John McEuen Visitor Comments

Visitor's Comments

Fargo/Moorhead fan - Posted 08/29/2010

John, really enjoyed your concert in Fargo, ND on Friday night. I first saw you in the late 79's in Oklahoma City in a outdoor concert with John Prine and I think the Grateful Dead. Great to see you still playing and my wife and I still going to concerts to see a great band.

John McEuen's Friday night at Maybell's - Posted 08/20/2010

Dear John
This is a comment from Germany. I like to listen to the American Country Musik for more than 45 years. (I come to the Grand Old Opry at Nashville)
A couple of years ago I had the chance to see You on a stage at Frankfurt, Germany and I listened to Your kind of wunderful music.
Now I found Your music on www.youtube and there I listened to an older title that's called: "Friday night at Maybell's". There You played together with the younger Jerry Douglas. A realy great music.
At the time that title is my absolutly favorit music.
Each day when I'm sitting at my PC, I swich to Youtube and listen to JohnMcEuen.
John, Thank You for Your Music!
(and sorry for my english)
kind regards
Rolf Schulginn

An Honor - Posted 08/16/2010

John, I attended the Cowtown Revival at Black Oak Mountain Theatre and I was so thrilled when you walked up to us at the pre-show (which by the way Nathan is awesome!) and talked to us. I have been a huge fan for years! I just wanted you to know your instrumentals still give me goosebumps and send shivers and my heart just gets a peaceful feeling comin over it when you play. You are the best! Hope you guys will be back our way next year! Melanie Hopkins, JC MO

Big Top -- WHAT A SHOW!!! - Posted 08/16/2010

Hi John! 2 Bluegrass Festivals later, and I'm STILL THRILLED at the GREAT SHOW in Northern Wisconsin at Big Top!!! Even as exhausted as you guys MUST BE after traveling and a show just the night before, it's so obvious (even to a row of MUSICIANS) THAT YOU PUT YOUR HEARTS into your WORK!!! THANK YOU for being so kind to visit with our 12 and 14-year-olds about THEIR playing!! Afterwards, they couldn't IMAGINE anyone in the Rock/Rap/etc. music scene EVEN CARING to Inspire Young Musicians by treating them with courtesy and humor!....but I knew you were encouraging musicianship when I talked with you over 25 years ago after a concert in Moorhead, MN!!! Keep it Up! We NEED You and SO DO THE YOUNG MUSICIANS!! THANKS JOHN!

Another Circle Album - Posted 08/15/2010

The first two Circle projects (to me) rank up there as some of the best music ever, of any genre! Any chance of a Circle III in the future?

Deadwood Jam - Posted 08/05/2010

On Sept. 17 at the Deadwood Jam, the Mayor will read an official procamation declaring Sept. 17 at "John McEuen Day" in the city of Deadwood. The Mayor will present John with a plaque honoring him for his contributions to the City of Deadwood and the Deadwood Jam. If you are in the area, Come to the Deadwood Jam and help us honor John!!!

Rocky Mtn Opry - Posted 07/24/2010

What a great group of people on this blog! JM's music is timeless. Does anyone have a link to the lineup for the first three Rocky Mtn Opry shows at Red Rocks (1981, 1982, 1983) Tryin to fill in some memories as I age....

andrew's restaurant - Posted 07/15/2010

Andrew used to work for me at nordstrom in SLC. I was the cafe mgr. His cooking was quite impressive then. I am very proud of him now that he has his own restaurant. I am now in colorado and was looking for him on facebook and found your site instead. Please let him know I am looking to keep in touch. he was such a nice person. I enjoyed working with him. he introduced me and my staff to your other son, john. and he took me and my girlfriends to see you and the NGDB at an outdoor concert in ogden.

Blast from the Past - Posted 07/13/2010

Just touching base to thank you for the few banjo lessons back in the '60's somewhere. ... a few keywords to give you some context: Blue Note Music, Santa Ana. Paradox (coffee house in Orange).
I think it was about the time you acquired your first Gibson Mastertone - post Topanga Canyon contest win, and pre-Steve Martin.
I have been on a lifelong musical journey myself, and your contribution to it often comes to mind. Thanks again.

Cowtown - Posted 06/16/2010

First concert I ever attended was Arlo Guthrie at Cowtown, no other place like it. " The guy right next to you may be a narc." awkward silence

Midnight Ramble - Posted 05/25/2010

Thank you much John for the show last Saturday night, I completely enjoyed it. I was in awe while you were playing along with Levon and his band. I Love dirt band and your music but also I didn't know you are such an entertaining storyteller!!
It was such an awesome night I would Thanks you again for the Wonderful night and the Wonderful Entertainment. thanks again!!
Also it was wonderful to meet you after the show!
Hope to see you again at other show!

LEVON'S 70TH BIRTHDAY - Posted 05/24/2010

John:

Being ith you as your mystery gust-silent partner-back up player the best time i have had since you invited me to play on Steve Martin's beautiful album "The Crow" whuch you produced,

The morning after the conert at Levon's, I wrote a bunch of freinds a little report of a memorable evening with My MAN JOHN

here ir be.....

Just played with Levon Helm's great band last Saturday night for his 70th birthday celebration in Woodstock NY

As you all now, John McEuen, is the founder of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, and producer of Steve Martin's Grammy winning album, "The Crow"

He invited me to play as his featured guest to start off the evening celebrating levon helm's 70th

John is a one man band and brilliant virtuoso on banjo, guitar, fiddle, and mandolin, as well as a raconteur and even a narrator of Steven Vincent Benet classic epic poem, where he recites while interspersing the story-line by playing several instruments.

We have played concerts together over the years and it is always a treat to be with him!

John is also a gifted composer, film scorer and traveling university, as well as an ambassador of American music.

And he is so much fun that you don't realize you are getting a Ph.D. course in the history of the best acoustic music of the last 150 years which is built to last.

Then Levon's band asked me, as well as John, to play with them.

It was a great night, and reinforced all of my generation's hopes that someday, audiences could hear the gems of America's treasure chest of musical styles, with each selection played IN that style, and presented in a way that opened up doors for the listeners to new worlds, while still being FUN and ENTERTAINING!!!

The whole evening of Levon's 70th birthday celebration included an amazing variety of musical genres, from the Band's classic repertoire to Cajun, blues, country, blue grass, Irish, Appalachian and good old-time down-home Southern Funk and Dixieland.

Levon Helm was AT the helm, from his first entrance playing the drums, and is the IMPECCABLE one man rhythm player who sets the whole tone for every piece, and his band is incredible, with all the musicians and singers able to have every style mastered.

And they all love playing together.

Everything they did made you want to get up and dance and sing along. It was a real celebration of American roots music in a joyous setting!

I went home after the Woodstock birthday celebration at Levon's feeling ENERGIZED and inspired to do whatever I can to make others aware of our great music that has enriched the world.

The stunning variety of music was a night I will always remember

You would have loved it!

all cheers
David amram
May 23 2010
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And i thank you john, for inviting me to be part of it.

can hardly wait to play with you afain!

David Amram
promising young (soon to be 80) composer.

John at Levon Helm's ramble - Posted 05/24/2010

Thank you much John for the show last night, I completely enjoyed it. I was in awe while you were playing along with Levon and his band. I am familiar with the dirt band and your music but didn't know you are such an entertaining storyteller!! hey anytime you need need a hand I've got an extra. thanks again!!

Woodstock this weekend - Posted 05/21/2010

Thanks for your newest blog, John ... Sounds like you will have a grand time on Saturday... Of course I know how much you enjoy performing solo (duh), and having friends there will be icing on the cake. i check your blogs often, to see how you're doing, and what reflections and experiences you will be sharing, in your wonderful entertaining style. Always look forward to the next one ... Hope all is well.

On your most recent blog item -- - Posted 04/13/2010

Thousands of us, even those of us who are musicians as well as parents, can look at the lives of professional musicians and say, "WOW!! WHAT A LIFESTYLE TO BE PART OF!! WHAT ABSOLUTELY AMAZING EXPERIENCES!!" then sit home with our families and be jealous -- but very, VERY FEW of us would have the persistance, guts, stick-to-it-iveness to actually ACCOMPLISH those things! Drugs and alcohol raise hell in ANY group, family, relationship....but being entertaining, creative and personable at the same time while dealing with their destruction is an even WORSE form of living hell! In the audiences you've performed for/to over all these years, John, you probably cannot COUNT the numbers of people who, through the thrill and enjoyment of yours and the NGDB's MUSIC that you passed on JOY, GROOVES, HARMONIES, that TOOK PEOPLE AWAY FROM the same things that drugs and alcohol only made WORSE. Perhaps your lives or the lives of friends of yours were unraveling....but at the same time, what you were doing for your audiences was HEALING their unraveling....and by your CDs and Albums, they could "take you home with them" and CONTINUE the HEALING/SALVING of THEIR lives -- with YOUR humor, music, entertainment and more! Sure....entertainers make mistakes....if they DIDN'T, they'd then be GODs (and some probably are their own gods)...but there's only one God, and he's brought you and your talent to us, perfect or imperfect, and while your family had to share you with your audiences, and the world.....those audiences gained much more than just a night seeing entertainers! They carried and STILL carry YOUR MUSIC WITH THEM! And EVERY TIME they hear it again, it "Does Its Thing" to refresh memories and touch their Souls! Wish we WERE ALL PERFECT, then, as performers, parents and friends, we'd NEVER have to apologize for ANYTHING, and the Party would never end! So we live our IMPERFECTIONS to the BEST UNQUALIFIED, IRRESPONSIBLE AND POLITICALLY INCORRECT STYLE POSSIBLE, achieving whatever we can in our short lives, and hope and pray that God has a sense of humor and of compassion as WELL!!

Acoustic Traveler on XM - Posted 04/06/2010

John, at the moment I am listening to your XM show, which I always love to hear. Thanks for that, and hopefully you will come to Colorado with the band again this summer to do a show. Love your new album as well!!

dirt band tonight 1981 - Posted 01/08/2010

we have an old VHS tape of Dirt Band Tonight from 1981 and wonder if it is available anywhre on dvd. We watched it constantly while the kids were growing up - now at ages 31 and 27 they still go with us to see NGDB whenever you're in the DC area (we'll see you at the Birchmere in March). We've been to 14 shows through the years. Would LOVE to get our hands on a copy of that old tape.

Happy New Year!!!!! - Posted 01/02/2010

Happy New Year to John,family and Nitty Gritty Dirt Band members and all fellow fans of Johns and NGDB's great music!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Merry Christmas + Happier New Year - Posted 12/25/2009

After having lost your sweet Mom Geri last year (know she is GREATLY missed), the NEW year seems to be full of promise ... Great expectations at the end of January with your GRAMMY nomination (Yippee!!), and I just read that Bojangles is being inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame for 2010...Awesome! Please keep spreading the laughter, and your own brand of pure infectious entertainment, through that unique captivating music of yours. They are LUCKY folks who get to experience it first hand!(the ONLY way to fly!) We are not all so fortunate... Hope 2010 brings all you deserve, John, and all your heart might desire.
Friends from the Good Old Day, Pam and Roger

HAPPY BRITHDAY JOHN 12 19 2009 - Posted 12/22/2009

YOU GAVE ME A DEERING BANJO AT THE STATION INN 2006 THANK YOU SO MUCH YOUR THE BEST MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILYGOD BLESS