JOHN McEUEN

banjo player with country group the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

“Well, I know that the first record I bought was by Lou Christie. It was the single, ‘Lightning Strikes.’

“I think that the first albums that I bought, however, were probably by people like Bill Keith and the Dillards. Those were the albums that got me into bluegrass.

“But at the same time I was also listening to Lightnin’ Hopkins, so it was not only bluegrass, but also the blues.”