The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band is an American country-folk-rock band that has existed in various forms since its founding in Long Beach, California in 1966. The group's membership has had at least a dozen iterations over the years, including a period from 1976 to 1981 when the band performed and recorded as The Dirt Band. Constant members since the early days are singer-guitarist Jeff Hanna and drummer Jimmy Fadden. Multi-instrumentalist John McEuen was with the band from 1966 to 1986 and returned in 2001. Keyboardist Bob Carpenter joined the band in 1977.
The band's hits include a cover version of Jerry Jeff Walker's "Mr. Bojangles". Albums include 1972's Will the Circle Be Unbroken, featuring such traditional country artists Mother Maybelle Carter, Earl Scruggs, Roy Acuff, Merle Travis and Jimmy Martin. A follow-up album based on the same concept, Will the Circle Be Unbroken: Volume Two was released in 1989, was certified gold and won two Grammy Awards and was named Album of the Year at the Country Music Association Awards.
