Imagine, imagine telling a record executive in 1966 that your new band’s business plan is to completely ignore electric guitars. Like instead of plugging in, you tell them you’re going to play the kazoo and, you know, a wash tub bass. He would literally throw you out of the room. And then imagine telling them that this exact same band will go on to accidentally back Steve Martin on a massive comedy track.

It proved they could take traditional acoustic instruments, you know, mandolins, banjos, accordions, and arrange them into a highly successful pop rock setting. So they’ve mastered the pop rock cover. But the problem with catching a trend is that trends eventually die. Like if I’m managing them, the logical industry move is to rush back into the studio and record Mr.

• Find one incredible story that weaves bluegrass, folk, country, and pop together across 50 years of American music
• These guys are the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
• And what I think is particularly brilliant about that move is that they didn’t just slap a famous name on an otherwise mediocre project
• They deliberately designed a track listing that showcased the legends at their best
• The album is built on this deliberate interweaving of old and new artists
• Mother Maybelle Carter recorded her signature song, Will the Circle Be Unbroken
• The album features a track where Doc Watson records Tennessee Stud