Question
I have a red leaf maple that is approximately 15 feet tall.  This year it has started sprouting leaves around the first branches and nowhere else.  At 4 feet, on the base of the tree contains foliage, the branches have no leaves, above the 4 foot level there is sign of leaves anywhere else on the crown.  It doesn't appear to have any of the known deseases that I have seen on the internet.

Answer
Many of my customers have experienced this type of die-back on their red leaved maples as well and it is due to our exceptionally dry and cold, windy winter creating a moisture-loss situation. If you do not see any buds on the upper portion of your tree, I doubt you will and I suspect these branches to be dead. If you wish to save the rest of this tree, you can cut off these branches and allow it to eventually fill in from the bottom up.