After more than five decades leading the , Jeff Hanna said he still looks forward to performing.

鈥淢ore than anything, we love playing live,鈥� said Hanna. 鈥淲e love getting in the studio and creating as well, but the thing that really keeps it alive for us is going out and playing in front of people.鈥�

The legendary band is stopping by the in Penticton for a concert on Nov. 8, with Nice Horse opening for them.

鈥淭he smaller venues are great for us, because not only can we play for people, but we can engage them, we can talk to them,鈥� said Hanna. 鈥淲e play a lot of festivals as well, where there can be 60 or 70,000 people in the summertime, but it is tough to hit that back row.鈥�

With a songbook stretching back 50 years and countless hits, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band has a lot of music to draw from. Hanna said the crowd at the SOEC is going to hear some favourites, for sure.

鈥淲e try to hit the highlights. There are certain songs you are going to hear, like Cadillac Ranch and Fishing in the Dark and Mr. Bojangles. We can鈥檛 get out of the building without playing those,鈥� said Hanna.

We鈥檙e grateful for those. It鈥檚 great to have tunes that people can relate to on such a big level. We are going for some deeper cuts as well. We touch on something from pretty much every record we made. We go way back now.鈥�

The lineup of the band has changed over the years since the band formed in 1966, but Hanna is excited about the current lineup, which incorporates Ross Holmes (Mumford and Sons) on fiddle, mandolin, and vocals and Hanna鈥檚 son Jaime (The Mavericks, Hanna-McEuen, Garry Allan) on guitar and background vocals.

鈥淪ince May of this year, we鈥檝e officially been a six-piece band with Jaime and Ross, and our buddy Jim Photoglo on bass,鈥� said Hanna. That鈥檚 in addition to NGDB co-founder Jimmy Fadden on harmonica and drums, and long-time member Bob Carpenter on keyboard, accordion and bass.

鈥淥ne of the things people have remarked on is the vocals, they say it is probably the strongest vocal lineup we鈥檝e had,鈥� said Hanna, adding that Holmes came out for a couple of shows in January and Jaimie came out and sat in on a couple.

鈥淚t was so magical, it was such a great vibe from the get-go,鈥� said Hanna. 鈥淚n terms of the energy in the band, it鈥檚 the best its been in decades.鈥�

Being in a band for 50 years, you are going to have your disagreements with each other, Hanna admitted, and you can forget sometimes how much fun it is going to be.

鈥淩ight now, it is just a blast for all of us,鈥� said Hanna. 鈥淚 am really glad I get to play music with my kid, it鈥檚 fantastic.

鈥淗e鈥檚 been hearing this music his entire life. As a kid, he would come out on the road with us.鈥�

Hanna said his son has earned his spot in the band, with some impressive musical credentials of his own.

鈥淗e鈥檚 done this for a long time, without being in the shadow of his dad,鈥� said Hanna. 鈥淚t鈥檚 fantastic, we鈥檝e had a great time together. I鈥檝e not gotten to spend this much time with my kid in years.

鈥淚t is so cool and he is a good guy and a great musician and a really talented singer and writer. I鈥檓 really grateful for that.鈥�

Doors open for the concert at 6:30 p.m. on Nov. 8 at the SOEC, with the concert starting at 7:30 p.m.