John McEuen and the Circle Band Will the Circle Be Unbroken

When singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist John McEuen initiated the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band’s landmark record Will the Circle Be Unbroken, it brought together icons from bluegrass, country, and West Coast country-rock. Recorded in six hot August days in Nashville in 1971, the 34-song album is still relevant and popular today.    

McEuen is considered an integral part of country music’s history. He appears in four episodes of Ken Burns’s Country Music series and closes the sixth episode (titled “Will the Circle Be Unbroken?”), in which he describes the making of the milestone album.      

McEuen has assembled a unique cast for a special night to share the music and memories of Will the Circle Be Unbroken and his incredible career with the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. His Circle Band includes Les Thompson, a founding member of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band; John Cable, who toured Russia with the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band; and Matt Cartsonis.

John McEuen—guitar, banjo, mandolin, fiddle, vocals
Les Thompson—bass, bouzouki, vocals
John Cable—guitar, mandolin, vocals
Matt Cartsonis—mandola, guitar, vocals