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)
Wolverton Mountain
The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
If you're looking for a wife
'Cause Clifton Clowers has a pretty young daughter
He's mighty handy with a gun and a knife.
Her tender lips are sweeter than honey
And Wolverton mountain protects her there
The bears and birds tell Clifton Clowers
All of my dreams are on Wolverton Mountain
I want his daughter for my wife
I'll take my chances and climb that mountain
Though Clifton Clowers, he may take my life.
Her tender lips are sweeter than honey
And Wolverton mountain protects her there
The bears and birds tell Clifton Clowers
If a stranger should wander there.
I'm going up on Wolverton Mountain
It's too lonesome down here below
It's just not right to hide his daughter
From the one who loves her so
Her tender lips are sweeter than honey
And Wolverton mountain protects her there
The bears and birds tell Clifton Clowers
If a stranger should wander there
But I don't care about Clifton Clowers
I'm gonna climb up on his mountain
I'm gonna take the girl I love
I don't care about Clifton Clowers
I'm a gonna climb up on that mountain
And I'll get the one I Iove
I don't care about Clifton Clowers,
I'm gonna find the one I love,
I don't care about Clifton Clowers
I'm gonna find the one I love
The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band's song Wolverton Mountain tells the story of a man who is willing to risk his life to climb the titular mountain to win the heart of Clifton Clowers' daughter. Wolverton Mountain is portrayed as a protective haven where the danger of outsiders is kept at bay and the sweetness of life is preserved, yet it is also depicted as something that encloses and restricts Clowers' daughter from the outside world, which forces her potential suitors to make a dangerous climb to win her heart. Clowers himself is seen as a guardian of his daughter's virtue who is ready to resort to violence to protect her from anyone who might try to take her away.
The song draws upon the theme of forbidden love, portrayed through the struggle of two young people who are in love but are unable to be together due to the constraints of their society. Wolverton Mountain is presented as a physical barrier as well as a metaphor for the challenges and dangers that stand in the way of true love. The line "I don't care about Clifton Clowers, I'm gonna find the one I love" serves as an assertion of the man's determination to overcome any obstacle for love.
Line by Line Meaning
They say don't go on Wolverton Mountain If you're looking for a wife 'Cause Clifton Clowers has a pretty young daughter He's mighty handy with a gun and a knife.
Rumors abound that Wolverton Mountain is no place to find a wife, for Clifton Clowers, the fierce owner of the mountain, has a beautiful daughter and is skilled in both weaponry and fighting.
Her tender lips are sweeter than honey And Wolverton mountain protects her there The bears and birds tell Clifton Clowers If a stranger should wander there.
The daughter of Clifton Clowers is protected by Wolverton Mountain, and the animals that reside there warn Clowers of any strangers.
All of my dreams are on Wolverton Mountain I want his daughter for my wife I'll take my chances and climb that mountain Though Clifton Clowers, he may take my life.
Despite the danger, the singer's dreams revolve around marrying Clifton Clowers' daughter, and he is willing to risk his life by climbing Wolverton Mountain to pursue her.
I'm going up on Wolverton Mountain It's too lonesome down here below It's just not right to hide his daughter From the one who loves her so
The artist feels compelled to climb Wolverton Mountain to find the love of his life and finds staying below too lonely. He also believes Clifton Clowers is not justified in keeping his daughter hidden from him.
But I don't care about Clifton Clowers I'm gonna climb up on his mountain I'm gonna take the girl I love I don't care about Clifton Clowers
The artist is so determined to win over the daughter of Clifton Clowers that he no longer cares about the owner of Wolverton Mountain and is willing to face him to take the love of his life.
I'm a gonna climb up on that mountain And I'll get the one I love I don't care about Clifton Clowers, I'm gonna find the one I love, I don't care about Clifton Clowers
The singer remains resolute in his mission to find the daughter of Clifton Clowers, even if it means facing danger and disregarding the owner of Wolverton Mountain entirely.
Lyrics © RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Claude King, Merle Kilgore
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind