Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
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The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band is an American country rock band formed in 1966. The group has existed in various forms since its founding in
Long Beach, California Long Beach is a city in Los Angeles County, California. It is the 42nd-most populous city in the United States, with a population of 466,742 as of 2020. A charter city, Long Beach is the seventh-most populous city in California. Incorporate ...
. Between 1976 and 1981, the band performed and recorded as the Dirt Band. Constant members since the early times are singer-guitarist
Jeff Hanna Jeffrey R. Hanna (born July 11, 1947) is an American singer-songwriter and performance musician, best known for his association with the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. His professional music career has spanned six decades. Early life Hanna was born in ...
and drummer Jimmie Fadden. Multi-instrumentalist
John McEuen John McEuen, born December 19, 1945 in Oakland, California, is an American folk musician and a founding member of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. Career Solo work John McEuen was born in Oakland, California. In 1964, at age 18, he became interested ...
was with the band from 1966 to 1986 and returned during 2001, staying 16 years, then departing again in November 2017. Keyboardist Bob Carpenter joined the band in 1977. The band is often cited as instrumental to the progression of contemporary country and roots music. The band's successes include a
cover version In popular music, a cover version, cover song, remake, revival, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording by a musician other than the original performer or composer of the song. Originally, it referred to a version of a song release ...
of
Jerry Jeff Walker Jerry Jeff Walker (born Ronald Clyde Crosby; March 16, 1942 â€“ October 23, 2020) was an American country music and folk singer-songwriter. He was a leading figure in the progressive country and outlaw country music movement. He was bes ...
's " Mr. Bojangles". Albums include 1972's ''
Will the Circle be Unbroken "Will the Circle Be Unbroken?" is a popular Christian hymn written in 1907 by Ada R. Habershon with music by Charles H. Gabriel. The song is often recorded unattributed and, because of its age, has lapsed into the public domain. Most of the ch ...
'', featuring such traditional country artists as Mother Maybelle Carter, Earl Scruggs, Roy Acuff,
Doc Watson Arthel Lane "Doc" Watson (March 3, 1923 – May 29, 2012) was an American guitarist, songwriter, and singer of bluegrass, folk, country, blues, and gospel music. Watson won seven Grammy awards as well as a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. W ...
, Merle Travis, and Jimmy Martin. A follow-up album based on the same concept, '' Will the Circle Be Unbroken: Volume Two'' was released in 1989, was certified gold, won two Grammys, and was named Album of the Year at the
Country Music Association Awards The Country Music Association Awards, also known as the CMA Awards or CMAs, are presented to country music artists and broadcasters to recognize outstanding achievement in the country music industry. The televised annual presentation ceremony f ...
.


History


1966–1969

The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band was founded around 1966 in Long Beach, California, United States, by singer-guitarist
Jeff Hanna Jeffrey R. Hanna (born July 11, 1947) is an American singer-songwriter and performance musician, best known for his association with the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. His professional music career has spanned six decades. Early life Hanna was born in ...
and singer-songwriter-guitarist Bruce Kunkel, who had performed as the New Coast Two and later the Illegitimate Jug Band. Trying, in the words of the band's website, to "figure out how not to have to work for a living", Hanna and Kunkel joined informal jam sessions at
McCabe's Guitar Shop McCabe's Guitar Shop is a musical instrument store and live music venue on Pico Boulevard in Santa Monica, California, United States. Opened in 1958 by Gerald L. McCabe, a well-known furniture designer. McCabe's specializes in acoustic and folk i ...
in
Santa Monica Santa Monica (; Spanish: ''Santa Mónica'') is a city in Los Angeles County, situated along Santa Monica Bay on California's South Coast. Santa Monica's 2020 U.S. Census population was 93,076. Santa Monica is a popular resort town, owing to i ...
. There they met a few other musicians: guitarist- washtub bassist Ralph Barr, guitarist- clarinetist Les Thompson,
harmonicist The harmonica, also known as a French harp or mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used worldwide in many musical genres, notably in blues, American folk music, classical music, jazz, country, and rock. The many types of harmonica incl ...
and
jug A jug is a type of container commonly used to hold liquids. It has an opening, sometimes narrow, from which to pour or drink, and has a handle, and often a pouring lip. Jugs throughout history have been made of metal, and ceramic, or glass, and ...
player Jimmie Fadden, and guitarist-vocalist Jackson Browne. As Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, the six men started as a
jug band A jug band is a band employing a jug player and a mix of conventional and homemade instruments. These homemade instruments are ordinary objects adapted to or modified for making sound, like the washtub bass, washboard, spoons, bones, stovepi ...
and adopted the burgeoning southern California
folk rock Folk rock is a hybrid music genre that combines the elements of folk and rock music, which arose in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom in the mid-1960s. In the U.S., folk rock emerged from the folk music revival. Performers s ...
musical style, playing in local clubs while wearing pinstripe suits and cowboy boots. Their first paying performance was at the
Golden Bear The Golden Bear (german: Goldener Bär) is the highest prize awarded for the best film at the Berlin International Film Festival. The bear is the heraldic animal of Berlin, featured on both the coat of arms and flag of Berlin. History The win ...
in Huntington Beach, California. Browne was in the band for only a few months before he left to concentrate on a solo career as a singer-songwriter. He was replaced by
John McEuen John McEuen, born December 19, 1945 in Oakland, California, is an American folk musician and a founding member of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. Career Solo work John McEuen was born in Oakland, California. In 1964, at age 18, he became interested ...
on banjo, fiddle, mandolin, and steel guitar. McEuen's older brother, William, was the group's manager, and he helped the band get signed with Liberty Records, which released the group's debut album, '' The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band'', during 1967. The band's first single, "Buy for Me the Rain", was a Top 45 success, and the band gained exposure on ''
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson ''The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson'' was an American late-night talk show hosted by Johnny Carson on NBC, the third iteration of the ''Tonight Show'' franchise. The show debuted on October 1, 1962, and aired its final episode on May 22, ...
'', as well as concerts with such disparate artists as
Jack Benny Jack Benny (born Benjamin Kubelsky, February 14, 1894 – December 26, 1974) was an American entertainer who evolved from a modest success playing violin on the vaudeville circuit to one of the leading entertainers of the twentieth century wit ...
and
The Doors The Doors were an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1965, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, guitarist Robby Krieger, and drummer John Densmore. They were among the most controversial and influential rock acts ...
. A second album, ''
Ricochet A ricochet ( ; ) is a rebound, bounce, or skip off a surface, particularly in the case of a projectile. Most ricochets are caused by accident and while the force of the deflection decelerates the projectile, it can still be energetic and almost ...
'', was released later during the year and was less successful than their first. Kunkel wanted the band to "go electric", and include more original material. He left the group to form WordSalad and of the People. He was replaced by multi-instrumentalist
Chris Darrow Christopher Lloyd Darrow (July 30, 1944 – January 15, 2020) was an American multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter. He was considered to be a pioneer of country rock music in the late-1960s and performed and recorded with numerous groups, ...
. By 1968, the band adopted electrical instruments anyway, and added drums. The first electric album, ''
Rare Junk ''Rare Junk'' is the third album from The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, released in 1968. In an attempt to update their sound the band included electric instrumentation on the record, but it still was a commercial failure. Track listing #"Mournin' Blue ...
'', was a commercial failure, as was their next, ''
Alive Alive may refer to: *Life Books, comics and periodicals * ''Alive'' (novel), a 2015 novel by Scott Sigler * '' Alive: The Final Evolution'', a 2003 shonen manga by Tadashi Kawashima and Adachitoka * '' Alive: The Story of the Andes Survivors'', ...
''. The band continued to gain publicity, mainly as a novelty act, making an appearance in the 1968 film ''
For Singles Only ''For Singles Only'' is a 1968 American comedy film directed by Arthur Dreifuss and starring John Saxon, Mary Ann Mobley, Lana Wood, Peter Mark Richman and Ann Elder. Plot Close friends Anne Carr ( Mary Ann Mobley) and Helen Todd (Lana Wood) mo ...
'' and a
cameo appearance A cameo role, also called a cameo appearance and often shortened to just cameo (), is a brief appearance of a well-known person in a work of the performing arts. These roles are generally small, many of them non-speaking ones, and are commonly ei ...
in the 1969 musical western film '' Paint Your Wagon'', performing "Hand Me Down That Can o' Beans". The band also played Carnegie Hall as an opening act for
Bill Cosby William Henry Cosby Jr. ( ; born July 12, 1937) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, and media personality. He made significant contributions to American and African-American culture, and is well known in the United States for his eccentric ...
and played in a jam session with Dizzy Gillespie.


1969–1976

The group was inactive for a six-month period after ''Paint Your Wagon'', then reformed with
Jimmy Ibbotson James Arvey Ibbotson (born January 21, 1947) is an American musician who is best known as a longtime member of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. He has also released albums as a solo artist, as a member of the Wild Jimbos, and with John McEuen. Ca ...
replacing Chris Darrow. With William McEuen as producer and a renegotiated contract that gave the band more artistic freedom, the band recorded and released ''
Uncle Charlie & His Dog Teddy ''Uncle Charlie & His Dog Teddy'' is the 1970 album from The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band that contains the hit song " Mr. Bojangles". The album reached No. 66 on US charts. Three singles charted: "Mr. Bojangles" reached No. 9, "House at Pooh Corner" ...
'', issued in 1970. Embracing a straight, traditional country and bluegrass sound, the album included the group's best-known singles; a
cover version In popular music, a cover version, cover song, remake, revival, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording by a musician other than the original performer or composer of the song. Originally, it referred to a version of a song release ...
of
Jerry Jeff Walker Jerry Jeff Walker (born Ronald Clyde Crosby; March 16, 1942 â€“ October 23, 2020) was an American country music and folk singer-songwriter. He was a leading figure in the progressive country and outlaw country music movement. He was bes ...
's " Mr. Bojangles",
Michael Nesmith Robert Michael Nesmith or Mike Nesmith, (December 30, 1942 – December 10, 2021) was an American musician, songwriter, and actor. He was best known as a member of the pop rock band the Monkees and co-star of the TV series ''The Monkees'' (1966â ...
's "
Some of Shelley's Blues Some may refer to: *''some'', an English word used as a determiner and pronoun; see use of ''some'' *The term associated with the existential quantifier *"Some", a song by Built to Spill from their 1994 album '' There's Nothing Wrong with Love'' * ...
", and four
Kenny Loggins Kenneth Clark Loggins (born January 7, 1948) is an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. His early songs were recorded with the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band in 1970, which led to seven albums recorded as Loggins and Messina from 1972 to 1977. His ...
songs including "
House at Pooh Corner ''The House at Pooh Corner'' (1928) is the second volume of stories about Winnie-the-Pooh, written by A. A. Milne and illustrated by E. H. Shepard. It is notable for the introduction of the character Tigger. Plot The title comes from a sto ...
", the first recordings of Loggins's songs. Their version of "Mr. Bojangles" became the group's first hit, peaking at No. 9 on
Billboard's ''Billboard'' (stylized as ''billboard'') is an American music and entertainment magazine published weekly by Penske Media Corporation. The magazine provides music charts, news, video, opinion, reviews, events, and style related to the music ...
all genre Hot 100 chart, with 36 weeks on the chart. The next album, ''
All the Good Times ''All the Good Times'' is the sixth album from The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, released in January 1972. Track listing #"Sixteen Tracks" (Jeff Hanna, Jim Ibbotson) – 5:22 #"Fish Song" (Jimmie Fadden) – 4:28 #" Jambalaya (On the Bayou)" ( Hank Wil ...
'', released during early 1972, had a similar style. The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band next sought to solidify its reputation as a country band when band member John McEuen asked Earl Scruggs and then Doc Watson if they would record with them. Both responded that they would. This set in motion the further addition of other artists, and with the help of Earl and Louise Scruggs, they traveled to
Nashville, Tennessee Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the List of muni ...
, and recorded what was to become a triple album, ''
Will the Circle Be Unbroken "Will the Circle Be Unbroken?" is a popular Christian hymn written in 1907 by Ada R. Habershon with music by Charles H. Gabriel. The song is often recorded unattributed and, because of its age, has lapsed into the public domain. Most of the ch ...
''. Nashville stalwarts Roy Acuff, Earl Scruggs, and Jimmy Martin, country pioneer Mother Maybelle Carter, folk-blues guitarist
Doc Watson Arthel Lane "Doc" Watson (March 3, 1923 – May 29, 2012) was an American guitarist, songwriter, and singer of bluegrass, folk, country, blues, and gospel music. Watson won seven Grammy awards as well as a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. W ...
, Merle Travis, Norman Blake, and others appeared on the expansive set. The title is from the song, " Will the Circle Be Unbroken (By and By)", as adapted by A. P. Carter, and reflects the album's theme of trying to tie together three generations of musicians: long-haired boys from California and older veterans of the middle American establishment. The track " I Saw the Light" with Acuff singing, was a success, and the album received two nominations for
Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
. Veteran fiddler
Vassar Clements Vassar Carlton Clements (April 25, 1928 – August 16, 2005) was an American jazz, swing, and bluegrass fiddler. Clements has been dubbed the Father of Hillbilly Jazz, an improvisational style that blends and borrows from swing, hot jazz, and ...
was introduced to a wider audience by the album, and a new career. The band also toured Japan twice soon after this period. After the next album Les Thompson left the group, making the band a foursome. ''Stars & Stripes Forever'' was a live album that mixed old successes such as "Buy for Me the Rain" and "Mr. Bojangles" with ''Circle'' collaborations (fiddler
Vassar Clements Vassar Carlton Clements (April 25, 1928 – August 16, 2005) was an American jazz, swing, and bluegrass fiddler. Clements has been dubbed the Father of Hillbilly Jazz, an improvisational style that blends and borrows from swing, hot jazz, and ...
was a guest performer) and long storytelling spoken-word monologues. A studio album, ''Dream'', was also released. During July 1974, the band was among the headline acts at the Ozark Music Festival at the
Missouri State Fair The Missouri State Fair is the state fair for the state of Missouri, which has operated since 1901 in Sedalia, Missouri. It includes daily concerts, exhibits and competitions of animals, homemade crafts, shows, and many food/lemonade stands, and ...
grounds in
Sedalia, Missouri Sedalia is a city located approximately south of the Missouri River and, as the county seat of Pettis County, Missouri, United States, it is the principal city of the Sedalia Micropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 census, the city had ...
. Some estimates put the crowd at 350,000 people, which would make this one of the largest music events in history. At another concert, the band opened for the rock band Aerosmith.


1976–1981: "The Dirt Band"

Jimmy Ibbotson left the band at the end of 1976, leaving Fadden, Hanna, and McEuen to add John Cable and Jackie Clark, brought in on guitar and bass. In May 1977, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band became the first American group allowed to tour the Soviet Union playing 28 sold-out concerts, and a televised appearance that is estimated to have been watched by 145 million people. In 1977, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band first appeared on the second season of the
PBS The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcaster and non-commercial, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly funded nonprofit organization and the most prominent provider of educat ...
music program
Austin City Limits ''Austin City Limits'' is an American live music television program recorded and produced by Austin PBS. The show helped Austin become widely known in the United States as the "Live Music Capital of the World", and is the only television show to ...
. The band released its first 'greatest successes' compilation album ''Dirt, Silver & Gold'' in 1976. After that release, the band shortened its name to The Dirt Band, and the group's sound became more pop and rock oriented. Saxophonist Al Garth, drummer Merel Bregante, and bassist Richard Hathaway were also added to the lineup in 1978 and Jeff Hanna became the group's producer for a few albums. Keyboardist Bob Carpenter (who would occasionally sit in with the band from 1975 on) contributed to their 1978 album ''The Dirt Band'' and joined the band permanently in 1980. Albums during this period included ''The Dirt Band'' and ''An American Dream''. The single "American Dream" with
Linda Ronstadt Linda Maria Ronstadt (born July 15, 1946) is a retired American singer who performed and recorded in diverse genres including rock, country, light opera, the Great American Songbook, and Latin. She has earned 11 Grammy Awards, three American ...
reached No. 13 on the popular music charts. The band also appeared on ''
Saturday Night Live ''Saturday Night Live'' (often abbreviated to ''SNL'') is an American late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC and Peacock (streaming service), Peacock. ...
'' in their own slot (performing the instrumental penned by McEuen, "White Russia", with
Steve Martin Stephen Glenn Martin (born August 14, 1945) is an American actor, comedian, writer, producer, and musician. He has won five Grammy Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, and was awarded an Honorary Academy Award in 2013. Additionally, he was nominate ...
accompanying on banjo); and again later, billed as The Toot Uncommons, backing Steve Martin on his million-selling novelty tune, "
King Tut Tutankhamun (, egy, twt-ꜥnḫ-jmn), Egyptological pronunciation Tutankhamen () (), sometimes referred to as King Tut, was an Egyptian pharaoh who was the last of his royal family to rule during the end of the Eighteenth Dynasty (ruled ...
." They also played on the commercial version, recorded in Aspen earlier that year. In 1979, Bregante left the group and drummers Michael Buono and then Michael Gardner replaced Bregante on stage with the group on tour, only to be succeeded by Vic Mastrianni in 1981. Al Garth moved on to
Pure Prairie League Pure Prairie League is an American country rock band whose origins go back to 1965 and Waverly, Ohio, with singer and guitarist Craig Fuller, drummer Tom McGrail, guitarist and drummer Jim Caughlan and steel guitarist John David Call. Fuller s ...
in 1982 and later joined the Eagles’ live lineup. The albums ''Make a Little Magic'' and ''Jealousy'' were released in 1980 and 1981, with the single "Make a Little Magic" featuring Nicolette Larson reaching the Top 25 on the pop chart. The group also performed the song on a 1980 Steve Martin television special, ''All Commercials'', with an added comic element in which Martin lip-synced the Larson vocal for the last segment of the song.


1982–1989: Return to "Nitty Gritty"

The band returned to its original name and its country roots in 1982. With the lineup paring down to Hanna, Fadden, McEuen and Ibbotson rejoining in 1982, with Carpenter, who was not touring with the group that year, rejoining for recording sessions in
Nashville, Tennessee Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the List of muni ...
for the album ''Let's Go'' (May 1983), which yielded the success "Dance Little Jean" that became a Top 10 country hit. The next album, 1984's ''Plain Dirt Fashion'' had the band's first No. 1 success, " Long Hard Road (The Sharecropper's Dream)". There were two more country No. 1's: "
Modern Day Romance "Modern Day Romance" is a song written by Kix Brooks and Dan Tyler and recorded by American country music group Nitty Gritty Dirt Band The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band is an American country rock band formed in 1966. The group has existed in vario ...
" (1985) and "
Fishin' in the Dark "Fishin' in the Dark" is a song written by Wendy Waldman and Jim Photoglo, and recorded by American country music group Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, with Jimmy Ibbotson singing lead. It was released on June 7, 1987, as the second single from their alb ...
" (1987), the latter of which became the band's biggest-selling single, eventually being certified platinum in 2014 despite never reaching the Hot 100. Other successful songs were "Dance Little Jean" (1983); "I Love Only You" (1984); "High Horse" (1985); "Home Again in My Heart", "Partners, Brothers and Friends", and "Stand a Little Rain" (1986); "Fire in the Sky", "Baby's Got a Hold on Me", and "Oh What a Love" (1987); "Workin' Man (Nowhere to Go)" and "I've Been Lookin'" (1988); and "Down That Road Tonight" and "When It's Gone" (1989). Performances included the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games and the inaugural
Farm Aid Farm Aid is an annual benefit concert held for American farmers. History On July 13, 1985, while performing at the Live Aid benefit concert for the 1983–1985 Ethiopian famine, Bob Dylan made comments about family farmers within the United St ...
concert in
Champaign, Illinois Champaign ( ) is a city in Champaign County, Illinois, United States. The population was 88,302 at the 2020 census. It is the tenth-most populous municipality in Illinois and the fourth most populous city in Illinois outside the Chicago metro ...
. A 20-year anniversary concert at
McNichols Sports Arena McNichols Sports Arena was an indoor arena located in Denver, Colorado. Located adjacent to Mile High Stadium and completed in 1975, at a cost of $16 million, it seated 16,061 for hockey games and 17,171 for basketball games. Sports use It was ...
in
Denver Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the Unit ...
, Colorado featured such guests as
Ricky Skaggs Rickie Lee Skaggs (born July 18, 1954), known professionally as Ricky Skaggs, is an American neotraditional country and bluegrass singer, musician, producer, and composer. He primarily plays mandolin; however, he also plays fiddle, guitar, ...
, Emmylou Harris,
Doc Watson Arthel Lane "Doc" Watson (March 3, 1923 – May 29, 2012) was an American guitarist, songwriter, and singer of bluegrass, folk, country, blues, and gospel music. Watson won seven Grammy awards as well as a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. W ...
, and
John Prine John Edward Prine (; October 10, 1946 â€“ April 7, 2020) was an American singer-songwriter of country-folk music. He was active as a composer, recording artist, live performer, and occasional actor from the early 1970s until his death. He ...
. John McEuen left the band at the end of 1986, replaced by
Bernie Leadon Bernie Leadon (pronounced ''led-un''; born July 19, 1947) is an American singer, musician, songwriter and founding member of the Eagles, for which he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998. Prior to the Eagles, he was a member ...
, formerly of the
Eagles Eagle is the common name for many large birds of prey of the family Accipitridae. Eagles belong to several groups of genera, some of which are closely related. Most of the 68 species of eagle are from Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, jus ...
. He was with the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band in 1987 and 1988. The band's 19th album, ''Hold On'' featured the No. 1 singles "Fishin' in the Dark" and "Baby's Got a Hold on Me." The band appeared on the ''
Today Show ''Today'' (also called ''The Today Show'' or informally, ''NBC News Today'') is an American news and talk morning television show that airs weekdays from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on NBC. The program debuted on January 14, 1952. It w ...
'' and ''
The Tonight Show ''The Tonight Show'' is an American late-night talk show that has aired on NBC since 1954. The show has been hosted by six comedians: Steve Allen (1954–1957), Jack Paar (1957–1962), Johnny Carson (1962–1992), Jay Leno (1992–2009 and 201 ...
'' in the same week, and toured Europe. After contributing to "
Workin' Band ''Workin' Band'' is the eighteenth studio album by American country folk group Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, released in 1988. The album peaked at No. 33 on the US country albums chart. "Workin' Man (Nowhere to Go)" and "I've Been Lookin'" were release ...
" as a musician, songwriter and lead singer on the cut "Corduroy Road", Bernie Leadon departed the band. During 1989, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band again returned to Nashville, to record '' Will the Circle Be Unbroken: Volume Two''. Returnees from the first ''Circle'' included Earl Scruggs,
Vassar Clements Vassar Carlton Clements (April 25, 1928 – August 16, 2005) was an American jazz, swing, and bluegrass fiddler. Clements has been dubbed the Father of Hillbilly Jazz, an improvisational style that blends and borrows from swing, hot jazz, and ...
, and Roy Acuff. Johnny Cash and the
Carter Family Carter Family was a traditional American folk music group that recorded between 1927 and 1956. Their music had a profound impact on bluegrass, country, Southern Gospel, pop and rock musicians as well as on the U.S. folk revival of the 1960s. ...
, Emmylou Harris, and
Ricky Skaggs Rickie Lee Skaggs (born July 18, 1954), known professionally as Ricky Skaggs, is an American neotraditional country and bluegrass singer, musician, producer, and composer. He primarily plays mandolin; however, he also plays fiddle, guitar, ...
joined the sessions, as did
John Prine John Edward Prine (; October 10, 1946 â€“ April 7, 2020) was an American singer-songwriter of country-folk music. He was active as a composer, recording artist, live performer, and occasional actor from the early 1970s until his death. He ...
, Levon Helm, John Denver,
John Hiatt John Robert Hiatt (born August 20, 1952) is an American singer-songwriter. He has played a variety of musical styles on his albums, including new wave, blues, and country. Hiatt has been nominated for nine Grammy Awards and has been awarded ...
,
Bruce Hornsby Bruce Randall Hornsby (born November 23, 1954) is an American singer-songwriter and pianist. His music draws from folk rock, jazz, bluegrass, folk, Southern rock, country rock, jam band, rock, heartland rock, and blues rock musical traditions ...
, and former
Byrds The Byrds () were an American rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1964. The band underwent multiple lineup changes throughout its existence, with frontman Roger McGuinn (known as Jim McGuinn until mid-1967) remaining the sole cons ...
Roger McGuinn James Roger McGuinn (born James Joseph McGuinn III; July 13, 1942) is an American musician. He is best known for being the frontman and leader of the Byrds. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for his work with the Byrds. As a ...
and
Chris Hillman Christopher Hillman (born December 4, 1944) is an American musician. He was the original bassist of and one of the original members of the Byrds, which in 1965 included Roger McGuinn, Gene Clark, David Crosby and Michael Clarke. With freque ...
. This album won two
Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
s and was named Album of the Year at the
Country Music Association Awards The Country Music Association Awards, also known as the CMA Awards or CMAs, are presented to country music artists and broadcasters to recognize outstanding achievement in the country music industry. The televised annual presentation ceremony f ...
for Best Country Vocal Performance (duo or group) and the Country Music Association's Album of the Year Award in 1989.


1990–2000

As a foursome of Hanna, Fadden, Ibbotson and Carpenter, the band again toured the former
Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen national ...
, as well as Canada, Europe, and Japan. A 25th anniversary concert was recorded on ''Live Two Five'' in
Red Deer, Alberta Red Deer is a city in Alberta, Canada, located midway on the Calgary–Edmonton Corridor. Red Deer serves central Alberta, and key industries include health care, retail trade, construction, oil and gas, hospitality, manufacturing and education ...
, produced by
T-Bone Burnett Joseph Henry "T Bone" Burnett III (born January 14, 1948) is an American record producer, guitarist and songwriter. He rose to fame as a guitarist in Bob Dylan's band during the 1970s. He has received multiple Grammy awards for his work in fil ...
. During 1992, the band collaborated with Irish folk music's
The Chieftains The Chieftains are a traditional Irish folk band formed in Dublin in 1962, by Paddy Moloney, Seán Potts and Michael Tubridy. Their sound, which is almost entirely instrumental and largely built around uilleann pipes, has become synonymous wi ...
for the
Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
-winning ''Another Country''. Other efforts included the album ''Acoustic'', spotlighting their "wooden" sound, a duet with
Karla Bonoff Karla may refer to: People * Karla (name), a feminine given name * Petras Karla (1937–1969), Soviet Olympic rower Places * Karla, Kose Parish, a village in Harju County, Estonia * Karla, Rae Parish, a village in Harju County, Estonia * K ...
, "You Believed in Me" for the MCA Olympic compilation, ''One Voice'', and a cover version of Buddy Holly's "Maybe Baby" for the Decca tribute album, ''Not Fade Away''. ''The Christmas Album'' was released in 1997, followed by ''Bang! Bang! Bang!'' in 1999.


2000s

John McEuen rejoined the band in 2001. During 2002, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band celebrated the 30th anniversary of their landmark ''
Will the Circle Be Unbroken "Will the Circle Be Unbroken?" is a popular Christian hymn written in 1907 by Ada R. Habershon with music by Charles H. Gabriel. The song is often recorded unattributed and, because of its age, has lapsed into the public domain. Most of the ch ...
'' with a remastered CD reissue of the 1972 album and a new compilation, '' Will the Circle Be Unbroken: Volume III''. An album of all-new material, ''Welcome to Woody Creek'', was released in 2004. Jimmy Ibbotson again left the band a few years later. Also during 2004, country group
Rascal Flatts Rascal Flatts is an American country music band founded in 1999. The band members were Gary LeVox (lead vocals), Jay DeMarcus (bass guitar, background vocals), and Joe Don Rooney (lead guitar, background vocals). DeMarcus is LeVox's second cou ...
released a cover of "Bless the Broken Road," which the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band had recorded on ''Acoustic,'' from 1994. Songwriters Jeff Hanna, Marcus Hummon, and Bobby Boyd won a Grammy for Best Country Song for this work in 2005. During 2005, the band donated use of the song "Soldier's Joy" for the benefit album, ''Too Many Years'' to benefit Clear Path International's work with landmine survivors. Also in 2005, the band was recognized by the International Entertainment Buyers Association for 40 years of contributions to the music industry. In 2009, the band released a new album, '' Speed of Life''. Produced by George Massenburg and Jon Randall Stewart, ''Speed of Life'' is composed of a series of live, freewheeling studio recordings that purposefully avoid overproduction and demonstrate the band's collaborative spirit and spontaneity. Of the 13 tracks on ''Speed of Life'', 11 are new songs penned by the band, and two are classic covers:
Canned Heat Canned Heat is an American band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1965. The group is noted for its efforts to promote interest in blues music and its original artists and rock music. It was founded by two blues enthusiasts Alan Wilson and Bob ...
's Woodstock hit "
Going Up the Country "Going Up the Country" (also Goin' Up the Country) is a song adapted and recorded by American blues rock band Canned Heat. Called a "rural hippie anthem", it became one of the band's biggest hits and best-known songs. As with their previous sing ...
" and
Stealers Wheel Stealers Wheel were a Scottish folk rock/ rock band formed in 1972 in Paisley, Scotland, by former school friends Joe Egan and Gerry Rafferty. Their best-known hit is "Stuck in the Middle with You". The band broke up in 1975 and re-formed bri ...
's " Stuck in the Middle".


2010s

In September 2015, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band commemorated their 50th anniversary with a sold-out show at Nashville's
Ryman Auditorium Ryman Auditorium (also known as Grand Ole Opry House and Union Gospel Tabernacle) is a 2,362-seat live-performance venue located at 116 Rep. John Lewis Way North, in Nashville, Tennessee. It is best known as the home of the ''Grand Ole Opry'' fr ...
. Produced for PBS by Todd Squared, the producers of '' Bluegrass Underground'' (now re-branded as ''The Caverns Sessions''), the special debuted in March 2016 and included guests
John Prine John Edward Prine (; October 10, 1946 â€“ April 7, 2020) was an American singer-songwriter of country-folk music. He was active as a composer, recording artist, live performer, and occasional actor from the early 1970s until his death. He ...
,
Sam Bush Charles Samuel Bush (born April 13, 1952) is an American mandolinist who is considered an originator of progressive bluegrass music. In 2020, he was inducted into the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame as a member of New Grass Reviva ...
,
Vince Gill Vincent Grant Gill (born April 12, 1957) is an American country music singer, songwriter and musician. He has achieved commercial success and fame both as frontman of the country rock band Pure Prairie League in the 1970s and as a solo artist ...
,
Jerry Jeff Walker Jerry Jeff Walker (born Ronald Clyde Crosby; March 16, 1942 â€“ October 23, 2020) was an American country music and folk singer-songwriter. He was a leading figure in the progressive country and outlaw country music movement. He was bes ...
,
Alison Krauss Alison Maria Krauss (born July 23, 1971) is an American bluegrass-country singer and musician. She entered the music industry at an early age, competing in local contests by the age of 8 and recording for the first time at 14. She signed with ...
,
Rodney Crowell Rodney Crowell (born August 7, 1950) is an American musician, known primarily for his work as a singer and songwriter in country music. Crowell has had five number one singles on Hot Country Songs, all from his 1988 album '' Diamonds & Dirt''. ...
, Byron House,
Jerry Douglas Gerald Calvin "Jerry" Douglas (born May 28, 1956) is an American Dobro and lap steel guitar player and record producer. Career In addition to his fourteen solo recordings, Douglas has played on more than 1,600 albums. As a sideman, he h ...
and Jackson Browne in addition to former member Ibbotson. On September 30, 2016, ''Circlin’ Back: Celebrating 50 Years,'' a live CD and DVD of the PBS Special was released. In a 2016 review, the ''
Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the Un ...
'' wrote that the original release "helped knock down barriers then separating the traditional country and rock music communities, setting the stage for the eventual emergence of what came to be known as Americana music". John McEuen announced his departure from the band in December 2017 at the conclusion of their 50th anniversary tour. In 2018, Jaime Hanna (Jeff Hanna's son) and Ross Holmes joined the band on tour, along with Jim Photoglo, who began touring with the band in 2016. Photoglo is the co-author of "Fishin' in the Dark".


2020s

In May 2022, the band released a compilation of
Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan, born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Often regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture during a career sp ...
covers, ''Dirt Does Dylan''.


Family

Jeff Hanna and John McEuen's sons, Jaime Hanna and Jonathan McEuen, recorded for DreamWorks Records in 2005 as Hanna-McEuen.


Awards and nominations

* 1984 — CMA Nomination for Instrumental Group of the Year * 1985 – CMA Nomination for Instrumental Group of the Year; ACM Nomination for Vocal Group of the Year * 1986 – CMA Nomination for Vocal Group of the Year * 1988 – CMA Nomination for Vocal Group of the Year * 1989 – CMA award for Album of the Year; Grammy award for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals; Grammy award for Best Bluegrass Recording; Grammy award for Co-producing Best Country Instrumental * 1990 – Plaque on the
StarWalk The StarWalk in Nashville, Tennessee was an outdoor display of cement plaques honoring country music artists who had won Grammy Awards. Honorees left handprints and other personal markings along with written messages in the cement in the manner of G ...
in Nashville * 2002 – Grammy nominations for Best Country Vocal Performance – Duo or Group and Best Country Collaboration with Vocals * 2003 – CMA nomination for Vocal Event of the Year (NGDB with Johnny Cash); IBMA award for Best Recorded Event * 2004 – Grammy award for Best Country Instrumental (NGDB with Earl Scruggs, Randy Scruggs, Jerry Douglas and Vassar Clements) * 2015 – Colorado Music Hall of Fame induction, Retrieved January 23, 2018


Members

Current members *
Jeff Hanna Jeffrey R. Hanna (born July 11, 1947) is an American singer-songwriter and performance musician, best known for his association with the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. His professional music career has spanned six decades. Early life Hanna was born in ...
– vocals, guitar, washboard, percussion * Jimmie Fadden – drums, harmonica, percussion, vocals * Bob Carpenter – keyboards, accordion, keyboard bass, vocals *
Jim Photoglo James G. Photoglo is an American soft rock singer and songwriter from Inglewood, California. He released two charting albums in the early 1980s and had two hit singles, " We Were Meant to Be Lovers" (No. 31, 1980) and " Fool in Love with You" (No. ...
– bass, acoustic guitar, vocals * Jaime Hanna – guitar, vocals * Ross Holmes – fiddle, mandolin, vocals


Discography

*'' The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band'' *''
Ricochet A ricochet ( ; ) is a rebound, bounce, or skip off a surface, particularly in the case of a projectile. Most ricochets are caused by accident and while the force of the deflection decelerates the projectile, it can still be energetic and almost ...
'' *''
Rare Junk ''Rare Junk'' is the third album from The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, released in 1968. In an attempt to update their sound the band included electric instrumentation on the record, but it still was a commercial failure. Track listing #"Mournin' Blue ...
'' *''
Uncle Charlie & His Dog Teddy ''Uncle Charlie & His Dog Teddy'' is the 1970 album from The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band that contains the hit song " Mr. Bojangles". The album reached No. 66 on US charts. Three singles charted: "Mr. Bojangles" reached No. 9, "House at Pooh Corner" ...
'' *''
All the Good Times ''All the Good Times'' is the sixth album from The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, released in January 1972. Track listing #"Sixteen Tracks" (Jeff Hanna, Jim Ibbotson) – 5:22 #"Fish Song" (Jimmie Fadden) – 4:28 #" Jambalaya (On the Bayou)" ( Hank Wil ...
'' *'' Stars & Stripes Forever'' *'' Symphonion Dream'' *'' The Dirt Band'' *'' An American Dream'' *''
Make a Little Magic ''Make a Little Magic'' is the twelfth album from The Dirt Band, formerly known as the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. This album includes the title cut which reached number 77 on the ''Billboard'' Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart but peaked at number ...
'' *''
Jealousy Jealousy generally refers to the thoughts or feelings of insecurity, fear, and concern over a relative lack of possessions or safety. Jealousy can consist of one or more emotions such as anger, resentment, inadequacy, helplessness or disgus ...
'' *'' Let's Go'' *''
Plain Dirt Fashion ''Plain Dirt Fashion'' is the fifteenth studio album by American country folk group Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, released in 1984 by the record label Warner Bros. Records. This album went to #8 on the US Country charts. The three singles from this alb ...
'' *'' Partners, Brothers and Friends'' *''
Hold On Hold On may refer to: Music Albums and EPs * ''Hold On!'' (album), by Herman's Hermits, 1966 * ''Hold On'' (Trapeze album), or the title song, 1978 * ''Hold On'' (High Inergy album), 1980 * ''Hold On'' (Nitty Gritty Dirt Band album), 1987 * ...
'' *''
Workin' Band ''Workin' Band'' is the eighteenth studio album by American country folk group Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, released in 1988. The album peaked at No. 33 on the US country albums chart. "Workin' Man (Nowhere to Go)" and "I've Been Lookin'" were release ...
'' *'' The Rest of the Dream'' *'' Not Fade Away'' *'' Acoustic'' *'' The Christmas Album'' *'' Bang, Bang, Bang'' *''
Welcome to Woody Creek ''Welcome to Woody Creek'' is the 2004 album from The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. Critical reception Alex Henderson of AllMusic concludes his review with, "Welcome to Woody Creek isn't as essential as the Dirt Band's best '60s and '70s recordings; ...
'' *'' Speed of Life'' *''Dirt Does Dylan''


References


Further reading

*


External links


Official site

Listen or Watch from Woodsongs archived show 551
* {{Authority control American country rock groups Country music groups from California Folk rock groups from California Grammy Award winners Musical groups established in 1966 Capitol Records artists Warner Records artists United Artists Records artists MCA Records artists 1966 establishments in California