Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and Friends – Circlin’ Back: Celebrating 50 Years Tops
Bluegrass Chart at #1, Reaches #11 on Country Albums and Americana
Folk Charts in First Week of Sales
For five decades, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band has remained one of the most iconic names in American roots music. With one foot planted in the traditions of country-folk and the other pointing toward something new and unexpected, the group continues to tour and release music, influencing multiple generations of audiences and artists along the way. Nearly a dozen of those artists join the group on this year’s Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and Friends – Circlin’ Back: Celebrating 50 Years concert album, released Sept. 30 on NGDB’s own label, distributed by Warner Nashville. As of yesterday’s SoundScan report,Circlin’ Back hit #11 both on the Country Albums chart and Americana Folk chart, while topping the Bluegrass chart at #1 in the first week of sales. Continuing the 50th anniversary celebration, the band played early and late sets at the Grand Ole Opry’s Birthday Bash on Saturday, Oct. 8 in Nashville, TN.
About the record: Recorded live at Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and Friends captures a group of longtime road warriors who’ve yet to lose their grit, joined onstage by John Prine, Sam Bush, Vince Gill, Jerry Jeff Walker, Alison Krauss, Rodney Crowell, Byron House, and Jerry Douglas. Rock and Roll Hall of Famer (and early Dirt Band member) Jackson Browne joined in, along with longtime member Jimmy Ibbotson, while a sold-out crowd sings along in the background. From country classics to deep cuts, the tracklist finds bandmates Jeff Hanna (guitars/vocals), Jimmie Fadden (drums/harmonica/vocals), Bob Carpenter (keyboards/accordion/vocals) and John McEuen (banjo/fiddle/guitar/mandolin) swapping harmonies, trading solos, and shining new light on a catalog of vital, vibrant music.
Long before Americana music had a name, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band helped lead the charge, mixing elements of country, bluegrass, folk, mountain music, and rock & roll into a sound that celebrated the full range of American music. The guys were traditionalists and trendsetters, performing songs that nodded to the past while still pushing toward the future. Released in 1972 – just six years after the group formed in Southern California – Nitty Gritty Dirt Band’s Will the Circle Be Unbroken still stands as one of the most beloved albums in the country catalog, pairing the young band with legends like Roy Acuff, Doc Watson, Earl Scruggs, and Mother Maybelle Carter.
Many decades have passed since that milestone album’s release, with the members of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band now enjoying their own legendary status. They continue to blur lines between genres, however, and the upcoming Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and Friends accomplishes something very similar to the classic Will the Circle Be Unbroken pairing the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band with the hit-makers, rule-breakers, and iconic figures of today’s roots music community. This time, Hanna, Fadden, Carpenter, and McEuen are the elder statesmen, passing down their influence and inspiration to a younger class without giving up the torch just yet. There’s more music to be made, after all. More shows to play. Another half-century to chase down. The circle rolls on.
Fans are able to purchase the cd or cd/dvd combo via www.nittygritty.com, Amazon (cd or cd/dvd), and iTunes (cd or dvd).
For more information on NGDB, please visit www.nittygritty.com.
Huffington Post talks to Jeff Hanna re: IBMA and Circlin’ Back
Barry Mazor interviews Jeff Hanna on Acme Radio’s Roots Now, talks new record & 50 years
LA Times premieres “Truthful Parson Brown” with Jackson Browne
Relix Magazine premieres “Catfish John” with Alison Krauss
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and Friends – Circlin’ Back: Celebrating 50 Years CD track listing:
1. “YOU AIN’T GOING NOWHERE”
2. “GRANDPA WAS A CARPENTER” feat. JOHN PRINE
3. “PARADISE” feat. JOHN PRINE
4. “MY WALKIN’ SHOES”
5. “TENNESSEE STUD” fest. VINCE GILL
6. “NINE POUND HAMMER” feat. SAM BUSH with VINCE GILL
7. “BUY FOR ME THE RAIN”
8. “THESE DAYS” feat. JACKSON BROWNE
9. “TRUTHFUL PARSON BROWN” feat. JACKSON BROWNE with JERRY DOUGLAS, SAM BUSH
and BYRON HOUSE
10. “KEEP ON THE SUNNY SIDE” feat. ALISON KRAUSS
11. “CATFISH JOHN” feat. ALISON KRAUSS
12. “AN AMERICAN DREAM” feat. RODNEY CROWELL with ALISON KRAUSS
13. “LONG HARD ROAD (THE SHARECROPPER’S DREAM)” feat. RODNEY CROWELL
14. “MR. BOJANGLES” feat. JERRY JEFF WALKER
15. “FISHIN’ IN THE DARK” feat. JIMMY IBBOTSON
16. “BAYOU JUBILEE/SALLY WAS A GOODUN”
17. “JAMBALAYA”
18. “WILL THE CIRCLE BE UNBROKEN”
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and Friends – Circlin’ Back: Celebrating 50 Years DVD track listing:
1. “YOU AIN’T GOING NOWHERE”
2. “GRANDPA WAS A CARPENTER” feat. JOHN PRINE
3. “PARADISE” feat. JOHN PRINE
4. “MY WALKIN’ SHOES”
5. “TENNESSEE STUD” fest. VINCE GILL
6. “NINE POUND HAMMER” feat. SAM BUSH with VINCE GILL
7. “BUY FOR ME THE RAIN”
8. “THESE DAYS” feat. JACKSON BROWNE
9. “TRUTHFUL PARSON BROWN” feat. JACKSON BROWNE
with JERRY DOUGLAS, SAM BUSH and BYRON HOUSE
10. “KEEP ON THE SUNNY SIDE” feat. ALISON KRAUSS
11. “CATFISH JOHN” feat. ALISON KRAUSS
12. “AN AMERICAN DREAM” feat. RODNEY CROWELL with ALISON KRAUSS
13. “LONG HARD ROAD (THE SHARECROPPER’S DREAM) feat. RODNEY CROWELL
14. “MR. BOJANGLES” feat. JERRY JEFF WALKER
15. “RIPPLIN’ WATERS” feat. JIMMY IBBOTSON
16. “FISHIN’ IN THE DARK” feat. JIMMY IBBOTSON
17. “BAYOU JUBILEE/SALLY WAS A GOODUN”
18. “JAMBALAYA”
19. “WILL THE CIRCLE BE UNBROKEN”
On Tour:
Oct. 21 Dosey Doe – The Woodlands, Texas
Oct. 22 The Majestic Theatre – Dallas, Texas
Nov. 10 Grand Theatre – Frankfort, Ky.
Nov. 11 Midland Theatre – Newark, Ohio
Nov. 12 Temple Theatre – Saginaw, Mich.
Nov. 13 MotorCity Casino Hotel – Detroit, Mich.