Jeff Hanna, American singer-songwriter and performance musician, is well-known as the husband of singer/songwriter Matraca Berg.
Hanna was born Jeffrey Hanna on July 11, 1947 in Detroit, Michigan, United States. Following his birth, he spent his childhood moving around, eventually relocating with his family to Southern California when he was 15. During high school, Jeff Hanna met Bruce Kunkel, and their friendship led to the formation of an incredible music career.
Jeff Hanna and Bruce Kunkel, along with four like-minded musicians, formed the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. Commencing as an old-style jug band, the band then transitioned into California folk-rockers. Dressed in pinstripe suits and cowboy hats, they began playing gigs in the local music scene. Their first single, “Buy for Me the Rain,” garnered success and provided them with a platform to showcase their talents. The band subsequently appeared in the 1969 musical western “Paint Your Wagon,” and toured with a diverse range of artists, from The Doors to Bill Cosby, Dizzy Gillespie, and Jack Benny.
In 1970, the band released their second LP, featuring their most famous song, “Mr. Bojangles.” In spite of the song’s unconventional nature, it reached No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100, cementing the band’s place in the music industry.
Besides his singing career, Hanna has over 100 composition credits on various albums. In 2006, his composition “Bless the Broken Road,” co-written with Marcus Hummon and Bobby Boyd, won a Grammy Award for Best Country Song. Also, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band’s recording of “Mr. Bojangles” was inducted into the GRAMMY Hall of Fame in 2010.
Jeff Hanna and Matraca Berg met on tour with Clint Black in the late 1980s, and before every show, they ate pie together – a tradition Berg says was “so country.” They were both married to different people at the time they met.
The couple reportedly began dating in 1991 following the divorce from their partners.
Jeff Hanna and Matraca Berg tied the knot on December 5, 1993.
Hanna and his ex-wife Rae Hoyt had two sons; musician Jaime Hanna and late visual artist Christopher Hanna.
Jeff Hanna currently lives in Nashville with his wife Matraca Berg.