The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
Band · Active 1967–2026 · Long Beach, California
Folk / Americana
Classic Country
The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band's 1972 triple-album Will the Circle Be Unbroken — recording California country-rockers alongside first-generation country and bluegrass legends in Nashville — bridged two generations of American roots music in a single project, and the band has spent 60 years extending that bridge across country radio, traditional bluegrass, and folk.
- Formed in Long Beach, California in 1966; founding rotation included Jeff Hanna, Jimmie Fadden, Jackson Browne (briefly), Bruce Kunkel, Ralph Barr, and Les Thompson, with John McEuen joining within months and Jim Ibbotson in 1969.
- Cut their biggest pop hit, "Mr. Bojangles," on Uncle Charlie & His Dog Teddy (1970).
- Recorded Will the Circle Be Unbroken at Nashville's Woodland Sound Studios in August 1971 with guests Roy Acuff, Mother Maybelle Carter, Doc Watson, Earl Scruggs, Merle Travis, Jimmy Martin, Vassar Clements, Norman Blake, Junior Huskey, and Pete "Oswald" Kirby; the triple-LP was released in November 1972, peaked at #4 on the Billboard country albums chart, and was certified platinum.
- Reached #1 on country radio in the 1980s with "Long Hard Road (The Sharecropper's Dream)" (1984), "Modern Day Romance" (1985), and "Fishin' in the Dark" (1987).
- Released Will the Circle Be Unbroken: Volume Two in 1989; the album won the CMA Album of the Year and three Grammys, including Best Bluegrass Recording for "The Valley Road" with Bruce Hornsby.
- Released Will the Circle Be Unbroken, Volume III in 2002, completing the trilogy.
- Continue to tour with Jeff Hanna, Jimmie Fadden, and Bob Carpenter (joined 1980) at the core of an evolving lineup.
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Anthology2017
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Will the Circle Be Unbroken, Vol. III2002 · Capitol 7243-5-40177-0-4
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Will the Circle Be Unbroken1972 · United Artists 04054
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John McEuenPlayed on recordings with The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
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Jeff HannaPlayed on recordings with The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
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Jimmie FaddenPlayed on recordings with The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
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Del McCouryPlayed on recordings with The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
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Jim IbbotsonPlayed on recordings with The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
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Jimmy MartinPlayed on recordings with The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
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Les ThompsonPlayed on recordings with The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
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Bob CarpenterPlayed on recordings with The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
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Randy ScruggsPlayed on recordings with The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
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“Mother” Maybelle CarterPlayed on recording with The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
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Alan O’BryantPlayed on recording with The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
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Alison KraussPlayed on recording with The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
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Byron HousePlayed on recording with The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
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David JacksonPlayed on recording with The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
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Doc WatsonPlayed on recording with The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
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Earl ScruggsPlayed on recording with The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
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Gene LibbeaPlayed on recording with The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
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Glen DuncanPlayed on recording with The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
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Glenn WorfPlayed on recording with The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
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Jeff McEuenPlayed on recording with The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
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Jerry DouglasPlayed on recording with The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
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Junior HuskeyPlayed on recording with The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
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Merle TravisPlayed on recording with The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
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Pat EnrightPlayed on recording with The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
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Pete KirbyPlayed on recording with The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
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Ray MartinPlayed on recording with The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
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Ricky SkaggsPlayed on recording with The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
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Rodney DillardPlayed on recording with The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
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Roland WhitePlayed on recording with The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
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Stuart DuncanPlayed on recording with The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
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Tom PettyPlayed on recording with The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
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Vassar ClementsPlayed on recording with The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
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Willie NelsonPlayed on recording with The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band