Customer Reviews

Dirt Silver & Gold

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I had forgotten all about this landmark compilation that languished in my LP shelves for nearly 25 years, until I started a long-term project archiving all of my old LPs onto CD. Even though I kept great care of the LP, 25 years is, well, 25 years, and there have been a small handful of minor pops that have made their way into the grooves. So just for curiosity's sake, I checked to see if the album was available on CD and found that it's inexcusably out of print.

This is one of the best historical compilations that any band has had the good fortune to leave behind, and it spans from their beginnings in the mid-sixties to around 1976, shortly before they became another sound-alike pop-country act like the latter-day Pure Prairie League. If I'm not mistaken I think this happened about the same time that founding member John McEuen left the group, reinforcing my belief that he was the heart and soul of the band (and I'm not saying that just because I play banjo).

At any rate, this is too good a collection to remain out of print. Perhaps United Artists (or whoever controls the rights at this point) will see all the outpouring here and reissue it. It's just too much fun not to. It takes me back to my final design studios in college as we'd work on our architecture projects while listening to songs like "Cosmic Cowboy" and my own personal favorite, "Bowlegs."

BTW, in case people were unaware, at least some of these songs were re-recorded, though whether specifically for this album I don't know. Listen to the first strains of "Mr.Bojangles" here (where it begins with a backward strum of a guitar in the left channel, and continues with the same) to the original as it appeared on the Uncle Charlie album (no guitar in the left channel). It's also noticeable on "Bayou Jubilee" which on DS&G has nicely placed cymbal strikes over the top of the introduction.

And speaking of "Bayou Jubilee," if anyone here is especially fond of that tune, along with "Ripplin' Waters," "Battle of New Orleans" and "All I Have to Do Is Dream," you really should check out the "Dream" album, also sadly out of print. Not only does it have these songs, but others easily their equal, like "Hey Good Lookin'" (with a guest vocal by Linda Ronstadt) and a great Kenny Edwards song called "Mother of Love."

Thank goodness I finally got around to the "N" LPs in my big archiving project. I had forgotten about these two records for much too long. Also I should offer kudos to Dean Torrence of Kitty Hawk Graphics for the design of each of the LPs (remember Jan & Dean?). He did some outstanding work on them.

I was still in high school when i bought the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band Album, "Dirt, Silver, and Gold" (3 cassette tapes). It was a superb buy!... What i got was a treasure actually. The tapes were by now being kept for display purposes, after about twenty years of repeated use. Particularly worn-out are the parts playing "bowlegs" and "Jamaica Lady". With the advent of CDs, I was very much excited in getting a copy of the album in CD. Unfortunately, i could not get any. I have toured all the music stores of the Philippines; Bangkok, Thailand; Sydney, Australia; Vancouver, Canada, and even asked my friend in New York to find one for me. Alas!... The album is indeed out of the market. To all of you who love the album, please make your review known, in the hope that Dirt, Silver and Gold, will be re-released again soon!...

I first bought this collection almost 20 years ago. It instantly became one of my favorites. My original 3 album set is almost completely worn out. I would love to be able to aquire it on CD. I have looked for this collection in music stores for years and am extremely disappointed to see that it is out of print. I certainly hope it will be made available again soon. I'm a Dirt Band fan and think this is one of their best. Please release it on CD and make a Dirt junkie in Grace Idaho happy!

There has been no other album by N.G.D.B. that can compare with Dirt, Silver & Gold. Bayou Jubilee can be found on the Dream album, but is another version and the song found on D.S.&G. is distinctive with that album only. What is a shame is that there are no forseeable reissues of D.S.&G. which was originally issued in 1994 by One Way Records out of the State of New York. My contact with a representative of the company had informed me that 2,000 copies were issued in cd formate and that the agreement made with Liberty records was for a substantial sum, of which One Way Records took a loss. One Way Records has no plan to reissue Dirt, Silver & Gold. If you're searching, expect to buy used in either cd or lp form. Cd's cannot be found too often and when they are, expect to pay towards to ten times the actual cost for used. The cd's are few and far between and lp's are more readily available through the internet at a substantial lower cost.
I'm not a real country music fan, but the album is one of my all time favorites.
You couldn't buy all the other cd's to make up the D.S.&G. and there are some songs that were remastered for this album, such as creepin' 'round your back door, which has the sound of walking in the right channel while another version has it in both left and right (mono effect) channels.
As I said, if you want the cd expect to pay for it. And expect to pay $... or even $..., but rest assured that you will be one of only 2,000 people who do own the cd version.

I write this review mainly for those folks who are having trouble finding the newly released CD. I found it tonight, not really looking for it. It is newly released by BGO records (copywrite, 2003)<www.bgo-records.com>. I bought this album when it was first released in '76 on vinyl. Their version of "Mr. Bojangles" is second to none, but my other favorite is "Ripplin' Waters," and their cover of Newman's "Livin' Without You," is indicative of this groups tightness in instrumentation and vocal harmonies, not to mention their originality in interpretation. This group, like the Band, captures for me the heart of the inner American culture put to music. This album is indispensable for the serious (and not so serious) collector.

I've never been a country music fan, but the NGDB has always been the exception. (though calling much of their early music country may be stretching the definition a bit). I found a used copy of the LP when I started college in 1978 and came close to wearing it out. A few years ago, I found one copy of the 2-CD reissue released by One Way Records, which seems to be a division Capitol.

I'm sorry to hear that this collection is now, apparently, out of print. This is a tremendous collection of what was primarily the NGDB's first ten years, covering their pop, rock, and country phases.

It's sad how many LPs are now out of print (e.g., this and Herb Alpert's "Going Places"), definitive collections for both the casual and the die-hard fan.

EMI, do yourself and NGDB fans a favor and reissue this set.

I've always loved Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. This folk music is terrific. Not being available on cd is a crime! I know the demand would be heavy if it is released again on cd. Make folk music lovers happy, release this classic on cd now!

I bought this album back in the 70's and with out a doubt it's music has transended three decades. I have gone over all of the music I used to listen to and this is something that is still appealing. Folk music that incorporated the porch people that created folk orignally. "Mister Boe Jangles", the way the band did it on this album is a classic. I thank God that my music pallet has changed, but this album has something for every age. I must have carted the LP's over 3 continents and countless states. The only problem is they have out lasted the audio technology. Now I am looking for the CD's and they're nowhere to be found.

[GREAT NEWS for Dirt Fans!! Back in February I wrote a review of this album lamenting its unavailability on CD in the US or presmumably anywhere else. Well, I am pleased to report that it has just been re-issued by the British label BGO (Beat Goes On) Records. I just bought one and I am delighted. The sound quality is great and the packaging and liner notes are superb. How sad, though, that it requires the purchase of an import from another country to obtain an album of this significance by an American band of this caliber. Because it still perfectly sums up my opinion of this album, I have chosen to leave my original review (below) intact as written:]

I have owned a copy of Dirt, Silver and Gold on LP since its original release in the mid-seventies. I was unaware that it had ever been available on CD, and I'm crushed to find that it was and I missed it before it was gone. Dirt, Silver and Gold has been one of the most prized LPs in my collection for years (along with the "Dream" album). Much of the music contained there is completely unavailable anywhere else, and for this album to once again be out of print is truly a tragedy. It represents what I feel was the band's best period, and this music is far too important to just fade away. I was a fan of a number of the better "country-rock" bands of that era, including POCO, Buffalo Springfield and The Byrds, among others. But there was a level of artistry and musicianship in the NGDB's music that was (and still is) unsurpassed. The good news is that the "Dream" album has apparently been remastered and rereleased. But it is insane that Dirt, Silver and Gold has been allowed to once again disappear. Somebody must reissue this significant and comprehensive collection so that future generations can hear and enjoy it as I have for so many years. Like the "Circle" album, it is far too important to the history of both rock and country (as well as the band itself)-- and simply too darned good-- to be gone.

It's absolutely nuts that this title is not available today on CD. Whoever owns the rights - please either reissue or sell the rights to a company that will reissue. Anyone who grew up in the 70's, 80's knows this title and what a wonderfully unique collection of songs it is. If you love NGDB - you have to own this along with "...Circle...."