Will the Circle be Unbroken (Nitty Gritty Dirt Band album)

History

The album's title comes from a song by Ada R. Habershon (re-arranged by A. P. Carter) and reflects how the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band was trying to tie together two generations of musicians. Nitty Gritty Dirt Band was a young country-rock band with a hippie look. Acuff described them as "a bunch of long-haired West Coast boys." The other players were much older and more famous from the forties, fifties and sixties, primarily as old-time country and bluegrass players. Many had become known to their generation through the Grand Ole Opry. However, with the rise of rock-and-roll, the emergence of the commercial country's slick 'Nashville Sound,' and changing tastes in music, their popularity had waned somewhat from their glory years.

Every track on the album was recorded on the first or second take straight to two-track masters, so the takes are raw and unprocessed. Additionally, another tape ran continuously throughout the entire week-long recording session and captured the dialog between the players. On the final album many of the tracks—including the first track—begin with the musicians discussing how to do the song or who should come in where.

The record includes the first meeting of Doc Watson and Merle Travis, after whom Watson's son, Merle, was named.

Bill Monroe, sixty years old at the time, refused to participate in the recordings.

Originally appearing in 1972 as a three LP album and three-cassette tape offering, Will the Circle Be Unbroken was remastered and re-released in 2002 as a two compact disc set.

Much later, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band recorded two subsequent albums, Will the Circle Be Unbroken: Volume Two and Will the Circle Be Unbroken, Volume III, in an attempt to repeat the process with other historically significant musicians. Volume Two won the Country Music Association's 1989 Album of the Year as well as three Grammys. In 1990, the album was celebrated on the PBS music television program Austin City Limits, which featured a performance by the full ensemble of guests on the Carter Family song, Will The Circle Be Unbroken, from the original 1972 album.

Disc one

1. "Grand Ole Opry Song" (Hylo Brown) – 2:59
2. Jimmy Martin-Lead vocal and guitar, John McEuen-Banjo, Vassar Clements-Fiddle, Les Thompson-Mandolin, Roy "Junior" Husky-Bass; Jeff Hanna, Gary Scruggs, Jim Ibbotson, Thompson, Ray Martin-Background vocals
3. "Keep on the Sunny Side" (A.P. Carter, Gary Garett) – 3:35
4. Mother Maybelle Carter-Lead vocal and guitar, Doc Watson-Guitar, Pete "Oswald" Kirby-Dobro, Husky-Bass, Earl Scruggs-Banjo, Randy Scruggs-Autoharp, McEuen-Mandolin; Hanna, Thompson, Merle Travis, Ibbotson, Watson, Gary Scruggs-Background vocals.
5. "Nashville Blues" (Earl Scruggs) – 3:10
6. Earl Scruggs-Lead banjo, McEuen-Banjo, Hanna-Washboard, Jimmie Fadden-Harmonica, Clements-Fiddle, Randy Scruggs-Guitar, Norman Blake-Dobro, Husky-Bass
7. "You Are My Flower" (A.P. Carter) – 3:35
8. McEuen-Banjo, Earl Scruggs-Guitar, Blake-Dobro, Fadden-Autoharp, Ibbotson-Snare, Huskey-Bass, Randy Scruggs-Guitar; Hanna, Thompson, Randy Scruggs-Background vocals
9. "The Precious Jewel" (Roy Acuff) – 3:30
10. Acuff-Lead Vocal, McEuen-Banjo, Fadden-Harmonica, Thompson-Mandolin, Earl Scruggs-Guitar, Randy Scruggs-Autoharp, Clements-Fiddle, Huskey-Bass, Kirby-Dobro
11. "Dark as a Dungeon" (Merle Travis) – 2:45
12. Travis-Lead vocal and guitar, McEuen-Mandolin, Fadden-Harmonica, Huskey-Bass; Hanna, Thompson, Ibbotson-Background vocals
13. "Tennessee Stud" (Jimmie Driftwood) – 4:22
14. Watson-Lead vocal and guitar, McEuen-Banjo, Fadden-Harmonica, Ibbotson-Guitar, Huskey-Bass, Clements-Fiddle, Hanna-Background vocal
15. "Black Mountain Rag" (traditional; credited to Thomas Magness on the album) – 2:10
16. Watson-Lead guitar, McEuen-Banjo, Ibbotson-guitar, Thompson-Mandolin, Fadden-Harmonica Clements-Fiddle, Huskey-Bass
17. "Wreck on the Highway" (Dorsey Dixon) – 3:24
18. Acuff-Lead Vocal, Fadden-Harmonica, Thompson-Mandolin, Kirby-Dobro, Earl Scruggs-Guitar, Clements-Fiddle, Huskey-Bass
19. "The End of the World" (Fred Rose) – 3:53
20. Oswald-Dobro, Watson-Guitar, Earl Scruggs-Guitar, Huskey-Bass
21. "I Saw the Light" (Hank Williams) – 3:45
22. Acuff-Lead Vocal, Earl Scruggs-Banjo, Fadden-Harmonica, McEuen-Mandolin, Watson-Guitar, Kirby-Dobro, Clements-Fiddle, Randy Scruggs-Autoharp, Huskey-Bass; Hanna, Thompson, Ibbotson, Martin-Background Vocals
23. "Sunny Side of the Mountain" (Byron Gregory, Harry McAuliffe) – 2:14
24. Martin-Lead Vocal and Guitar, McEuen-Banjo, Thompson-Mandolin, Fadden-Harmonica, Ibottson-Snare, Clements-Fiddle, Huskey-Bass; Hanna, Thompson, Gary Scruggs, Ray Martin-Background Vocals
25. "Nine-Pound Hammer" (Merle Travis) – 2:14
26. Travis-Lead Vocal and Guitar, McEuen-Banjo, Fadden-Harmonica, Ibbotson-Snare, Huskey-Bass; Hanna, Ibbotson, Thompson-Background Vocals
27. "Losin' You (Might Be the Best Thing Yet)" (Edria A. Humphrey, Jimmy Martin) – 2:44
28. Martin-Lead Vocal and Guitar, McEuen-Banjo, Fadden-Harmonica, Thompson-Mandolin, Ibbotson-Snare, Clements-Fiddle, Huskey-Bass
29. "Honky Tonkin'" (Hank Williams) – 2:19
30. Fadden-Lead Vocal, Hanna-Guitar, Blake-Dobro, Clements-Lead Guitar and Fiddle, Thompson-Mandolin, Huskey-Bass, Ibbotson-Drums
31. "You Don't Know My Mind" (Jimmie Skinner) – 2:45
32. Martin-Lead Vocal and Guitar, McEuen-Banjo, Thompson-Mandolin, Fadden-Harmonica, Ibbotson-Drums, Huskey-Bass, Clements-Fiddle; Hanna, Thompson, Gary Scruggs, Ray Martin-Background Vocals
33. "My Walkin' Shoes" (Jimmy Martin, Paul Williams) – 2:02
34. Martin-Lead Vocal and Guitar, McEuen-Banjo, Thompson-Mandolin, Fadden-Harmonica, Ibottson-Snare, Clements-Fiddle, Huskey-Bass; Hanna, Thompson, Gary Scruggs, Ray Martin-Background Vocals

Disc two

1. "Lonesome Fiddle Blues" (Vassar Clements) – 2:41
2. Clements-Fiddle, McEuen-Banjo, Ibbotson-Guitar, Fadden-Harmonica, Hanna-Washboard, Thompson-Mandolin, Randy Scruggs-Guitar, Ellis Padget-Bass
3. "Cannonball Rag" (Merle Travis) – 1:15
4. Travis-Guitar, Huskey-Bass
5. "Avalanche" (Millie Clements) – 2:50
6. Clements-Fiddle, McEuen-Banjo, Ibbotson-Guitar, Hanna-Washboard, Thompson-Mandolin, Fadden-Harmonica, Huskey-Bass
7. "Flint Hill Special" (Earl Scruggs) – 2:12
8. Earl Scruggs-Banjo, Fadden-Harmonica, Thompson-Mandolin, Gary Scruggs-Guitar, Blake-Dobro, Clements-Fiddle, Ibbotson-Snare, Huskey-Bass
9. "Togary Mountain" (Walter McEuen) – 2:25
10. McEuen-Banjo, Ibbotson-Guitar, Thompson-Mandolin, Blake-Dobro, Clements-Fiddle, Huskey-Bass
11. "Earl's Breakdown" (Earl Scruggs) – 2:34
12. Earl Scruggs-Banjo, Randy Scruggs-Guitar, Clements-Fiddle, Thompson-Mandolin, Ibbotson-Snare, Huskey-Bass
13. "Orange Blossom Special" (Ervin T. Rouse) – 2:14
14. Clements-Fiddle, McEuen-Banjo, Thompson-Mandolin, Martin-Guitar, Ibbotson-Snare, Randy Scruggs-Guitar, Padgett-Bass
15. "Wabash Cannonball" (A.P. Carter) – 2:00
16. Kirby-Dobro, Fadden-Harmonica, Watson-Guitar, Huskey-Bass, Earl Scruggs-Guitar
17. "Lost Highway" (Leon Payne) – 3:37
18. Ibbotson-Lead Vocal and Guitar, Thompson-Mandolin, Hanna-Drums, Clements-Fiddle, Blake-Dobro, Huskey-Bass, McEuen-Banjo
19. Doc Watson & Merle Travis First Meeting (Dialogue) – 1:52
20. "Way Downtown" (traditional, Doc Watson) – 3:30
21. Watson-Lead Vocal and Guitar, McEuen-Banjo, Thompson-Mandolin, Ibbotson-Guitar, Fadden-Harmonica, Clements-Fiddle, Huskey-Bass, Hanna-Background Vocal
22. "Down Yonder" (Doc Watson) – 1:48
23. Watson-Guitar, McEuen-Banjo, Ibbotson-Guitar, Fadden-Harmonica, Thompson-Mandolin, Hanna-Washboard, Clements-Fiddle, Huskey-Bass
24. "Pins and Needles (In My Heart)" (Floyd Jenkins) – 2:53
25. Acuff-Lead Vocal, Kirby-Dobro, Fadden-Harmonica, Thompson-Mandolin, McEuen-Banjo, Earl Scruggs-Guitar, Clements-FIddle, Ibbotson-Snare, Huskey-Bass
26. "Honky Tonk Blues" (Hank Williams) – 2:22
27. Hanna-Lead Vocal, Bill McEuen-Guitar, Ibbotson-Drums, Blake-Dobro, Clements-Fiddle, Huskey-Bass
28. "Sailin' on to Hawaii" (Beecher Kirby) – 2:00
29. Kirby-Dobro, Watson-Guitar, Scruggs-Guitar, Huskey-Bass
30. "I'm Thinking Tonight of My Blue Eyes" (A.P. Carter) – 4:25
31. Carter-Lead Vocal and Guitar, Earl Scruggs-Banjo, McEuen-Mandolin, Travis, Guitar, Kirby-Dobro, Clements-Fiddle, Huskey-Bass; Hanna, Thompson, Ibbotson, Randy Scruggs-Background Vocals
32. "I am a Pilgrim" (traditional) – 2:55
33. Travis-Lead Vocal and Guitar, Fadden-Harmonica, Ibbotson-Snare, Huskey-Bass
34. "Wildwood Flower" (A.P. Carter) – 3:34
35. Carter-Lead Vocal and Autoharp, McEuen-Banjo, Earl Scruggs-Banjo, Ibbotson-Guitar, Thompson-Mandolin, Huskey-Bass
36. "Soldier's Joy" (John McEuen, Earl Scruggs) – 2:05
37. Earl Scruggs-Banjo, McEuen-Uncle Dave Macon's Banjo
38. "Will the Circle Be Unbroken" (A.P. Carter) – 4:50
39. Carter-Lead Vocal (first verse) and Autoharp, Earl Scruggs-Banjo, Watson-Guitar, Fadden-Harmonica, Travis-Guitar, McEuen-Mandolin, Martin-Lead Vocal (second verse) Guitar, Kirby-Dobro, Clements-Fiddle, Huskey-Bass, Acuff-Lead Vocal (third verse); Watson, Hanna, Ibbotson, Thompson, Gary Scruggs, Ray Martin, Timmy Martin, Randy Scruggs, Betty Travis, Fred Cross, Gloria Belle, Louise Scruggs, Steve Scruggs, Chet Flippo, Martha Flippo, Larry Murray, Mike Carr, Alice McEuen-Background Vocals
40. "Both Sides Now" (Joni Mitchell) – 2:19
41. Randy Scruggs-Guitar
42. 2002 Reissue bonus tracks
43. "Foggy Mountain Breakdown" (Earl Scruggs) – 2:39
44. Warming Up for "The Opry" – 2:43
45. Sunny Side – 4:06
46. "Remember Me" (Scotty Wiseman) – 1:32