For nearly six decades, the three-time GRAMMY® Award-winning Nitty Gritty Dirt Band has entertained audiences with their top-shelf musicianship and timeless hits “Mr. Bojangles,” “Fishin' In The Dark,” “An American Dream,” and many more. And now, the time has come for the band who has carried a torch for American country and roots music to say so long to the highways and byways they’ve crossed an unimaginable number of times throughout their career.
On March 21st, 2024, the Dirt Band will kick off the first leg of their last traditionally scheduled gigs, ALL THE GOOD TIMES: The Farewell Tour. No need to fret, this isn’t goodbye forever, but it will be the last fans see of multi-city runs and long bus rides from the group that helmed the multi-artist Will The Circle Be Unbroken series that featured the likes of Mother Maybelle Carter, Doc Watson, Earl Scruggs, Emmylou Harris, Taj Mahal, Levon Helm, and dozens more.
“‘All The Good Times’ perfectly describes our career,” said the band in a statement this week. “Playing our music for Dirt Band fans all over the world has been an incredible experience for us. The most important part of that has been the connection to our audience—that beautiful communal give and take is like nothing else. That's the very spirit we'll be celebrating as we head into our farewell tour. We really look forward to seeing you folks. Good times will be had by all!”
About Nitty Gritty Dirt Band: With one of the best lineups in the group’s storied history, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, featuring founding members Jeff Hanna (lead vocals, guitar) and Jimmie Fadden (drums, harmonica, vocals); longtime bandmate Bob Carpenter (keys, vocals)—a member since 1980; along with Jim Photoglo (bass, vocals); Jaime Hanna (guitar, vocals); and Ross Holmes (fiddle, mandolin, vocals); remains one of the most accomplished bands in American roots music. The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band played their first gig in 1966 in Southern California as a jug band and by 1969 had become a cornerstone of the burgeoning country-rock community. Their career breakthrough came in 1970 with the release of the record Uncle Charlie & His Dog Teddy and the single “Mr. Bojangles,” a folksy Top 10 pop hit that brought roots music to the national forefront. In 1972, they released the first of three groundbreaking Will The Circle Be Unbroken records, collaborating with many of the best bluegrass, country, and folk artists in the world. The band also has enjoyed vast success on the U.S. Country charts with hits like "Fishin' In The Dark," "Modern Day Romance," and "Long Hard Road." The Dirt Band are GRAMMY, CMA, and IBMA Award winners, and their Nitty Gritty Dirt Band & Friends - Fifty Years, Circlin' Back! for PBS was an Emmy Award-winning television special. The Dirt Band’s latest album, Dirt Does Dylan—released in 2022—has received widespread critical acclaim. More at nittygritty.com/history.
