Emmylou Harris, Sam Bush, Molly Tuttle, Jerry Douglas & More Join Nitty Gritty Dirt Band At The Ryman

Nitty Gritty Dirt Band brought their ALL THE GOOD TIMES: The Farewell Tour to Nashville for a final two-show stand at The Ryman Auditorium. The veteran band recruited an impressive array of special guests as Emmylou Harris, Sam Bush, Molly Tuttle, Jerry Douglas, Alison Brown, Larkin Poe and Mickey Raphael were among those who were part of the two-night celebration.

The two shows at The Ryman were held last Thursday and Friday nights and brought the 2024 leg of The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band’s farewell tour to an end. The Nitty Gritty Band formed in 1966 and currently consists of co-founding members, guitarist Jeff Hanna and drummer/harmonica player Jimmie Fadden, along with longtime member, keyboardist Bob Carpenter. The lineup is rounded out by Hanna’s son Jaime Hanna on guitar, Jim Photoglo on bass and Ross Holmes on fiddle/mandolin.

Thursday’s concert began with an opening set by Wine, Women & Song, a trio composed of songwriters Matraca Berg, Suzy Bogguss and Gretchen Peters. Friday’s show kicked off with an opening set by singer-songwriter Kathleen Edwards. Both supporting acts joined the headliners on their respective nights.

Night one saw acclaimed musician Emmylou Harris emerge in the middle of the evening’s main set to perform “Oh Cumberland,” the song she contributed to The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band’s 2002 album, Will The Circle Be Unbroken (Vol.III) along with its co-writer, Matraca Berg. The Ryman performance also featured Berg, along with Bogguss and Peters.

Harris was then joined by Larkin Poe – sisters and Rebecca Lovell and Megan Lovell – who along with the band dug into “The Pain of Loving You,” which Harris recorded with Dolly Parton and Linda Ronstadt for their Trios album. Berg, Bogguss and Peters then came back and joined a collaborative performance of Harris’ “Two More Bottles of Wine.”

Thursday’s encore started with Larkin Poe sitting in on “I Shall Be Released.” The night ended with the guests retaking the stage for “Will The Circle Be Unbroken” and “The Weight.”

Friday’s guest spots began with the trifecta of talented pickers – mandolinist Sam Bush, dobro player Jerry Douglas and banjoist Allison Brown – accompanying The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band on the traditional “Nine Pound Hammer” and Jimmy Martin’s “My Walkin’ Shoes.”

Another top-tier instrumentalist, guitarist Molly Tuttle then got into the mix, accompanying the band on “Sittin’ On Top Of The World.” Bush and Douglas were then summoned to return for “Black Mountain Rag.”

Harmonica player Mickey Raphael, a longtime member of Willie Nelson’s Family Band, was tapped later in the set to assist Jeff Hanna and Jimmie Fadden on a performance of “John Henry.” Raphael stuck around for “Fishin’ In The Dark” that also featured Bush’s mandolin.

Like the first night, Friday’s encore finale, “Will The Circle Be Unbroken” and “The Weight,” saw the show’s previous guests return, along with Kathleen Edwards and Matraca Berg, for conclusion of the memorable celebration in Music City.

Scroll for audience-captured videos of the collaborations, detailed setlists and photos of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band’s Ryman run.

Setlists

Thursday, November 7

You Ain’t Going Nowhere, Partners, Brothers, and Friends, Cosmic Cowboy, Pt. 1, Long Hard Road, Girl From The North Country, Take Me In Your Lifeboat, Workin’ Man (Nowhere To Go), Fish Song, Oh Cumberland [1], The Pain of Loving You [2], Two More Bottles of Wine [3], Mr. Bojangles, Ripplin’ Waters, Bless The Broken Road, John Henry, Fishin’ In The Dark, An American Dream, Bayou Jubilee > Orange Blossom Special, Cadillac Ranch

Encore: I Shall Be Released [4], Will The Circle Be Unbroken > The Weight [3]

Notes:

• [1] w/ Emmylou Harris, Matraca Berg, Suzy Bogguss and Gretchen Peters
• [2] w/ Emmylou Harris and Larkin Poe
• [3] w/ Emmylou Harris, Larkin Poe, Matraca Berg, Suzy Bogguss and Gretchen Peters
• [4] w/ Larkin Poe

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Friday, November 8

You Ain’t Going Nowhere, Partners, Brothers, and Friends, Cosmic Cowboy, Pt. 1, Long Hard Road, Girl From The North Country, Workin’ Man (Nowhere To Go), Fish Song, Nine Pound Hammer [1], My Walkin’ Shoes [1], Sittin’ On Top Of The World [2], Black Mountain Rag [3], Mr. Bojangles, Ripplin’ Waters, Bless The Broken Road, John Henry [4], Fishin’ In The Dark [5], An American Dream, Bayou Jubilee > Orange Blossom Special, Cadillac Ranch

Encore: Will The Circle Be Unbroken > The Weight [6]

Notes:

• [1] w/ Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas and Allison Brown
• [2] w/ Molly Tuttle
• [3] w/ Molly Tuttle, Sam Bush and Jerry Douglas
• [4] w/ Mickey Raphael
• [5] w/ Mickey Raphael and Sam Bush
• [6] w/ Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas, Allison Brown, Molly Tuttle, Mickey Raphael, Kathleen Edwards and Matraca Berg