DENVER, COLO. (4/23/08) -- Swallow Hill is pleased to host country music legend Jimmy Ibbotson as he presents a special artist workshop and performance on May 17. The workshop, Life as a Member of America's Favorite Old Band: The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, will take place at noon that day, with the performance that evening at 8 p.m.

Following the 1968 breakup of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, members John McEuen and Jeff Hanna decided to reform the band and began a search for a singing drummer. Their search led them to the backstage of Hollywood's Troubadour where Jimmy Ibbotson was waiting to audition for another band, Pogo. They convinced him to cancel this audition and join them instead. The result was the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band's fifth album, Uncle Charlie and His Dog Teddy, which brought them their biggest success to date. When they crossed over to the country music market, their first top-ten country hit, "Dance Little Jean," came from Ibbotson's pen, and he continued to write and sing many of the Band's "anthems."

Over the course of the 27 albums the Band put out with Ibbotson, there were many accolades, including Grammy wins, Country Music Association wins, Academy of Country Music wins and gold and platinum records, among them the iconic Will the Circle Be Unbroken. His songs have been recorded by other music greats such as John Denver and Emmylou Harris. Ibbotson was with the Band from 1969 - 1975 and rejoined in 1982, officially retiring in 2004. His voice is often credited with giving new country music a direction to model, an honor he appreciates since he has spent many years learning his craft through emulating his idols.

The workshop will focus on Ibbotson's life with the Band and as a solo musician, with the opportunity for participants to hear numerous anecdotes of his life as a professional touring musician and to interact and ask "Ibby," as he is affectionately known, questions. "My talent is to be able to wend words of the simple truths in life with simple melodies, inspired by my first love, gospel music," he says. His live performances are a delight to audiences, filled with humor and amazing musicianship. Ibbotson also recently completed a new tribute album to John Denver, Kindred Country Boy, done in his home studio in Woody Creek, Unami.