(CelebrityAccess) Nashville, TN – 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.
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
Availability: Call for Availability
http://www.nittygritty.com
North American Agency
WME Entertainment LLC – Nashville
1600 Division Street, Suite 300
Nashville, TN 37203 United States
Phone: 615-963-3000
Fax: 615-963-3090
http://www.wmeentertainment.com
Agent: Mark Roeder
E-Mail:mroeder@wmeentertainment.com
North American Management
Clearview Artist Management
PO Box 120191
Nashville, TN 37212 United States
Phone: 615-852-5265
E-Mail:info@clearviewartistmanagement.com
http://www.cvamgt.com
Manager: Steve Schweidel
E-Mail:steveschweidel@mac.com
North American Co-Publicity
Webster PR
33 Music Square West, Suite 100B
Nashville, TN 37203 United States
Phone: 615-777-6995
Phone: 615-369-2515
http://www.websterpr.com
Publicist: Kirt Webster
E-Mail: kirt@websterpr.com
Publicist: Scott Adkins
E-Mail: scott@websterpr.com
Publicist: Joey Amato
E-Mail:joey@websterpr.com
The Press House
302 Bedford Avenue, Suite 13
Brooklyn, NY 11211 United States
Phone: 718-302-1522
http://www.thepresshouse.com
Publicist: Maria Ivey
E-Mail: maria@thepresshouse.com
North American Record Label
Warner Music Nashville
20 Music Square East
Nashville, TN 37203 United States
Phone: 615-748-8000
Fax: 615-214-1567
http://www.warnermusicnashville.com
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band tour dates
