Bards Bluegrass Fiddle Tunebook Supplement/Can the Circle Be Unbroken (By and By)

"Can the Circle Be Unbroken (By and By)" is a Country/American folk music song reworked by A. P. Carter from the hymn Will the Circle Be Unbroken?" by Ada R. Habershon and Charles H. Gabriel. The song's lyrics concern the death, funeral, and mourning of the narrator's mother.

The song first gained attention due to the Carter Family. The song has been covered by many groups and musicians including Blind James Campbell, Bob Dylan, The Band, The Staple Singers, John Fahey, Roy Acuff, Joan Baez, The Chieftains, Gene Vincent, The Black Crowes, Kristin Hersh, John Lee Hooker, Bill Monroe, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Pentangle, Spacemen 3, Country Joe McDonald, John Statz, Spirit of the West with The Wonder Stuff, Mavis Staples, The Felice Brothers, Johnny Cash, Gregg Allman, Willie Nelson, the Neville Brothers and Jeff Buckley. Its refrain was incorporated into the Carl Perkins song "Daddy Sang Bass" and the Atlanta song "Sweet Country Music." It is primarily covered in gospel, bluegrass, and folk, but versions in other genres exist. Most cover versions of the song use the alternate title Will the Circle be Unbroken. In 1998 it was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.