As a longtime fan of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band from years ago, this, coupled with the recent TV show about the fiftieth anniversary of Will the Circle be Unbroken is just delightful. I learned a lot and can’t wait to find my old albums and renew my listening. Wonderful.

A wonderful look at the recording & creation of this iconic album on the occasion of its 50th anniversary. It was so lovely to read its conversational style and feel as if I was behind the scenes. I loved the many pictures in the book that captured the feel of these extraordinary people making music. it's a worthy companion to the album.

As a fan of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, and this album, I was really looking forward to reading this book. Unfortunately, I was really disappointed. There are some great pictures, and some wonderful anecdotes but the book is in serious need of an editor. The same anecdotes and stories are repeated over and over and over. The entire book could be a third it's size with effective editing - and it was a pretty short to start with. Sorry. I can't recommend this one.

Thanks to NetGalley and Backbeat publisher for an advanced reader copy.

Interesting but disappointing. I love this album, so it was great to learn about its genesis; get a more personal look at Earl Scruggs, Maybelle Carter, and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band; see what went into the recording process; and learn more about its impact on bluegrass, country, and rock. All of the pictures of the production were really interesting too and gave everyone a more concrete and more personal feel. That said, the text was crying out for a strong editor. Anecdotes are repeated often several times and often in the space of a page or two. This made the book feel disjointed, unstructured, and a bit of a chore to read and the rambling repetitive narrative made me honestly distrust the memory of the author. A nice document of the times but it should have been a lot better.

So, SO happy to have been given the opportunity to read this book! I bought the album (still have it!) 50 years back and still love listning to it. I was raised on Country Swing, but was familiar with bluegrass from a shortwave my daddy gave me. I remember, at the time, wishing to have been the fly on the wall during it's planning and recording. What an age it was, the late 60's and 70's. I remember all to well the divide between the people of this nation and all the changes that were going on as the country changed (much like the past couple years...) but I was pretty young and enjoyed all music. Music at the time was undergoing so many changes, too. It was pretty surprising to see a hippie band and country musicians coming together to make an album-
absolutely history album!
Kudos John McEuen for putting together the book thatgives us fans a fly on the wall view of behind the scenes of this amazing album! ALways enjoyed the Dirt Band's music, too! You guys were just the best live band!

My thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher Rowman & Littlefield for an advanced copy of this new musical history on the making of a classic album.

Rock and popular music was going through some real birth pangs at the beginning of the 1970s. The Beatles had imploded, Manson was a scary recent memory, corporations were starting to look at record labels as places that minted money, and the music itself was in flux. A peaceful easy feeling was beginning to make strides in the California scene, and a lot of the kids and musicians were discovering or rediscovering country. In this atmosphere a young up and coming band, met up with a master of bluegrass. Compliments were made, plans discussed, and a classic album was set on the path of creation. Will the Circle Be Unbroken: The Making of a Landmark Album, 50th Anniversary is a telling of the music sessions and history of the making of said album written by multi- instrumentalist and member of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band John McEuen, with photos by Bill McEuen.

The book begins at the beginning of the band, telling of the various members, their musical apprentices, influences and highlights. The success of their album Uncle Charlie & His Dog Teddy gave them a wider audience, and let to a meeting one night with banjo maestro Earl Scruggs. Known for his three finger style of playing banjo, Scrugs had been in many bands and was a huge influence on many that followed. Praise was passed, idle plans to record were made and from there the sessions grew. In addition to the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band Earl Scruggs, other musicians include Doc Watson, Merle Travs, Vasser Clements and an additional who's who of musicians. The album was recorded quickly, in only six days with songs done in only one of two takes. A three- set album was released and the rest is music history.

The book is a narrative history, with many pictures about the early days of the band, the players and sessions. There are plenty of behind the scene stories, jokes, tricks and fun little asides, that really make the book come alive. I enjoyed reading the book as I listened to the album, imagining what he sessions must have been like. There is a bit of repetition in the stories, some stories get told a lot, but if everyone is repeating it, well the story must be worth it. The writing is good, and the stories are fun and informative, not too much about the gear, though there are stories about guitars and instruments, but more about learning these songs from people the band respected, and the awe they felt most of the time playing.

A fascinating book about an album that well didn't make bluegrass cool, but brought it more into the stage lights. Music ebbs and flows, this one just caught the wave right Recommended for fans of the band, bluegrass and country music, and for people who like to read books about creativity and never being old enough to learn, and listening to those who have gone before and learning their lessons.