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The nitty gritty: Weather too wild for Dirt Band performance at America's River Festival June 11, 2016 - Dubuque Telegraph Herald Weather is an inherent risk for outdoor concerts, and the contracts organizers enter into with performers reflect that, Rahe said. Nitty Gritty Dirt Band formed in Southern California during the spring of 1966 as a scruffy, young jug band. Forty-two years later, the quartet (Jeff Hanna, Jimmie Fadden, Bob Carpenter and John.
The band in 1976.Background informationAlso known asThe Dirt Band, The Toot UncommonsOrigin,Genres,Years active1966–presentLabels,Associated actsWebsiteMembersBob CarpenterJimmie FaddenJaime HannaRoss HolmesPast membersRalph BarrMerel BreganteMichael BuonoJohn CableJackie ClarkMichael GardnerAl GarthRichard HathawayBruce KunkelVic MastrianniLes ThompsonThe Nitty Gritty Dirt Band is an American band. The group has existed in various forms since its founding in, in. The band’s membership has had at least a dozen changes over the years, including a period from 1976 to 1981 when the band performed and recorded as the Dirt Band.Constant members since the early times are singer-guitarist and drummer Jimmie Fadden. Multi-instrumentalist 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 of 's '. Albums include 1972's, featuring such traditional country artists as,. A follow-up album based on the same concept, was released in 1989, was certified gold, won two, and was named at the. Contents.History 1966–69 The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band was founded around 1966 in Long Beach, California, by singer-guitarist 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 at McCabe's Guitar Shop in Long Beach. There they met a few other musicians: guitarist/ Ralph Barr, guitarist- Les Thompson, and player Jimmie Fadden, and guitarist-vocalist.
As Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, the six men started as a and adopted the burgeoning southern California musical style, playing in local clubs while wearing pinstripe suits and cowboy boots. Their first paying performance was at the in.Browne was in the band for only a few months before he left to concentrate on a solo career as a. He was replaced by on,. McEuen's older brother, William, was the group's manager, and he helped the band get signed with, which released the group's debut album, during 1967.
The band's first single, 'Buy for Me the Rain,' was a Top 40 success, and the band gained exposure on, as well as concerts with such disparate artists as and.A second album, 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. Bruce left the group to form WordSalad and Of The People. He was replaced by multi-instrumentalist.By 1968, the band adopted electrical instruments anyway, and added drums.
The first electric album, was a commercial failure, as was their next,.The band continued to gain publicity, mainly as a novelty act, making an appearance in the 1968 film, and a in the 1969 musical western film, performing 'Hand Me Down That Can o' Beans'. The band also played as an opening act for and played in a with.1969–76 The group was inactive for a 6-month period after Paint Your Wagon, then reformed with replacing Chris Darrow. With William McEuen as producer and a renegotiated contract that gave the band more artistic freedom, the band recorded and released, issued in 1970. Embracing a straight, traditional country and bluegrass sound, the album included the group's best-known singles; a of 's ', 's ', and four songs including ', the first recordings of Loggins's songs.
Their version of 'Mr. Bojangles' became the group's first hit, peaking at #9 on all genre chart, with an unusual 36 weeks on the charts.The next album, All The Good Times, released during early 1972, had a similar style.Nitty Gritty Dirt Band next sought to solidify its reputation as a country band when band member John McEuen asked Earl Scruggs if he would record with the group.
Earl's 'yes' was followed the next week when John asked Doc Watson the same question, receiving the same answer of 'yes'. This set in motion the further addition of other artists, and with the help of Earl and Louise Scruggs, they set to traveling to, and recording what was to become a triple album, with Nashville stalwarts, and, country pioneer, folk-blues guitarist, and others.
The title is from the song, ', as adapted by, and reflects the album's theme of trying to tie together three generations of musicians: long-haired boys from and older veterans of the middle American establishment. The track ' with Acuff singing, was a success, and the album received two nominations for.
Veteran fiddler was introduced to a wider audience by the album, and a new career. The band also toured 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 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 at the in.
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.1976–81: '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, and — 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 music program.After returning from Russia, the band released its first 'greatest successes' compilation, another now rare triple album Dirt, Silver & Gold, in 1978.
After that release, the band shortened its name to The Dirt Band, and the group's sound became more and 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 reached No. 13 on the popular music charts.
The band also appeared on in their own slot (performing the instrumental penned by John, 'White Russia'), and separately, billed as The Toot Uncommons, provided backing for on his million-selling novelty tune, '.' They also played on that hit, 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 and later the Eagles.The albums Make a Little Magic and Jealousy were released in 1980 and 1981, with the single 'Make a Little Magic' featuring 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.1982–89: 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, Carpenter and Ibbotson rejoining for recording sessions in, they recorded the album Let's Go, which yielded the success 'Dance Little Jean' which became a Top 10 country hit.
The next album, 1984's Plain Dirt Fashion had the band's first No. 1 success, '.There were two more country No. 1's: ' (1985) and ' (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 and the inaugural concert in. A 20-year anniversary concert at in featured such guests as, and.John McEuen left the band at the end of 1986, replaced by, formerly of the. 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 and in the same week, and toured Europe.During 1989, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band again returned to Nashville, to record.
Returnees from the first Circle included,. And the, and joined the sessions, as did, and former. This album won two and was named Album of the Year at the 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, as well as Canada, Europe, and Japan. A 25th anniversary concert was recorded on Live Two Five in, produced by.During 1992, the band collaborated with Irish folk music's for the -winning Another Country.
Other efforts included the album Acoustic, spotlighting their 'wooden' sound, a duet with, 'You Believed in Me' for the MCA Olympic compilation, One Voice, and a cover version of 's 'Maybe Baby' for the Decca tribute album, Not Fade Away. The Christmas Album was released in 1997, followed by Bang! In 1999.During April 1992, they were the unwitting subject of one of 's when he referred 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 (notably, in 's book and in Barry's only non-audiobook album, A Totally Random Evening with Dave Barry), which in turn helped publicize the band.
2000s John McEuen rejoined the band in 2001. During 2002, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band celebrated the 30th anniversary of their landmark with a remastered CD reissue of the 1972 album and a new compilation,.
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 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 '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,. 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: 's Woodstock hit ' and 's '.2010s In September 2015, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band commemorated their 50th anniversary with a sold out show at the Ryman Theater.
Taped for a PBS special which debuted in March 2016, the concert included guests, and in addition to former member Ibbotson. On September 30, 2016, Circlin’ Back: Celebrating 50 Years, a live CD and DVD was released. In a 2016 review, the 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. John currently performs as a solo artist. 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.
Jim is the co-author of 'Fishin' in the Dark.' On June 25, 2019, listed Nitty Gritty Dirt Band among hundreds of artists whose material was reportedly destroyed in the. Family Jeff Hanna and John McEuen's sons, Jaime Hanna and Jonathan McEuen, recorded for in 2005 as. Bego, Mark (2005). P. 26. The Recording Academy. 2009-02-15 at the.
Retrieved 2009-08-22. BTC News (March 16, 2006. 2007-10-11 at the. Retrieved 2009-08-21.
Lewis, Randy (September 9, 2016). Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles Times). From the original on 10 November 2016. Retrieved 9 November 2016. Rosen, Jody (25 June 2019). The New York Times. Retrieved 28 June 2019.
Ruhlmann, William. Retrieved 2008-02-13. From the original on 2015-12-22. Retrieved 2015-12-11. CS1 maint: Archived copy as title , Retrieved 2018-01-23.
2017-11-14 at the, Retrieved 2018-01-23. Hurst, Jack (July 19, 1990).
2018-02-18 at the, Retrieved 2018-01-23. From the original on 2018-01-24. Retrieved 2018-01-23.
CS1 maint: Archived copy as title , Retrieved 2018-01-23Further reading. Grobaty, Tim (January 12, 2016).
Retrieved 24 January 2018.External links. at.
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band formed in Southern California during the spring of 1966 as a scruffy, young jug band. Forty-two years later, the quartet (Jeff Hanna, Jimmie Fadden, Bob Carpenter and John McEuen) is still going strong.Nitty Gritty Dirt Band’s self-titled debut album, released in 1967, included the pop hit “Buy For Me The Rain.” But it was their 5th record, 1970’s Uncle Charlie and His Dog Teddy, that would become the band’s breakthrough project, yielding 3 pop hits including their version of Jerry Jeff Walker’s “Mr. Bojangles.” Among the many outstanding tracks on Uncle Charlie was a version of Earl Scruggs’ “Randy Lynn Rag.” That cut set into motion what would become the Will the Circle be Unbroken album, a veritable summit of talent which included NDGB’s heroes: Scruggs, Doc Watson, Merle Travis, Roy Acuff and Mother Maybelle Carter. Nitty Gritty Dirt Band’s Circle album, a three LP set, recorded live in the studio in Nashville over six days in 1971, became a landmark event and a multi-platinum success.
Circle remains such a significant effort, that 30 years later it was one of 50 recordings to be honored and preserved by the Library of Congress.In the early 80’s, after a few more pop hits, the band returned to Nashville once again and began what would become a highly successful career in mainstream country music. Hits that included “Dance Little Jean,” “Workin’ Man”, “Long Hard Road”, “Baby’s Got A Hold On Me” and “Fishin’ in the Dark” put them at the top of the country charts for over a decade. In 1989, the group revisited the Circle concept, gathering another impressive roster of performers (including Johnny Cash, EmmyLou Harris, Levon Helm, Chet Atkins, Bruce Hornsby, John Hiatt and Roseanne Cash) for sessions that had a pronounced country-gospel feel.
Circle II would go on to win three Grammy Awards and the Country Music Association Album of the Year. In 2002 Circle III (with many current artists added to the previous cast) received similar accolades and attention, garnering the International Bluegrass Music Association Recorded Event of the Year award as well as leading to a 2005 Grammy for Country Instrumental Performance (with Earl Scruggs, Randy Scruggs, Jerry Douglas and the late Vassar Clements).With a career that spans five decades, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band has gone from a hippie jug-band to pioneers of country rock, and their influence is still being felt today.