ARTISTS INFLUENCED BY BUDDY HOLLY
NITTY GRITTY DIRT BAND
Founded in California in 1965, this all-American country-based rock group has lasted through the ages. Releasing over thirty albums and counting, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band has influenced bands such as the Eagles and Alabama. Their biggest hit "Mr. Bojangles" made the top 10 Pop Charts in the U.S. which led them to record and release "Will the Circle Be Unbroken" in 1971.
The million-plus selling album went platinum in the U.S and solidified their name within the pop and country worlds! In 1976, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band changed their name to "Dirt Band" and changed their sound to a much smoother pop/rock mainstream sound. By 1982, the Dirt Band decided to get back to the Nitty Gritty and went back to their original name. With the release of "Let’s Go" in 1983, their return to county was celebrated world-wide as they became the first American rock band to tour the Soviet Union. In 1989 the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band released "Will the Circle Be Unbroken 2" with new players added for the album such as Johnny Cash, Chris Hillman and Ricky Skaggs. The album won a Grammy for "Best Vocal Performance" and the Country Music Association’s "Album of the Year" in 1989. The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band is still going strong with their most recent release "Welcome to Woody Creek". Visit their Official Website at www.nittygritty.com
Quotes
Yet Dirt Band guitarist Jeff Hanna is astonished when asked how he felt upon being asked to contribute to the Holly tribute. "Are you kidding? We weren't asked. We begged," said Hanna.
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