History in Music and Film: John McEuen & The Circle Band ‘Will the Circle Be Unbroken’ at Shank Hall

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The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band’s 1972 triple album Will the Circle be Unbroken was more than a record, it was an historic summit meeting where the Woodstock generation shook hands with the pillars of country music.

That album found the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band backing the likes of Maybelle Carter, Merle Travis, Doc Watson, Earl Scruggs, Roy Acuff and Jimmy Martin. There was something in the air and this album was emblematic of young people diving headlong into traditional acoustic music. There would be two additional Circle volumes, in 1989 and again in 2002.

When multi-instrumentalist John McEuen replaced Jackson Browne before the group began recording their first album, little did McEuen know that 25 years later he’d be keeper of the flame, taking a multi-media show on the road that blends archival film footage with onstage commentary on the group’s story—a history that includes the hit “Mr. Bojangles.” In 2010 McEuen won a Grammy for producing an album for longtime friend banjoist-comedian Steve Martin.

John McEuen & The Circle Band—“Will the Circle Be Unbroken” will perform at Shank Hall on Nov. 3 at 8 p.m.

For the Shank performance, the group will also include Les Thompson, original co-founder of NGDB, and his 30-year music partner Matt Cartsonis (guitar, mandola, and great vocals). Jodee Lewis (guitar/vocals) will play the part of Maybelle Carter during the telling of the “Circle” story along with Michael Miles (banjo/guitar). John Sieger opens.

The Story in Print

Want to dig even deeper? In August Backbeat Books released Will the Circle Be Unbroken: The Making of a Landmark Album, 50th Anniversary. Written by John McEuen with photographs by his brother William E. McEuen who was also the manager of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, the book offers a deeper dive into the historic recording sessions.