Nitty Gritty Dirt Band to Play RiverCenter February 1

Nitty Gritty Dirt Band will perform live at the RiverCenter for the Performing Arts this weekend. The Grammy Award winning band is embarking on their new 2019 tour after finishing their 50th Anniversary Tour last year. The band has been called the catalyst for the Country Rock and American Roots Music, and has a fan base spanning over five decades.

Nitty Gritty Dirt Band | Image by Glen Rose.

Popular songs by Nitty Gritty Dirt Band include "Fishin' In The Dark" and "Mr. Bojangles." The band still holds original members Jeff Hanna, Jimmie Fadden, and Bob Carpenter, and they recently added Hanna's son, Jaime, as well as former Mumford & Sons band member Ross Holmes.

Original band member Jeff Hanna said he's thankful to be living the dream after more than five decades of touring. "We just have a really great time together," said Hanna. "Having my son join us on tour has been a dream that I don't take for granted."

Nitty Gritty Dirt Band has multi-platinum and gold records including "Will The Circle Be Unbroken" which was inducted into the U.S. Library of Congress and the Grammy Hall of Fame. Hanna said the band's success has been wonderful, and something they never dreamed of when they started. "When we began, we had no idea we'd be fortunate enough to have loyal fans that would keep wanting to hear us play live for decades," Hanna explained. "It's just been something we never imagined."

Watch Nitty Gritty Dirt Band play "Will The Circle Be Unbroken" with Johnny Cash. Video via NGDB onYoutube.

The band doesn't only have a Grammy, though. In 2015, they played to a sold out crowd at The Ryman and the performance recorded for PBS won them an Emmy award. Hanna recalled the performance as though it were yesterday. "It was one of those performances you never forget. We had so many of our friends and colleagues travel to play with us for that concert. You know, people we really love and admire and who we've played with over the years," he said. "It meant so much to us to have them all there. To get an Emmy for it? We never expected it, but it was such an honor."

Nitty Gritty Dirt Band plays live February 1 in Heard Theatre and the RiverCenter for the Performing Arts. Tickets are on sale online and in the box office, or interested parties can call (706) 256-3612 Monday through Friday between 10 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. or one hour before the performance. ◼︎