‘Will the Circle Be Unbroken?’

"But I could not hide my sorrow, When they laid her in that grave," reads the fourth verse of "Will The Circle Be Unbroken." "Peasant Burial," 1883/1885, by Erik Werenskiold. National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design, Oslo, Norway. Public Domain

In 1972, the country group Nitty Gritty Dirt Band released their historic album, “Will the Circle Be Unbroken.” The band’s sound exuded plenty of traditional style, from bluegrass rhythms to their use of homemade instruments such as the jug, which acted as a makeshift horn section. These creative, roots-style elements were the core of their sound.

Throughout the ’60s, they were appropriately referred to as a “jug band.” But in the following decade, they went electric with some of their instruments. Those who had been key figures in the early days of the country genre wondered, How do we keep the roots of country music alive?

A momentous collaboration between country music’s inaugural figures and the modern country group helped accomplish this important ambition.

An Uplifting Christian Hymn

“The Voyage of Life: Old Age,” 1842, by Thomas Cole. Oil on canvas; 52.8 inches by 76.8 inches. National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C. Public Domain

One of the United States’ beloved Christian hymns dates back to 1907, when gospel writer Ada Habershon wrote lyrics to her song “Will the Circle Be Unbroken?” Her words focused on mortality and pondered a “better home awaiting in the sky.” The reflective hymn was intended to act as a message of comfort for those who had lost loved ones.

Some of Habershon’s lyrics are posed as questions, inviting listeners into the song and gently nudging them to contemplate the strength of their faith by asking, “When you close your earthly story, will you join them in their bliss?” Her moving words were put to melody by critically acclaimed composer Charles H. Gabriel.

Left: Portrait plate of Charles H. Gabriel from "Biography of Gospel Song and Hymn Writers," circa 1914, written by Jacob Henry Hall. Right: A portrait of Ada Habershon from the 1918 publication "Ada R. Habershon: A Gatherer of Fresh Spoil." Public Domain

Born in 1856, Gabriel began working tirelessly composing thousands of the Christian faith’s most popular gospel songs and hymns from the time he turned 18 to his death in 1932. His work with Habershon for “Will the Circle Be Unbroken?” is one of his many accomplishments that led to his induction into the Gospel Hall of Fame in 1982.

After the hymn was published in 1907, the song was incorporated into many church services and songbooks during the early 1900s. By the late 1930s, the ballad could be found in 20 percent of the United States’ distributed hymnals.

From Gospel Song to Country Classic

Cover for the 2023 vinyl "Music From the Foggy Mountain Top 1927-35."

Gospel standards were a huge influence on country music. Perhaps no other standard has been as influential on the country genre as Habershon and Gabriel’s composition.

This lasting influence began in 1935 with the hard-working family band the Carter Family and their songwriting patriarch, A.P. Carter. Carter loved gospel music. In the ’30s, he sought to incorporate the sound into his family’s country music recordings. One of his favorite gospel songs was Habershon and Gabriel’s stirring hymn.

While songwriting one day, he reworked “Will the Circle Be Unbroken?” Though he kept much of the original chorus, he changed the lyrics of the verses and told the story of a narrator reflecting on his mother’s passing away.

Renamed “Can the Circle Be Unbroken (By and By),” the original gospel-tinged hymn transformed into a country-gospel composition that would go on to become one of the genre’s most popular songs of all time.

A Bridge for Generations

After the Carter Family’s single release, the song became more than a hit. It also became a symbol. Though the country genre would change over generations, newcomers and veterans alike would continue to honor country music’s roots. Many performers and recording artists would choose to honor tradition by releasing their own rendition of the classic song.

Perhaps no other rendition represents this symbolic message more than the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band’s spirited recording. The title track to their ‘72 album, the song became a historic collaboration among country music’s finest.

Cover for the 1972 vinyl "Will The Circle Be Unbroken" by the Nitty Gritty Band.

It all started with legendary bluegrass players Earl Scruggs and Doc Watson, who were persuaded by the band to sit in while they were recording in the studio. Soon, the song’s recording credits read like a who’s who of country music. Celebrated fiddler and singer Roy Acuff offered his skills to the project. Other traditional country music stars followed suit. Even the Carter Family matriarch herself who helped start it all, Maybelle Carter, made an appearance.

The monumental collaborative effort proved to be a stable, connecting bridge between those pioneering musicians known as the “Grand Ole Opry stars” and a new generation who loved reimagining traditional works just as A.P. Carter had done all those years ago with Habershon and Gabriel’s hymn.

A Symbolic Family Heirloom

John Carter Cash, the son of country music icon Johnny Cash and a singer-songwriter himself, once told audiences that the “circle” in the mighty song now considered to be a country standard is more symbolic than literal. To him, it represents the unbreakable bond between contemporary artists and those who made the country genre possible. The song acts as a family heirloom of sorts among country artists who continue to honor the genre’s roots and reimagine traditional works.

One of the song’s inspirational contemporary performances comes from the Wisconsin State Honors Treble Choir. Presented in 2012 by the Wisconsin School Music Association, the women’s choir performed a heartwarming rendition of “Will the Circle Be Unbroken.” This time, an elegant, Appalachian styling was applied to the harmonies. The beautiful interpretation was arranged by composer and conductor J. David Moore.

Generation after generation, this familial heirloom of country music endures and expands its reach.

"But I could not hide my sorrow, When they laid her in that grave," reads the fourth verse of "Will the Circle Be Unbroken." "Peasant Burial," 1883/1885, by Erik Werenskiold. Oil on canvas. National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design, Oslo, Norway. Public Domain