Coming out of the fluid California scene of the late 1960s, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band hit upon a unique Americana style, and John McEuen’s string wizardry rounded out the sound. A 1971 move to the Colorado mountains triggered a rise in both commercial and creative stature, and McEuen and his bandmates went to see traditional country music icons Earl Scruggs and Doc Watson perform at Tulagi in Boulder on consecutive weeks. They both consented to take part in recording a selection of traditional country numbers, with the band allowing the spotlight to fall on the old masters who had greatly influenced them.
The resulting album, Will the Circle Be Unbroken—an unprecedented, groundbreaking three-LP set, recorded two-track live, with no mixing or overdubs—was ultimately inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame and the Library of Congress as “one of America’s most important recordings.” Now the redoubtable McEuen has authored an inside look, Will the Circle Be Unbroken: The Making of a Landmark Album, 50th Anniversary, which details Boulder’s claim to this piece of music history.