johnmceuen.com
Playing Since: 1965
Experience Level: Expert/Professional
Interests:
[Teaching] [Jamming] [Socializing]
Occupation: music, raconteur, producer, radioman
Gender: Male
Age: 74
My Instruments:
Deering, Martin, Fender (lap slide), Tacoma, Zeta, Gibson, Givens,
Favorite Bands/Musicians:
Dillard, Scruggs, Reno, Scruggs, Keith, Adcock, Lightnin' Hopkins
Classified Rating: not rated
Rate this Member
Profile Info:
Visible to: Public
Created 1/5/2006
Last Visit 3/13/2020
John McEuen is a founding member of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, which formed in August, 1966. He has performed on over 300 television shows.
He is the recipient of the 1992 Uncle Dave Macon award and won the Western Heritage Award (for his production of The Music of the Wild West), and sometimes seems to be someone on a journey here from the late 1800's.
John was recently honored with the 2010 "Best in the West" performer award from the Folk Alliance organization.
John is the only Californian musician to perform solo on the Grand Ole Opry, then play it several times with his band, and be featured as a guest with several of the Opry member acts. He has recorded with the Nashvilles Country music creators, and had records in the pop and country charts. He instigated what Rolling Stone (in 1972) called 'the' most important record to come out of Nashville, and what the 2004 ZAGAT survey called the most important record in country music, "Will the Circle Be Unbroken."
As a multi-instrumentalist (banjo, guitar, mandolin, fiddle) and solo entertainer, John McEuen plays to the boomer hippie crowd, the traditional/bluegrass and folk audience, as well as the older country audience, and now the younger crowd is showing up to see where it all came from. Twenty percent are under the age of 30.
John has made over 40 albums (six solo) that have earned four platinum and four gold recognition awards, Grammy nominations, CMA and ACM awards, Western Heritage Award, Emmy nomination, and IBMA record of the year award. In addition, John has performed on another 25 albums as guest artist. He has produced over 200 concerts (his first one being with Bob Dylan in 1965).
John has known and worked with Steve Martin since high school to the present, and was featured on a two-hour A&E TV special about Steve in February, 2006. John scored Steve's television specials, taught him how to play the banjo, and arranged his music; The NGDB was the band on Steve's hit song, "King Tut."
John's own XM Satellite radio show, Acoustic Traveller on channel 15, runs four times a month.
He created the music scores for nine film/television projects, including the Emmy nominated 10-hour mini-series for Warner Bros. 'The Wild West.'
John has also raised his six kids (five boys and a girl) ages between 38-48, and a 35-year-old stepson.
Some of the artists John McEuen has performed or recorded with include: Dolly Parton, Steve Martin, Willie Nelson, Bill Wyman, Johnny Cash, June Carter Cash, Jerry Garcia, Big Head Todd and the Monsters, Phish, Jerry Jeff Walker, Kevin Nealon, Alison Krauss, Bill Cosby, Stephen Wright, Mark OConnor, Tommy Lee Jones, Sissy Spacek, Linda Ronstadt, Leon Russell, Maybelle Carter, Kris Kristofferson, Bob Dylan, Kenny Rogers, Steve Vai, Doc Watson, Jimmy Buffett, The Smothers Brothers, Rowan & Martin, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Bobby Sherman, Jose Feliciano, Allman Brothers, John Denver, Roy Acuff, Earl Scruggs, Jack Benny, Glen Campbell, Steve Goodman, Waylon Jennings, Robin Williams, Little River Band, Marshall Tucker Band, Doobie Brothers, Andy Williams, Merle Travis, Vassar Clements, Dizzy Gillespie, The Osmond Brothers, Everly Brothers, Crystal Gayle, Gary Morris, Doug Kershaw, Michael Martin Murphey, The Doors, Donovan, Lee Marvin, Ramblin Jack Elliot, David Amram, Arlo Guthrie, America, Bill Monroe, and Asleep at the Wheel.
