Jeff Hanna

Last updated
Jeff Hanna
Birth nameJeffrey R. Hanna
Born (1947-07-11) July 11, 1947 (age 75)
Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Genres Country, folk, rock
Occupation(s)Singer, songwriter
InstrumentsVocals, guitar, drums
Years active1966 – present
Member of Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
Spouse(s)
​
(m. 1993)​

Jeffrey R. Hanna (born July 11, 1947) is an American singer-songwriter and performance musician, best known for his association with the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. His professional music career has spanned six decades.

Contents

Early life

Hanna was born in Detroit, Michigan. [1] In 1962, he moved with his family to Long Beach, California. As a high school student there, he and some friends started a jug band that ultimately evolved into the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. [2]

Musical career

He was one of the founders and is the longest-serving member of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, where he has been a singer, songwriter, lead guitarist, drummer and washboard player. Through the years, he has been a major force in keeping the band together and maintaining its blend of folk, country and rock music. [1] [2]

Hanna has over 380 recording credits, primarily as a composer, but also as a vocalist, guitarist (acoustic, electric, steel, slide, twelve-string, and baritone), arranger, and producer. [3]

In addition to the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, his credits include work with artists such as Linda Ronstadt, Suzy Bogguss, The Texas Tenors, Patty Loveless, Rascal Flatts, Matraca Berg, Hannah Montana, Emmylou Harris, The Chieftains, Johnny Cash, June Carter Cash, Earl Scruggs, Michael Martin Murphey, Dickey Betts, and Steve Martin. [3]

In 2006, his composition "Bless the Broken Road", co-written with Marcus Hummon and Bobby Boyd in 1994, won a Grammy Award for Best Country Song. [4] It has been recorded by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Marcus Hummon, and, in the Grammy year, Rascal Flatts. [5]

Personal life

Hanna's children are visual artist Christopher Hanna, and Jaime Hanna of the Hanna-McEuen country music duo. [6]

He has been married to Matraca Berg since December 5, 1993. The couple met while touring with Clint Black in the late 1980s. They live in Nashville, Tennessee. [5]

Related Research Articles

Nitty Gritty Dirt Band American band

The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band is an American country rock band formed in 1966. The group has existed in various forms since its founding in Long Beach, California. The band's membership has had at least a dozen changes over the years, including a period from 1976 to 1981 when the band performed and recorded as the Dirt Band.

Hanna–McEuen was an American country music duo consisting first cousins Jaime Hanna and Jonathan McEuen, both vocalists and guitarists. Their fathers, Jeff Hanna and John McEuen, co-founded the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, a country music band which had success in the 1970s and 1980s. In addition, Hanna was formerly an occasional supporting musician for the Tex-Mex/americana band The Mavericks.

<i>Will the Circle be Unbroken</i> (Nitty Gritty Dirt Band album) 1972 studio album by Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

Will the Circle be Unbroken is the seventh album by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, with collaboration from many famous bluegrass and country-western players, including Roy Acuff, "Mother" Maybelle Carter, Doc Watson, Earl Scruggs, Randy Scruggs, Merle Travis, Pete "Oswald" Kirby, Norman Blake, Jimmy Martin, and others. It also introduced fiddler Vassar Clements to a wider audience.

"Bless the Broken Road" is a song that has been recorded by several American country music artists. Co-written by Marcus Hummon, Bobby Boyd, and Jeff Hanna in 1994, it tells how the journey through relationship heartbreak and disappointment was an important series of lessons along the broken road to finding one’s true love. It was first recorded by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band in 1994, followed by Hummon on his 1995 album All in Good Time.

<i>Feels Like Today</i> 2004 studio album by Rascal Flatts

Feels Like Today is the third studio album by American country music group Rascal Flatts. It was released in September 28, 2004 via Lyric Street Records The album has sold 5.274 million copies in the United States as of July 2014, and it has been certified 5× Multi-Platinum by the RIAA. The album produced its title track as a single along with "Bless the Broken Road", "Fast Cars and Freedom", and "Skin (Sarabeth)". "Bless the Broken Road" was initially recorded by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, and has also been recorded by Marcus Hummon, Melodie Crittenden, and Geoff Moore before the release of Rascal Flatts' version. It would later be a Top 5 Christian hit for Selah as well. "When the Sand Runs Out" was later recorded by Marty Raybon on his 2006 album of the same name.

<i>Symphonion Dream</i> 1975 studio album by Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

Symphonion Dream is the ninth album from The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. They were joined by guest musicians Leon Russell and Linda Ronstadt, along with actor Gary Busey, who was credited as "Teddy Jack Eddy", and played various percussion instruments.

Marcus Spencer Hummon is an American country music artist. He is the father of country singer Levi Hummon.

<i>All in Good Time</i> (Marcus Hummon album) 1995 studio album by Marcus Hummon

All in Good Time is the debut album of American country music artist Marcus Hummon. Released in late 1995 on Columbia Records Nashville, it produced one chart hit for him on the Billboard country charts in "God's Country, USA", which peaked at number 73.

<i>Speed of Life</i> (Nitty Gritty Dirt Band album) 2009 studio album by Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

Speed of Life is the 23rd studio album from the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, released by NGDB Records on September 22, 2009. It reached number 59 on the U.S. Country charts.

<i>Will the Circle Be Unbroken, Volume III</i> 2002 studio album by Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

Will the Circle Be Unbroken, Volume III is the 2002 album from The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. This album reached 18 on the US Country chart. Earlier albums in the series include Will the Circle Be Unbroken and Will the Circle Be Unbroken: Volume II.

<i>Acoustic</i> (Nitty Gritty Dirt Band album) 1994 studio album by Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

Acoustic is the 1994 album by Nitty Gritty Dirt Band.

<i>Alive</i> (Nitty Gritty Dirt Band album) 1969 live album by Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

Alive is the 1969 album from The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. Liberty Records released this album after the original version of the band broke up and before the next version of the band re-signed with them. John McEuen would later recall that "we did [the album] at the Troubador and there were mountains of equipment on stage because Poco were on the same bill with us." Given McEuen's comment, it appears that the documented performance occurred on either December 6 or 7, 1968. The band would break up within weeks of this show.

<i>All the Good Times</i> 1972 studio album by Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

All the Good Times is the sixth album from The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, released in January 1972.

<i>An American Dream</i> (album) 1979 studio album by Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

An American Dream is the eleventh album from The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band is notable for having many charting albums and singles. "An American Dream" is a song written by Rodney Crowell. He recorded it under the title "Voilá, An American Dream" on his 1978 album Ain't Living Long Like This, and released it as the B-side to that album's single "(Now and Then There's) A Fool Such as I".

<i>Lets Go</i> (Nitty Gritty Dirt Band album) 1983 studio album by Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

Let's Go is the fourteenth album from The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. This album marks the return of Nitty Gritty to the band name and Jim Ibbotson to the band. This album reached 26 on the US Country charts. Two singles from this album also charted. "Shot Full of Love" reached 19 on the US Country charts. "Dance Little Jean" reached 9 on the US Country charts.

<i>The Christmas Album</i> (Nitty Gritty Dirt Band album) 1997 studio album by Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

The Christmas Album is the 1997 album from The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band is notable for having many charting albums and singles. This album reached 93 on the US Country charts.

<i>Twenty Years of Dirt</i> 1986 compilation album by Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

Twenty Years of Dirt is the second compilation album from the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. It is a collection of hits from their 20-year career. The album contained one new song, "Stand a Little Rain", which reached #5 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart. The album reached 10 on the US Country charts and went Platinum.

Not Fade Away is a 1992 album by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. Two singles from the album charted: a cover of "I Fought the Law" reached 66 on the US Country charts, and "One Good Love" reached 74 on the US Country charts.

William Eugene McEuen was a film producer and record producer famous for working with Steve Martin and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. His younger brother is John McEuen, banjo player and founding member of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band.

References

  1. 1 2 "Jeff Hanna Discography". discogs.com. Discogs . Retrieved 2016-04-12.
  2. 1 2 Stambler, Irwin; Landon, Grelun, eds. (2000-07-14). "Dirt Band, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band". Country Music: The Encyclopedia. Macmillan. pp. 135–137. ISBN   9780312264871 . Retrieved 2016-04-12.
  3. 1 2 "Jeff Hanna - Credits". allmusic.com. AllMusic . Retrieved 2016-04-12.
  4. ↑ "Jeff Hanna - Awards". allmusic.com. AllMusic . Retrieved 2016-04-12.
  5. 1 2 "Jeff Hanna + Matraca Berg — Country's Greatest Love Stories". theboot.com. Retrieved 2016-04-12.
  6. ↑ "Hanna-McEuen Biography". artistdirect.com. ARTISTdirect. Retrieved 2016-04-12.
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