Prescott News – For nearly six decades, the three-time Grammy award-winning Nitty Gritty Dirt Band has entertained audiences with top-shelf musicianship and timeless hits, including “Mr. Bojangles,” “Fishin’ In The Dark,” “An American Dream” and more. Now the time has come for the band who has carried a torch for American country and roots music to say “so long” to the highways and byways they’ve crossed an unimaginable number of times.
This spring, The Dirt Band kicked off the first leg of their last traditionally scheduled gigs with All the Good Times: The Farewell Tour. The Jim & Linda Performing Arts Center welcomes Nitty Gritty Dirt Band to its stage at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, August 15 as the first event of the PAC’s 2024-2025 season.
Fans are advised there’s no need to fret; this isn’t goodbye forever. But it will be the last fans see of multi-city runs and long bus rides from the group that helmed the multi-artist Will The Circle Be Unbroken series, featuring the likes of Mother Maybelle Carter, Doc Watson, Earl Scruggs, Emmylou Harris, Taj Mahal, Levon Helm, and dozens more.
“‘All The Good Times’ perfectly describes our career,” said the band in a statement. “Playing our music for Dirt Band fans all over the world has been an incredible experience for us. The most important part of that has been the connection to our audience: that beautiful communal give and take is like nothing else. That’s the very spirit we’ll be celebrating as we head into our farewell tour. We really look forward to seeing you folks. Good times will be had by all!”
With one of the best lineups in the group’s storied history, the All the Good Times: The Farewell Tour showcases founding members Jeff Hanna and Jimmie Fadden; longtime bandmate Bob Carpenter; and Jim Photoglo, Jaime Hanna and Ross Holmes. Nitty Gritty Dirt Band remains one of the most accomplished bands in American roots music, playing their first gig in 1966 in Southern California as a jug band. By 1969, they had become a cornerstone of the burgeoning country-rock community. Their career breakthrough came in 1970 with the release of Uncle Charlie and His Dog Teddy and the single “Mr. Bojangles” – a folksy, Top 10 pop hit that brought roots music to the national forefront. In 1972, they released the first of three groundbreaking Will The Circle Be Unbroken records, collaborating with many of the best bluegrass, country, and folk artists in the world. Enjoying vast success on the U.S. Country charts with hits like “Fishin’ In The Dark,” “Modern Day Romance” and “Long Hard Road,” The Dirt Band are Grammy, CMA and IBMA award winners, and their Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and Friends — Fifty Years, Circlin’ Back! for PBS was an Emmy Award-winning television special. The Dirt Band’s latest album, Dirt Does Dylan – released in 2022 – has received widespread critical acclaim.
Remaining tickets are limited for Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and start at $59, with VIP packages available. A preshow ‘70s costume contest with prize will be held at 6:45 p.m., with all attending patrons invited to participate. The Jim & Linda Lee Performing Arts Center Ticket Office is located on Yavapai College’s Prescott Campus, 1100 E. Sheldon Street, and open from 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Tuesdays and Wednesdays; 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays; and one hour prior to performances. For reservations or more information, please call: (928) 776-2000 or visit: ycpac.com.