Jimmy Ibbotson

Jimmy Ibbotson

Jimmy Ibbotson was a longtime member of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. He has also released albums as solo artist, as a member of the Wild Jimbos, and with John McEuen.

Pre Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

Jimmy Ibbotson was born January, 21 1947 in Philadephia, Pennsylvania.

Ibbotson attended DePauw University graduating in the class of 69. He was also a member of Arista-Tones, Stone Country, Evergreen Blueshoes, and The Hagers. Everygreen Blueshoes also included Skip Battin who later joined the Byrds.

1969–1975 Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

In 1969 Ibbotson was invited to join the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band.

In 1970 he appeared on their album Uncle Charlie & His Dog Teddy. Ibbotson played guitars, piano, drums, accordion, and sang lead and harmony vocals. Ibbotson and Jeff Hanna shared lead vocals on Some of Shelly's Blues which reached 64 on the US charts. He sang lead on House At Pooh Corner which 53 on the US charts.

In 1971 they released All The Good Times. On this album he wrote two songs, Daisy and Baltimore, and co-wrote the song Sixteen Tracks with Jeff Hanna. He sang lead on Daisy and Baltimore and sang harmony/co-lead on others.

In 1972 they released Will The Circle Be Unbroken. Ibbotson played snare, guitar, drums and sang background vocals. He lead vocal on Lost Highway

In 1974 they release Stars and Strips Forever. Ibbotson played Drums, Piano, Accordion, Harmony Vocals, Bass, and Guitar. He sang Lead Vocal on House On Pooh Corner, Oh Boy, Teardrops In My Eyes, Battle Of New Orleans and Diggy Liggy Lo.

In 1975 they released Symphonion Dream. On this album he wrote Ripplin' Waters and Joshua Come Home, co-wrote two instrumentals with the whole band. He played bass, guitar, arp, conga, and accordion. He sang lead on Battle Of New Orleans, Ripplin' Waters, Mother Of Love, and Joshua Come Home. He sang duet with Linda Ronstadt on Hey Good Lookin' , and with Jeff Hanna on (All I Have To Do Is) Dream.

Ibbotson left the band at the end of 1975.

1976–1981 solo

In 1977 he released his first solo album Nitty Gritty Ibbotson. On this album he wrote nine of the ten songs. He sang lead on all songs and played acoustic and electric guitar.

In late 70s he was depressed and in need of a helping hand.He was on sabbatical, which is what he calls it when you are too drunk to play with your band. He was living in his family's summer cottage on the New Jersey shore. He was supporting himself as a house painter, riding to work on a bike, carrying the paint and ladder. The Dirt Band continued to be successful without him. When his old friend John Denver complimented him before playing Ripplin' Waters on the Tonight Show it was a shot in the arm for him and gave hime hope for his future.

1982–1990 Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

In 1982 Ibbotson rejoined the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band.
In 1982 they released Let's Go. On that album Ibbotson wrote and sang lead on "Dance Little Jean" which reached 9 on the country charts. He also sang lead on Never Together (But Close Sometimes) and played guitar, mandolin, and percussion.

In 1984 they released Plain Dirt Fashion. On this album Ibbotson wrote High Horse and co-wrote Face On The Cutting Room Floor. He sang lead on three very successful singles from this album. Long Hard Ride (The Sharecroppers Dream) was their first number one on the country charts. High Horse went to 2 and I Love Only You went to 3 on the country charts. Ibbotson and Jeff Hanna share vocals on Bruce Springsteen's Cadillac Ranch. He also played bass, guitars, and mandolin.

In 1985 they released Partners, Brothers, and Friends. On this album he wrote Telluride and co-wrote Partners, Brothers, and Friends and Queen of the Road. He sang lead on Other Side Of The Mountain, Telluride, Old Upright Piano, Partners, Brothers, and Friends, and Leon McDuff. Partners, Brothers, and Friends went to 6 on the country charts. He also played bass, guitars, and mandolin.

In 1987 they released Hold On. Ibbotson wrote Oh What A Love. He sang lead on Fishin' In The Dark, Oh What A Love, and Tennessee. He also shared lead vocals with Jeff Hanna on Bruce Springsteen's Angelyne. Fishin' In The Dark went to 1 on the country charts. Oh What A Love went to 5 on the country charts.

In 1988 they release Workin' Band. There are no writing credits on the CD. Ibbotson sings lead on Workin' Man (Nowhere To Go), Soldier Of Love and Brass Sky. Workin' Man (Nowhere To Go) went to 4 on the country charts. He also plays bass, guitars, mandolin, mandola, and percussion.

In 1989 they released Will The Circle Be Unbroken Volume Two. He co-wrote Lovin' On The Side with Sandy Waltner and Paulette Carlson. He, along with Jeff Hanna, Jimmie Fadden, Bob Carpenter, and Randy Scruggs, are credited with writing Blues Berry Hill and arranging Don't You Hear Jerusalem Moan and I'm Sittin' On Top Of The World. He also wrote an additional verse at the end of Will The Circle Be Unbroken. He sang lead on When It's Gone, and on the third verse of Don't You Hear Jerusalem Moan, and the first verse of Turn Of The Century, and the fifth verse of Will The Circle Be Unbroken. He also played mandolin, accordian, guitar and sang harmony.

In 1990 they released The Rest Of The Dream. Ibbotson co-wrote Junior's Grill with Jim Photoglo and Vince Melamed, and co-wrote Wishing Well with Jeff Hanna, Jimmie Fadden, and Bob Carpenter. He sang lead on From Small Things (Big Things One Day Come), Junior Grill, Blow Out The Stars, Turn Off The Moon, Hillbilly Hollywood, Snowballs. He also played mandolin, acoustic guitar and sang harmony. From Small Things (Big Things One Day Come) reached 65 on the country charts.

1991–1993 Wild Jimbos and Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

Wild Jimbos began in the early 1980s when Jimmy Ibbotson was performing as a duo with Jim Ratts of Runaway Express. When Jim Salestrom, of Dolly Parton's Band, joined them on stage the joy of this combination was immediately apparent. In 1982 he re-joined the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and had success with them, but by 1991 he was looking for another outlet for recording his original songs. Ibbotson released two albums with Wild Jimbos in the early 90s, while continueing to record and perform with the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band.

In May 1991 Wild Jimbos released their debut album Wild Jimbos. Ibbotson wrote Sarah In The Summer, My New Wife, Bolongo Bay, You And Me kid and co-wrote Train In The Canyon with Joe Henry. He sang lead on on eight of the ten songs and sang harmony on the other two. He also played drums, acoustic guitar, and bass.

In July 1991 the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band released Live Two Five. The album was recorded live, in concert, at the RED DEER FINE ARTS CENTER, Red Deer, Alberta, Canada on March 13, 14, and 15, 1991. Ibbotson wrote High Horse, Dance Little Jean and Ripplin' Waters. He co-wrote I've Been Lookin' and Partners, Brothers, and Friends with Jeff Hanna. He co-wrote Face On The Cutting Room Floor with Steve Goodman and Jeff Hanna. He played acoustic guitar, mandolin, electric bass and sang lead and harmony.

In 1992 the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band released Not Fade Away.

In 1993 the Wild Jimbos released their second album Two. Ibbotson wrote all the song on this album, except for an a cappella version of the Melodian's song Rivers of Babylon. He sang lead on all the songs and played guiter.

While not an active band, they make occasional appearances to re-inspect that old Wild Jimbo connection. In 2000 the Wild Jimbos contributed two tracks to the Runaway Express album Yeah, Buddy!, a bluegrass tribute to Buddy Holly.

1994–2004 solo and with John McEuen and with NGDB

In 1994 the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band released Acoustic. On his album Ibbotson wrote How Long?, Sarah In The Summer, One Sure Honest Line, and co-wrote The Train Keeps Rolling Along with Jim Photoglo and Vince Melamed. He sings lead on How Long?,Sarah In The Summer, Hello, I Am Your Heart, and This Train Keeps Rolling Along.

In 1997 the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band released The Christmas Album. On this album Ibbotson co-wrote One Christmas Tree with Jeff Hanna. He sang lead on Steve Goodman's Colorado Christmas, Ernest Ford's Christmas Dinner, One Christmas Tree, and It Came Upon A Midnight Clear. He played acoustic guitar, mandolin, "field drum", and bass (We Three Kings).

In 1998 Ibbotson released Ibbinet Companion#1.5. He was writing a weekly column for his website, telling stories about his adventures on the road, living in Colorado, trying to stop smoking, and general philosophies on life. He wanted to release the songs that he wrote around that time as an audio companion to his Internet stories. He played guitar, mandolin and sang.

In 1999 the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band released Bang, Bang, Bang. On this album he wrote The Monkey Song, the only song on the album written by a band member. He sang the title track Bang, Bang, Bang, plus Forget The Job (Get A Life), Nickel In The Well, Rent, Groceries, and Gasoline, Dry Town, The Monkey Song, and Southbound Train. He played acoustic and electric guatars, and mandolin.

In 1999 Ibbotson released That's It. He wrote three songs on this album, Mrs. Hiss's House, Another Daddy, and I Was A Fool.

In 2000 John McEuen and Jimmy Ibbotson released Stories & Songs. It was recorded live in front of an audience at In Your Ear Studios in Richmond, VA on March 31, 1999. John and Jimmy tell a story about the song and play an acoustic version of it. Ibbotson sang Santa Rosa, Telluride, Luncheonette, Saints and Sots', Lang Hard Road / Darcy Farrow, Ripplin' Waters, and Dance Little Jean. He plays guitar, box drum, and flute.

In 2000 Jimmy Ibbotson released Women & Waves. He wrote seven of the songs himself. He co-write two with Bob Carpenter and one with R. Johnson. One was written by Leonard Martinez (road manager for NGDB for 20 years). Ibbotson sang and played flat iron mandola, DX-7 synthisizer, Navajo duck flute, Nepaleeze reed flute, Sioux ceremonial calfskin tom-tom, guitar, bass, mandolin, keyboards, and flute. Bob Carpenter played keyboards.

• In 2001 John McEuen and Jimmy Ibbotson released Nitty Gritty Surround.
• In 2001 Jimmy Ibbotson released Hummingbirds of the Americas.
• In 2002 the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band released Will The Circle Be Unbroken, Volume 3.
• In 2004 the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band released Welcome To Woody Creek.
• In 2004 Jimmy Ibbotson released Intent On Contentment.

2005 to present

As recently as May 2009 the Highland Ranch Herald reported Ibbotson was working on new material and performing locally.

Discography

Albums

Year	Album	Artist	Label
1977	Nitty Gritty Ibbotson	Jimmy Ibbotson	First American
1991	Wild Jimbos	Wild Jimbos	MCA Records
1993	Wild Jimbos Two	Wild Jimbos	Resounding Records
1998	Ibbinet Companion#1.5	Jimmy Ibbotson	Unami Records
1999	That's It	Jimmy Ibbotson	Unami Records
2000	Stories & Songs	John McEuen and Jimmy Ibbotson	Planetary Records
2000	Women & Waves	Jimmy Ibbotson	Unami Records Woody Creek
2001	Nitty Gritty Surround	John McEuen and Jimmy Ibbotson	AIX Records
2001	Hummingbirds of the Americas	Jimmy Ibbotson	Flying Dog Records
2004	Intent On Contentment	Jimmy Ibbotson	Unami Records
2005	Daylight	Jimmy Ibbotson
2007	Canyon	Jimmy Ibbotson	Jimmy Ibbotson

Non-album tracks

The "Ballad of the Monon Bell" celebrates the annual football game between DePauw and Wabash College, a rivalry which dates back to 1890 and awards the winner the prized railroad bell. Jimmy Ibbotson, a 1969 graduate of DePauw, recorded The Ballad of the Monon Bell. The song can be downloaded for free from the DePauw website.