Nitty Gritty Dirt Band founder, former members performing at Southeast

John McEuen, a founding member of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, will perform with other former band members Jan. 27 at Southeast Missouri State University’s Bedell Performance Hall on the River Campus.

The concert will include music from the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band’s catalog and McEuen’s recent album, “Made in Brooklyn.”

McEuen has continually performed since 1964, with the band and as a solo artist.

Three other former Nitty Gritty Dirt Band members are on this tour: Les Thompson on bass and vocals, Matt Cartsonis on guitar, mandola and vocals, and John Cable on guitar and vocals.

“There is a huge interest in McEuen and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band in the area,” Bob Cerchio, assistant director of the Earl and Margie Holland School of Visual and Performing Arts, said in a university news release. “It’s not just a concert. It includes old favorites, new songs and multimedia. We expect tickets to sell quickly.”

Special guest Rodney Dillard will join the performance.

McEuen, with his banjo, guitar, fiddle and mandolin, brings his unique cast of iconic Americana string wizards to share the music and memories of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band’s 50-year career and the landmark “Will the Circle Be Unbroken” platinum album, initiated by McEuen.

With narrative and music of the early Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, founding member McEuen takes the audience on a journey interwoven with Nitty Gritty favorites, hot bluegrass, rarely heard Nitty Gritty early classics and Carter Family music. It’s all in a multimedia presentation that features archival footage and some new songs from McEuen’s recent album on Chesky Records, “Made in Brooklyn,” which was Stereophile magazine’s Recording of the Month.

McEuen recently was inducted in to the American Banjo Museum Hall of Fame. More information is at johnmceuen.com.

Tickets are available at the River Campus box office from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays at 518 S. Fountain St. in Cape Girardeau, by phone at (573) 651-2265 or online at rivercampus.org.

mniederkorn@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3630

Pertinent address:

518 S. Fountain St., Cape Girardeau, Mo.