John McEuen | |
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Background information | |
Born | Oakland, California, U.S. | December 19, 1945
Genres | Country, folk, folk-rock, bluegrass |
Occupation(s) | Musician, singer, producer |
Instrument(s) | Banjo, guitar, mandolin, fiddle, piano, accordion, vocals |
Years active | 1965–present |
Labels | Warner Bros., Vanguard, Cedar Glen, Planetary, Aix, Rural Rhythm |
Formerly of | Nitty Gritty Dirt Band |
Website | www |
John McEuen, born December 19, 1945, in Oakland, California, is an American folk musician and a founding member of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band.
John McEuen was born in Oakland, California. In 1964, at age 18, he became interested in music after seeing a performance by the Dillards, and learned to play the banjo. Eventually, he took an interest in fiddle and mandolin. In 1986, after twenty years with the Dirt Band, McEuen departed to pursue a solo career. From 1991–1997, he released four albums for Vanguard Records. He composed music for movies and television and he appeared as a guest on albums with several artists including five albums with Michael Martin Murphey. He then returned to the Dirt Band in 2001. [1] McEuen departed the band once again in late 2017. [2]
McEuen has known Steve Martin since high school, when he would give Martin occasional lessons on the banjo. In 1978, he was asked by Martin to provide the backing band for a comic, novelty song called King Tut . With Martin on vocals, the Dirt Band recorded the song under the alias "The Toot Uncommons". [1]
McEuen produced and played on Martin's album The Crow: New Songs for the 5-String Banjo (Rounder, 2009). The album was Number 1 for seven months and won the Grammy Award for Best Bluegrass Album. [1]
McEuen published an autobiography in 2018 titled The Life I've Picked - A Banjo Player's Nitty Gritty Journey. [3]
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, known as the Dirt Band from 1978 to 1983, is an American band founded in Long Beach, California, in 1966. Since 2018, the band has consisted of Jeff Hanna and his son Jaime Hanna, both guitarists and vocalists, along with Jimmie Fadden, Bob Carpenter, Ross Holmes, and Jim Photoglo.
Hanna–McEuen was an American country music duo consisting of 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. In addition, Hanna was formerly an occasional supporting musician for the Mavericks.
The Steve Martin Brothers, released on LP in 1981, is a comedy album by the American entertainer Steve Martin. The album, the last stand-up comedy album released by Martin, was released on compact disc in 2006 by Wounded Bird Records.
Will the Circle Be Unbroken is the seventh studio album by American country music group The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, released in November 1972, through United Artists Records. The album was a collaboration with many famous bluegrass and country-and-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.
Symphonion Dream is the ninth album by American country music band 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.
Will the Circle Be Unbroken: Volume Two is the nineteenth studio album by American country folk group Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, released on May 1, 1989. The album follows the same concept as the band's 1972 album, Will the Circle Be Unbroken, which featured guest performances from many notable country music stars.
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.
Welcome to Woody Creek is the 2004 album from The 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.
Workin' Band is the eighteenth studio album by American country folk group Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, released in 1988. The album peaked at No. 33 on the US country albums chart. "Workin' Man " and "I've Been Lookin'" were released as singles, each reaching the top ten of the Billboard country singles chart. This was their first album to feature Bernie Leadon, who replaced founding member John McEuen, because he left for a solo career.
Partners, Brothers and Friends is the sixteenth studio album by American country folk group Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. The album reached #9 on the US Country charts. The three singles from this album were top 10 on the US Country charts. "Modern Day Romance" went to #1, "Home Again in My Heart" went to 3, and "Partners, Brothers and Friends" went to 6.
Ricochet is the second studio album by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. It was their second album of 1967, being released only a few months after their first album The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band.
Rare Junk is the third studio album from The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, released in 1968. In an attempt to update their sound the band included electric instrumentation on the record, but it still was a commercial failure.
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, the documented performance most likely occurred on either December 6 or 7, 1968. The band would break up within weeks of this show.
Let's Go is the fourteenth studio album by American country folk group 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.
The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band is the debut studio album by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, released in 1967. This album debuted on the U.S. Billboard Top Pop Albums chart on April 8, 1967, peaked at number 161, and was on the charts for eight weeks. The single "Buy for Me the Rain" b/w "Candy Man" debuted on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 on April 8, 1967, peaked at number 45 on May 6, 1967, and was on the charts for seven weeks. In Canada, the single reached number 37 in May 1967.
Acoustic Traveller is the 1996 album from John McEuen. John is notable for being a longtime member of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band for which he was a multi-instrument and composer/arranger. He played on many of their charting albums and singles. He also records as a solo artist, and has appeared as a guest musician on many albums by many artists.
Jeffrey R. Hanna 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 seven decades.
Elliott Ross Holmes is an American violinist, fiddler, composer and producer known for his progressive style that is genre fluid, mixing old and new world styles. Since 2018, Holmes has been a member of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band.
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.