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.
"Will the Circle be Unbroken" 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 1980s 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).
The current members are:
* 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)
Grand Ole Opry Song
The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Okay, here we go
Pick your banjo solid, John
You picked one for fifteen years, ain't you?
Earl never did do that
Come and listen to my story, if you will, I'm gonna tell
About a gang of fellers from down at Nashville
We can't forget Hank Williams with them good old "Lovesick Blues"
It's time for Roy Acuff to go to Memphis on his train
With Minnie Pearl and Rod Brasfield and Lazy Jim Day
Turn on all your radios I know that you will wait
Hear Little Jimmy Dickens sing "Take An Old Cold Tater And Wait"
There'll be guitars and fiddles, Earl Scruggs and his banjo too
Bill Monroe singing out them old Kentucky Blues
Ernest Tubb's number, "Two wrongs won't make a right"
At the Grand Ole Opry every Saturday night
There was Uncle Dave Macon, his gold tooth and plug-hat
Cowboy Copas singing "Tragic Romance"
Signed Sealed and Delivered with Sam and Kirk McGee
And the master of ceremony was Mr. George D. Hays
There was Lonzo and Oscar a-poppin' bubble gum
George Morgan singin' "Candy Kisses" Yum Yum
"Got a Hole in My Bucket" "Bringin' in That Georgia Mill"
We'll sing "The Sunny Side of The Mountain" and dance to the "Chicken Reel"
There'll be guitars and fiddles and banjo pickin' too
Bill Monroe singin' out them old Kentucky Blues
Ernest Tubb's number, "Two wrongs won't make a right"
At the Grand Ole Opry every Saturday night
You can talk about your singers in all kinds of way
But none could sing the old songs like Bradley Kincaid
With his old hound dog "Guitar" and the famous "Blue Tail Fly"
Stringbeans with Hank Snow and old fiddlin' Chubby Wise
There'll be guitars and fiddles, Earl Scruggs and his banjo too
Bill Monroe singin' out them old Kentucky Blues
Ernest Tubb's number, "Two Wrongs Don't Make a right"
At the Grand Ole Opry every Saturday night
The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band's song "Grand Ole Opry Song" is essentially a tribute to the Grand Ole Opry, which is a weekly country music concert that originates from Nashville, Tennessee. The song describes the performers who have appeared on the show and the songs they are known for, including Red Foley's "Chattanooga Shoe," Hank Williams' "Lovesick Blues," and Little Jimmy Dickens' "Take An Old Cold Tater And Wait." The song also mentions various instruments played on the show, such as banjos, fiddles, and guitars, and the performers who played them, such as Earl Scruggs.
The song serves as an ode to traditional country music and the performers who helped make it famous. The song also highlights the importance of the Grand Ole Opry as a hub for country music and as an institution that has helped shape the industry. Throughout the song, the lyrics invoke a sense of nostalgia and admiration for the performers and their contributions to country music.
Line by Line Meaning
Pick your banjo solid, John
John, play your banjo well
You picked one for fifteen years, ain't you?
You've been playing the banjo for 15 years, right?
Earl never did do that
But Earl Scruggs never picked the banjo like you do
Come and listen to my story, if you will, I'm gonna tell
Listen to the story I'm about to tell
About a gang of fellers from down at Nashville
It's about a group of people from Nashville
First I'll start with old Red Foley doin' the 'Chattanooga Shoe'
Let me begin with Red Foley singing Chattanooga Shoe
We can't forget Hank Williams with them good old 'Lovesick Blues'
And we have to mention Hank Williams' Lovesick Blues
It's time for Roy Acuff to go to Memphis on his train
Now Roy Acuff is taking the train to Memphis
With Minnie Pearl and Rod Brasfield and Lazy Jim Day
And he's with Minnie Pearl, Rod Brasfield, and Lazy Jim Day
Turn on all your radios I know that you will wait
Tune in to all your radios; I know you'll wait for this
Hear Little Jimmy Dickens sing 'Take An Old Cold Tater And Wait'
Listen to Little Jimmy Dickens singing Take an Old Cold Tater and Wait
There'll be guitars and fiddles, Earl Scruggs and his banjo too
You'll hear guitars, fiddles, and Earl Scruggs' banjo
Bill Monroe singing out them old Kentucky Blues
And Bill Monroe singing the old Kentucky Blues
Ernest Tubb's number, 'Two wrongs won't make a right'
Ernest Tubb singing Two Wrongs Won't Make a Right
At the Grand Ole Opry every Saturday night
All of this is happening every Saturday night at the Grand Ole Opry
There was Uncle Dave Macon, his gold tooth and plug-hat
One night Uncle Dave Macon was there with his gold tooth and plug hat
Cowboy Copas singing 'Tragic Romance'
Cowboy Copas sang Tragic Romance
Signed Sealed and Delivered with Sam and Kirk McGee
Sam and Kirk McGee sang Signed Sealed and Delivered
And the master of ceremony was Mr. George D. Hays
George D. Hays was the master of ceremonies
There was Lonzo and Oscar a-poppin' bubble gum
Lonzo and Oscar were there, popping bubble gum
George Morgan singin' 'Candy Kisses', Yum Yum
George Morgan sang Candy Kisses, Yum Yum
'Got a Hole in My Bucket', 'Bringin' in That Georgia Mill'
They performed Got a Hole in My Bucket and Bringin' in That Georgia Mill
We'll sing 'The Sunny Side of The Mountain' and dance to the 'Chicken Reel'
They played The Sunny Side of the Mountain and danced to the Chicken Reel
You can talk about your singers in all kinds of way
You can talk about singers in many ways
But none could sing the old songs like Bradley Kincaid
But no one could sing the old songs like Bradley Kincaid could
With his old hound dog 'Guitar' and the famous 'Blue Tail Fly'
Bradley Kincaid used his old hound dog Guitar and sang the famous Blue Tail Fly
Stringbeans with Hank Snow and old fiddlin' Chubby Wise
Stringbeans played with Hank Snow and Chubby Wise, the old fiddler
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Hylo Brown
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind