DATE: Thursday, April 6, 2023
TIME: 8:00 PM
PRICES: $57.50 - $87.50 (Plus Applicable Service Charges)
SUPPORT: Kelsey Waldon
Many veteran bands trade on nostalgia, on replication of past glories, and on recycled emo- tions from younger, more carefree days.
The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band trades on a mix of reimagined classics and compelling newer works. The group formed in 1966 as a Long Beach, California jug band, scored its first charting single in 1967, and embarked on a self-propelled ride through folk, country, rock ‘n’ roll, pop, blue- grass, and the amalgam now known as “Americana.” The first major hit came in 1971 with the epic “Mr. Bojangles,” which, along with insistent support from banjo master Earl Scruggs, opened doors in Nashville. Behind those doors were Earl Scruggs, Roy Acuff, Doc Watson, Mother Maybelle Carter, Jimmy Martin, and others who would collaborate on a multi-artist, multi-generational, three-disc 1972 masterpiece: Will the Circle Be Unbroken went triple Plat- inum, spawned two later volumes, and wound up in the Grammy Hall of Fame.
Was this a cutting-edge combo or a group of revivalists? Was the goal rebellion or musical piety? Yes, to all these things. In the 1980s, the Dirt Band reeled off 15 straight Top 10 country hits, including chart-toppers “Long Hard Road (The Sharecropper’s Dream),” “Modern Day Romance,” and “Fishin’ in the Dark (co-written by Jim Photoglo, who would join the band in the second decade of the new century). 1989 brought a second Circle album, this one featuring singer-songwriter talents including John Prine, Rosanne Cash, and John Hiatt and garnering two Grammy awards for the band (it later won another, for a collaboration with Earl Scruggs and other fine folks). Circle II also won the Country Music Association’s Album of the Year prize. Circle III was released in 2003, featuring collaborations with Johnny Cash, Dwight Yoakam, Emmylou Harris, Taj Mahal, and more.
Throughout the group’s lifetime, personnel has changed, with each change resulting in positive steps forward, new ways of playing the old songs, and renewed enthusiasm for writing and recording fresh material. The latest Dirt Band lineup is expanded to six members for the first time since 1968. Today’s group consists of founding member Jeff Hanna, harp master Jimmie Fadden (who joined in 1966), and soulful-voiced Bob Carpenter, who has more than 40 years of service in the ensemble. Those veterans are now joined by singer-songwriter-bass man Jim Photoglo, fiddle and mandolin wizard Ross Holmes, and Hanna’s son, the preternaturally tal- ented singer and guitarist Jaime Hanna.
Blood harmony, thrilling instrumental flights, undeniable stage chemistry … these things are part of each Dirt Band show, just as they are part of Dirt Does Dylan, the first recording from the reconfigured, six-strong group. Produced by Ray Kennedy and Jeff Hanna, it’s a remark- able ride through some of the most impactful songs of the past century, penned by Bob Dylan and taken for a blue highway spin by a great American band, with help from genius-level con- temporary artists like Jason Isbell and The War and Treaty.
A Dirt Band show is unlike any other. For legions of fans, it’s less about the memories than the moment, crisp as an Autumn apple and rich as a royal flush.
NITTY GRITTY DIRT BAND - PRE-SHOW DINNER
DATE: Thursday, April 6, 2023
DOORS OPEN: 6:00 PM
DINNER: 6:30 PM - 7:30 PM
SHOW: 8:00 PM
*Discounts available for Seniors and Children 10 & Under.
*Additional Service Charge may apply when purchasing tickets online.
**Children 3 and under are free (Ticket must be picked up in person at the box office).
*Assigned seating*
Each order placed will be assigned a table based on the number of tickets purchased in the order. If you wish to be seated with another party who purchased tickets please contact the Box Office at 306-525-9999 to adjust your reservation.
PLEASE NOTE: Tickets for the dinner must be purchased 2 business days prior to the event.
YOU MUST PURCHASE A TICKET TO THE SHOW TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE DINNER.
FOR SPECIAL MEAL REQUIREMENTS, PLEASE CONTACT THE CONEXUS ARTS CENTRE AT 306 565-4500.
BUFFET MENU:
A Selection of Dinner Rolls with Butter
Fresh Garden Greens with assorted Dressings
Caesar Salad
Country Potato & Dill
Fresh Vegetable Crudités with Herb Dip
Relish & Pickle Platter
Saskatchewan Pork loin with Mustard Sauce
Hot Smoked Saskatchewan Steelhead Trout
Roasted Garlic Mashed
Wild Rice blend
Seasonal Vegetable
Fresh Sliced Fruit
Chef’s Dessert Table with an Assortment of Cakes, Pies, Pastries, and Tortes
Fresh Brewed Coffee (Regular & Caffeinated) & Specialty Teas
