INTERVIEW: 55 years on the road, and John McEuen is still journeying
Photo: John McEuen will play his hit songs at a Café Wha? concert this week. Photo courtesy of Alan Nahigian / Provided by Michael J. Media Group with permission.
When John McEuen plays a concert nowadays, he has so much material to choose from. The banjo player built a long career with the legendary Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, of which he was a founding member, and he has also found success as a solo artist. Today, he tours the world with his “Friends” and plays renditions of the songs that put him on the map.
On Wednesday, Dec. 8, McEuen and his band will play Café Wha? on MacDougal Street in New York City. Fans can expect to hear many different selections, but in particular songs off the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band’s album Will the Circle Be Unbroken, one of their most acclaimed recordings. This one evening will distill 55 years of musicianship into one set list, featuring folk, country and bluegrass along the way.
Amazingly, McEuen has played nearly 10,000 concerts and tracked more than 3 million miles on the road. He is a proud member of the Banjo Hall of Fame and, thanks to his various projects, has more than 40 albums under his belt, with four of them going platinum and five of them going gold. Grammys? Yeah, those too.
Recently Hollywood Soapbox exchanged emails with McEuen about his upcoming NYC show. Questions and answers have been slightly edited for style.
What do you love about the album Will the Circle Be Unbroken?
It was ‘real’ and had a purpose that it fulfilled — to get the Nashville artists known by ‘our’ generation. Festivals started a couple years after its release, and all these people had ‘new’ careers. It made for a lot of stories about music and people, which I will bring and share at the Café Wha?
Did making that album feel different? Did you know you had a hit on your hands?
It was more like a good pressure, as we knew what we played was going to be what we were stuck with — recording live on a two-track made it sound great, and I knew from Soldier’s Joy it was going to be something special. Hey, the only time Earl Scruggs had recorded with another banjo player, and it was me!
What were the early days of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band like?
It was a learning experience, which was really on-the-job training while it was happening. It was a mix up of success and non-success until Bojangles. Then it took off with [the] Uncle Charlie album and its three hits, two of which we will do at Café Wha?
How difficult was it being unable to tour during the COVID-19 pandemic?
There are many things to do besides tour, and I took time to do a few of them! Facebook Live concerts (21 shows), recording, hashing out new music, assembling a book (published in April), and generally keeping busy and … waiting. I am excited to play the iconic Café Wha? as I have performed in so many other NYC venues … from the Bottom Line to Carnegie Hall.
Do you have a lot more freedom as a solo artist?
From the first to the last note, yes. Café Wha? is a good example, as I am bringing Doc Watson’s bass player (T. Michael did 25 years with Doc) and Kevin Twigg (talented drummer who played on my last LP Made in Brooklyn) to join me and Matt Cartsonis. Could not do that “in a band.” We play with no rules!, and the set list changes nightly.
What are your favorite aspects of the Acoustic Traveler show on Sirius/XM?
I like playing songs only by people I know, have met, have watched perform, recorded with etc. … and have not run out of those yet! I’m fortunate to have that outlet like that on such a large platform, which is rare.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
John McEuen & Friends will perform Wednesday, Dec. 8 at Café Wha? on MacDougal Street in New York City. Click here for more information and tickets.
