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| The band's best-known song was a ] ] of ]'s folk song "]". Their greatest critical acclaim has been for a ] album of country and folk standards, recorded in ] in collaboration with more traditional country artists, entitled '']''. | The band's best-known song was a ] ] of ]'s folk song "]". Their greatest critical acclaim has been for a ] album of country and folk standards, recorded in ] in collaboration with more traditional country artists, entitled '']''. | ||
| ''Will the Circle be Unbroken'' was a collaboration album recorded in 1972 by the Dirt band with traditional artists such as ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], and ] (known to ] fans as Bashful Brother Oswald). ], not widely known then, was tapped for fiddle duties which led to greater notoriety and success for him. The album featured classic ] and folk standards written by ], Doc Watson and others. The title comes from the song of the same name but indicates what the Dirt Band was trying to achieve. The long haired boys from ] were making an effort to reach out to the older veterans of American music and unite them in a divided America. Two other editions were released, one in the '80s and another after ]. | ''Will the Circle be Unbroken'' was a collaboration album recorded in 1972 by the Dirt band with traditional artists such as ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], and ] (known to ] fans as ]). ], not widely known then, was tapped for fiddle duties which led to greater notoriety and success for him. The album featured classic ] and folk standards written by ], Doc Watson and others. The title comes from the song of the same name but indicates what the Dirt Band was trying to achieve. The long haired boys from ] were making an effort to reach out to the older veterans of American music and unite them in a divided America. Two other editions were released, one in the '80s and another after ]. | ||
| In July 1974 The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band was one of the headline acts at The ], at the ], in ]. Some estimates have put the crowd count at 350,000 people, which would make this one of the largest music events in history. | In July 1974 The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band was one of the headline acts at The ], at the ], in ]. Some estimates have put the crowd count at 350,000 people, which would make this one of the largest music events in history. | ||
Revision as of 03:47, 27 June 2006
The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band is an American country-folk-rock band that has existed in various forms since the original founding in California in 1966. The group's membership has had at least a dozen iterations over the years, including five years, between Dirt, Silver & Gold (1976) and Let's Go (1983), when the band performed and recorded as The Dirt Band.
Prior to major success, the band made a cameo appearance in the 1969 film Paint Your Wagon, leading a lively bluegrass-like song titled, "Hand Me Down That Can of Beans".
The band's best-known song was a 1970 cover of Jerry Jeff Walker's folk song "Mr Bojangles". Their greatest critical acclaim has been for a 1972 album of country and folk standards, recorded in Nashville in collaboration with more traditional country artists, entitled Will the Circle Be Unbroken.
Will the Circle be Unbroken was a collaboration album recorded in 1972 by the Dirt band with traditional artists such as Mother Maybelle Carter, Earl Scruggs, Doc Watson, Roy Acuff, Merle Watson, Jimmy Martin, Junior Huskey, Norman Blake, and Pete Oswald Kirby (known to Grand Ole Opry fans as Bashful Brother Oswald). Vassar Clements, not widely known then, was tapped for fiddle duties which led to greater notoriety and success for him. The album featured classic bluegrass and folk standards written by A.P. Carter, Doc Watson and others. The title comes from the song of the same name but indicates what the Dirt Band was trying to achieve. The long haired boys from California were making an effort to reach out to the older veterans of American music and unite them in a divided America. Two other editions were released, one in the '80s and another after September 11, 2001.
In July 1974 The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band was one of the headline acts at The Ozark Music Festival, at the Missouri State Fairgrounds, in Sedalia, Missouri. Some estimates have put the crowd count at 350,000 people, which would make this one of the largest music events in history.
The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band's peak in popularity – at least on the radio — came during the mid- to late-1980s, when they charted a string of successful songs. Among the lot were three No. 1 singles: "Long Hard Road (The Sharecropper's Dream)" (1984); "Modern Day Romance" (1985); and "Fishin' in the Dark" (1987). 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); "Working Man (Nowhere to Go)" and "I've Been Lookin'" (1988); and "Down That Road Tonight" and "When it's Gone" (1989).
They briefly entered the pop culture again in April of 1992, when they were the unwitting subject of one of George H. W. Bush's malapropisms, referring to the group as the "Nitty Ditty Nitty Gritty Great Bird" at a country music awards ceremony in Nashville:
- "I said to them there's another one that the Nitty Ditty Nitty Gritty Great Bird and it says if you want to see a rainbow you've got to stand a little rain."
This unusual phrasing was repeatedly used as an example of Bush's garbled syntax (notably, in the book Dave Barry Hits Below the Beltway), which in turn led to increased visibility for the band.
Personnel
Current members
- Bob Carpenter - keyboard, accordion, bass, and vocals (1977-present);
- Jimmie Fadden - drums, harmonica,guitar, washtub bass, jug and vocals (1966-present);
- Jeff Hanna - guitar, mandolin, drums, harmonica, bass, washboard, jug and vocals (1966-present);
- John McEuen - banjo, fiddle, guitar, mandolin, accordion washtub bass and vocals (1966-1986 & 2001-present).
Former members
- Ralph Barr - guitar, clarinet and vocals (1966-1968);
- Merel Bregante - drums and percussion (1977-1979);
- Jackson Browne - guitar and vocals (1966);
- John Cable - guitar, bass and vocals (1976-1977);
- Jackie Clark - guitar, bass and vocals (1976-1977);
- Chris Darrow - fiddle, guitar, mandolin and vocals (1967-1968);
- Michael Gardner - drums (1980-1981);
- Al Garth - saxophone, fiddle, keyboard, percussion and vocals (1977-1981);
- Richard Hathaway - bass and vocals (1977-1981);
- Jimmy Ibbotson - guitar, bass, mandolin, piano, accordion, drums, flute and vocals (1968-1975 & 1982-2004);
- Bruce Kunkel - guitar, kazoo, vocals (1966-1967);
- Bernie Leadon - guitar, banjo, mandolin and vocals (1987-1989);
- Vic Mastrianni - drums (1980-1981);
- Les Thompson - guitar, bass, mandolin and vocals (1966-1973);
External links
- The group's website
- The Dirt Band Goes Home Again - KyndMusic February 2005