The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

by Frank M. Roberts

September 2015

Getting down to the nitty gritty, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band is still going strong - playing here, there, and yonder - packing them in at each concert.

The foursome has been around since the late 1960s. One of the secrets of their succes has to do with pleasing themselves, plus pleasing the many, many fans who are, "kids from seven years old, to people in their 80s," said keyboardist, Bob Carpenter.

Their tours are used, partly, in behalf of their latest releases, such as "Speed Of Life."

While so many artists eventually drop by the wayside, the NGDB, like the battery bunny and/or the Mississippi River, keeps rolling along.

Why? "We all love to play. We enjoy live shows - we stay healthy," said Carpenter, in a phone interview from his bathroom. No - er - kidding. During this interview, the group was touring beautiful British Columbia, and he was on the bus as we spoke but, it was tough to hear so he took his phone to the bathroom. (there's a joke there somewhere), and the conversation became crystal clear. Also, there was no banging on the door as we spoke.

"We've been through a lot of generations of fans. We've covered a lot of different decades," he said.

Hits include, "Will the Circle Be Unbroken?" with Johnny Cash and several other important guests, and, of course, there is the much honored "Mr. Bojangles." The 'Circle' song has the singular honor of induction into the U. S. Library of Congress.

Another hit was about Mr. Bojangles - part two.

Carpenter has the best of both worlds. He loves the shows and he loves to travel. What doesn't he love?

"Wikipedia. I know when someone gets something from them. They print a lot of wrong stuff. I know when someone is quoting from them." (Personal note. The Norfolk Virginian-Pilot, the paper that kept me going for 40 years had a similar attitude).

Does anything else get on the Carpenter nerves? As Gary Cooper used to say - "yyup. Rap. I don't listen to that. It's not bad music. I just don't get it. I haven't acquired a taste for it." What kind of music does he like? "Just about anything else." Much of it fills his ipod.

Fortunately, for Carpenter and his co-horts, people like the NGDB. When I mentioned to a group of friends that they would be in concert in an area near to our abodes, grins of approval followed. That has been the story since the beginning. He joined the crew in 1977 according to - gulp! - 'Wiki-you-know-what.'

He does find time to read, concentrating on literature about science and technology. "I like science fiction - most of that stuff eventually comes true," he said. "I haven't seen a flying saucer, but I'm still looking."

His home is in Sunny California. He and his wife have a son who is in music management in Nashville.

Hobbies? He has 'em, but can't find time for them. "I don't ski as much, and I don't play golf as much," said Carpenter, who spends most of his time, obviously, with bandmates Jimmie Fadden, Jeff Hanna, and John McEuen.

Why not? That's where the money is and, more importantly, that is where the NGDB heart is. They are pioneers in the successful and tasteful mix of country rock and American roots music.

Note: King Tut might have enjoyed the Americana music of the Band. Their first name was Toot Uncommon, a reference, it is supposed, to King Tutankhamen, the boy monarch who ruled Egypt around 1324 B. C. He was the world's most famous pharaoh. Stories about him were probably called -- pharaoh tales. Sheesh!