & the Rockabilly Planet. He was inducted into the Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame in 2012.

In a tribute to Macleod shared to its official Facebook page on Sunday, the R.I. Music Hall of Fame called Macleod "a guiding light in the roots music community as a performer and educator alongside his wife and musical partner, fiddler Sandol Astrausky," and noted that in recent years, the couple had begun "serving as Teaching Associates at Brown University and directors of Old-Time String Band."

Roomful of Blues mourned the loss of Macleod in their own solemn Facebook post shared Sunday. Over an image of Macleod playing an upright bass, the group wrote, "Roomful of Blues would like to extend 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. RIP dear friend."

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