Indisputably "one of the most important recordings ever come out of Nashville" (Rolling Stone, 1972) "...Circle..." is recognized today as a country music milestone and integral part of Americana history and was called by the 2004 Zagat survey "the most important album in Country Music"

The music John performs today evolved from early inspiration from seeing The Dillards in his native Southern California, and music he made going down that early road with various artists, including Jose Feliciano and Michael Martin Murphey (prior to the formation of NGDB). Then, in 1966, "a bunch of guys playing together at McCabe's Guitar Shop (where John was teaching banjo at the time) in Long Beach, California, joined forces to form The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. McEuen perform with them, playing everything from "folk to rock to country ..." All this has led him to continuing recent successes in new frontiers. John is still touring with the Dirt Band today - the group is coming up on 40 years since that beginning!

John McEuen produced the "Nitty Gritty Surround" DVD for AIX Records, which was recorded in 96/24/5.1 format and filmed with 5 cameras. This award winning release again finds John breaking new ground as a producer and an artist. This wonderful package includes backstage footage, musicians background information, and interviews with the great line up of artists and cast of stellar pickers backing up Jennifer Warnes, Laurie Lewis/Tom Rozum, John's son, Jonathan McEuen, Rick Cunha, Tom Corbett, Randy Tico and Jim Christie. Visit John's Video Gallery for video clips of music and live interviews from the DVD. (See AIXrecords.com for info about production of the DVD)

Tune in to John McEuen's Acoustic Traveller Show on XM Satellite Radio The Village, ch. 15 (all times eastern) first Tuesday of the month at noon, then the following Friday at midnight, Sat. at 6 p.m.and Monday at 6 a.m.

John McEuen is known to a wide spectrum of music fans from working with a diverse group of people throughout his career. Name somebody in show business and he's probably got a story to tell about them! He has performed or recorded with Dolly Parton, Andy Williams, The Doors, Kenny Rogers, Willie Nelson, Bill Wyman, Johnny Cash, Little River Band, Marshall Tucker Band, Air Supply, Doobie Brothers, Bill Cosby, Steve Martin, Robert Schimmel, Stephen Wright, The Smothers Brothers, Rowan & Martin, Little Richard . . . Mary Chapin Carpenter, Steve Martin, Robin Williams, Clint Eastwood, Robert Schimmel, Dizzy Gillespie, The Band, Crystal Gayle, Tammy Wynette, Bill Monroe, Earl Scruggs, Lester Flatt, Leon Russell, Vassar Clements, Sissy Spacek, Tommy Lee Jones, Albert Gore, Hootie and the Blowfish, Phish, Mary McCaslin... the list goes on.

Initially, searching for a path to showbiz in 1965, McEuen booked Bob Dylan for a show that sold out at a high school in Southern California. Later, by 1970, he convinced his brother to also manage high school buddy Steve Martin, who John had worked with in Disneyland's Magic Shop (Steve learned his musicianship on the banjo from John). In the 80's John brought Mark O'Connor to Warner Brothers Records, he took Marty Stuart out on the road with him as a sideman, he introduced the Dirt Band audience to many now nationally known musicians by incorporating them in band shows often.

In his career so far John McEuen has:

John's last Vanguard release, "The Best of... " String Wizard's Picks showcases just how he manages to enchant his audience with a gypsy melody one minute and then charm them with his magician's touch on a bit of county/Salsa or music that rides the wind on the western plains. It is also one of the first and only enhanced acoustic music CDS, featuring 15 minutes of video footage complementing the 52 minutes of music on the cd in CD ROM format (for PC or MAC).

"Picks" Featuring 13 songs chosen from his previous Vanguard albums and a hot new live cut recorded with his full band of String Wizards: 21 year old hot guitarist/vocalist son, Jonathan; Randy Tico (acoustic bass); Phil Salazar (fiddle); and Tom Corbett (mandolin, guitar), Jesse Siebenberg (percussion), this cd captures the essence of John's studio work and production finesse.

On his producer side John is especially proud of his 90 minute video documentary on The Dillards - A Night in the Ozarks, which captures the Dillards at their hottest in a reunion of the original group in 1991. Shot on film with live music, (Mike Denecke engineered) in a Salem Missouri farmhouse, this is "the best bluegrass movie ever made!"

Conceived by John in 1990, The Deadwood Jam, held annually in the Black Hills of South Dakota, is a hot two day festival type show in the historic town made famous by Wild Bill Hickock - Deadwood, So. Dakota. This 'Telluride' style event has featured some of America's best known music acts. Hosted by McEuen and starting at high-noon in front of the saloon where Wild Bill played his last hand, The Jam has earned the reputation of the best music festival in its three state area (Wyoming, Nebraska, and So. Dakota.)

McEuen's award winning production of Chief Jim Billie - Alligator Tales made considerable impact on the Native American music market. Jim Billie"s true stories and songs are based on his life and impressions of living in his Everglades homeland on the Big Cypress reservation in southern Florida. The subsequent enchanting Seminole Fire features John's scoring and production, backing the chief, telling the never recorded before legends of the Seminole.

John's first live CD Round Trip - with the L.A. string "Round Trip" pays homage to his early influences: Doc Watson, Don Reno, Merle Travis, Earl Scruggs, Douglas Dillard, and Bill Monroe. John has combined these influences and developed his own unique styles over the years.

John has traveled the world America's as instrumental poet, influenced by all those who came through the L.A. area venues in '60's as well as those met in his extensive travels. He came back to Pasadena and Santa Monica in 1999 with his hot band and collections of memories and music reflecting those travels. Round Trip showcases the stellar talents of some of California's best acoustic musicians, and features the hot musicianship and vocals of his son Jonathan. Phil Salazar (fiddle), Randy Tico (bass), Jonathan McEuen (guitar & astonishing vocals), Bryan Savage (sax), Jesse Siebenberg (drums) and Tom Corbett (mandolin) make up the String Wizards, and on Round Trip they "bring it all home".

Check out some of John's "road stories" on the website for a preview of the upcoming book by John.

Look for the following productions:

"Nitty Gritty Surround" - John McEuen and Jimmy Ibbotson with Jennifer Warnes, Laurie Lewis, and the String Wizards featuring Jonathan McEuen, in award winning 96/24/5.1 surround - DVD

Manassas: End of Innocence (a civil war documentary) playing at Manassas Battlefield Park, VA

Paul Williams - DVD production released fall of 2007 (produced by John) on this great American writer.

The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band Songbook and Photo album...

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