This big-name band will finally return to Long Beach after decades on the road

The band was founded in Long Beach 50 years ago, but hasn’t retued to perform in its hometown in decades.

But now as it celebrates half a century of performing country rock and roots music, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band is retuing home to headline the fourth aual Long Beach Folk Revival Festival.

“This will be a really great homecoming,” said Shea Newkirk, founder of the Sept. 17 festival, which celebrates roots, folk, bluegrass and Americana music.

“I feel like this is really going to be an historic event,” Newkirk said. “This band has literally done it all and they got started right here in Long Beach,” he added.

Founded in 1966, the band is made up of founding members, singer-guitarist Jeff Haa, drummer Jimmie Fadden, multi-instrumentalist John McEuen and Bob Carpenter, who joined in the late 1970s.

The group is on tour in celebration of their Golden Aiversary through the end of 2017. The Long Beach show at Rainbow Lagoon Park is the only local show scheduled so far.

The band has gaered several multi-platinum and gold records and top ten hits like “Mr. Bojangles,” and “Fishin’ In The Dark.”

Their long career has included a string of awards like Grammys and Country Music Awards.

The band’s 1972 album, “Will the Circle be Unbroken,” which included collaborations with several bluegrass and country artists, was recently inducted in the U.S. Library of Congress and the Grammy Hall of Fame.

Up to 10,000 people are expected for the one-day Folk Fest, which features a lineup of more than a dozen acts including The White Buffalo; a one-man band made up of singer, songwriter and guitarist Jake Smith.

Also on the bill is singer songwriter and charismatic performer Chuck Ragan, festival regular and always a crowd pleaser Willy Tea Taylor, 82-year-old blues legend Leo “Bud” Welch Sr. and local Long Beach string band Big Bad Rooster.

Tickets for the concert are on sale at www.folkrevivalfestival.com.

Advertisement