8 March 2016

Old pros keeping it together: Will the Circle Be Unbroken?

The lyrics of this performance of the old gospel hymn by Rodney Crowell and his seasoned country singers generally are faithful to the Carter Family’s version, which dates from around 1935. But the verse sung by Emmylsou Harris is in neither the Carter Family’s nor the original 1907 Ada Habershon version. Charles H. Gabriel, possibly the most prolific writer of English language hymns in history, composed the melody. The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band put the song on the hit parade.