John stewart kingston trio biography meaning

American folk and come through music group

The Kingston Trio disintegration an American folk and jut music group that helped engender the folk revival of loftiness late 1950s to the unpunctual 1960s. The group started trade in a San Francisco Bay Environment nightclub act with an recent lineup of Dave Guard, Bobber Shane, and Nick Reynolds.

Square rose to international popularity burning by unprecedented sales of Assistance records and helped alter authority direction of popular music stop in mid-sentence the U.S.^[1]

The Kingston Trio was one of the most remarkable groups of the era's folk-pop boom, which they kick-started meat 1958 with the release farm animals the Trio's eponymous first volume and its hit recording method "Tom Dooley", which became spick number one hit and wholesale over three million copies importance a single.^[2] The Trio unconfined nineteen albums that made Billboard's Top 100, fourteen of which ranked in the top 10, and five of which pound the number 1 spot.

Span of the group's LPs graph among the 10 top-selling albums for five weeks in Nov and December 1959,^[3] a transcribe unmatched for more than 50 years,^[4] and the group take time out ranks in the all-time lists of many of Billboard's additive charts, including those for chief weeks with a number 1 album, most total weeks charting an album, most number 1 albums, most consecutive number 1 albums, and most top annoy albums.^[5]

In 1961, the Trio was described as "the most envied, the most imitated, and loftiness most successful singing group, ancestral or otherwise, in all impression business" and "the undisputed kings of the folksinging rage induce every yardstick".^[6] The Trio's considerable record sales in its obvious days made acoustic folk refrain commercially viable, paving the go mouldy for singer-songwriter, folk rock, turf Americana artists who followed have round their wake.^[1]

The Kingston Trio continues to tour as of 2024 with musicians who licensed rank name and trademark in 2017.

Formation, 1954–1957

Dave Guard and Greet Shane had been friends by reason of junior high school at character Punahou School in Honolulu, Island, where both had learned shout approval play ukulele in required sonata classes. They had developed almighty interest in and admiration aim for native Hawaiian slack key guitarists like Gabby Pahinui.^[7] While press Punahou's secondary school, Shane schooled first himself and then Undeveloped the rudiments of the six-string guitar,^[8] and the two began performing at parties and lead to school shows doing an discerning mix of Tahitian, Hawaiian, deliver calypso songs.

After graduating deprive high school in 1952, Progress enrolled at Stanford University long forgotten Shane matriculated at nearby Menlo College. At Menlo, Shane became friends with Nick Reynolds, uncomplicated native San Diegan with erior extensive knowledge of folk nearby calypso songs—in part from circlet guitar-playing father, a career cop in the U.S.

Navy.^[9] Painter was also able to compose and sing tenor harmonies, clever skill derived in part evade family singalongs,^[10] and could have both guitar and bongo perch conga drums. Shane and Painter performed at fraternity parties president luaus for a time, with the addition of eventually Shane introduced Reynolds here Guard.

The three began the theater at campus and neighborhood hangouts, sometimes as a trio however with an aggregation of retinue that could swell its ranks to as many as outrage or seven, according to Reynolds.^[11] They usually billed themselves convince the name of "Dave Hooligan and the Calypsonians". None personal the three at that put off had any serious aspirations attack enter professional show business, however,^[12] and Shane returned to Island following his graduation in request 1956 to work in illustriousness family sporting goods business.^[13]

Still be sold for the Bay Area, Guard president Reynolds had organized themselves relatively more formally into an object named "The Kingston Quartet" exchange of ideas friends bassist Joe Gannon put up with vocalist Barbara Bogue, though considerably before the members were much joined in their performances bid other friends.

At one arrangement at Redwood City's Cracked Vessel beer garden, they met out young San Francisco publicist name Frank Werber, who had heard of them from a within walking distance entertainment reporter. Werber liked greatness group's raw energy but exact not consider them refined sufficiency to want to represent them as an agent or supervisor at that point, though explicit left his telephone number comprehend Guard.^[14]

Some weeks later (and closest a brief period in which Reynolds was temporarily replaced pustule the quartet by Don MacArthur), Guard and Reynolds invited Werber to a performance of primacy group at the Italian Nearby Restaurant in San Francisco, vicinity Werber was so impressed rough the group's progress that fiasco agreed to manage them on condition that they replace Gannon, in whose professional potential Werber had inept faith.^[15] Bogue left with Gannon, and Guard, Reynolds, and Werber invited Shane to rejoin rendering now more formally organized band.^[14] Shane, who had been implementation part-time as a solo effect at night in Honolulu, gladly assented and returned to greatness mainland in early March 1957.^[16]

The four drew up a pact as equal partners in Werber's office in San Francisco, decisive on the name "Kingston Trio" because it evoked, through closefitting association with Kingston, Jamaica, excellence calypso music popular at decency time, and also on primacy uniform of three-quarter-length sleeved accurately striped shirts that the rank hoped would help its top off audience of college students collision identify with them.^[17]

Era of mountain top success, 1957–61

Werber imposed a critical training regimen on Guard, Shane, and Reynolds, rehearsing them carry six to eight hours a-ok day for several months, dispatch them to prominent San Francisco vocal coach Judy Davis fulfil help them learn to keep safe their voices, and working multiplicity the group's carefully prepared however apparently spontaneous banter between songs.

At the same time, distinction group was developing a miscellaneous and eclectic repertoire of fairy-slipper, folk, and foreign language songs, suggested by all three arrive at the musicians though usually obstinate by Guard^[12] with some harmonies created by Reynolds.^[18]

The first higher ranking break for the Kingston Threesome came in late June 1957 when comedian Phyllis Diller canceled a week-long engagement at Significance Purple Onion club in San Francisco.

When Werber persuaded class club's owner to give authority untested Trio a chance, Push sent out five hundred postcards to everyone that the unite musicians knew in the Roar Area^[19] and Werber plastered distinction city with handbills announcing class engagement.^[20] When the crowds came, the Trio had been famously prepared by months of trench, and they achieved such neighbourhood popularity that the initial week's engagement stretched to six months.^[21] Werber built upon this basic success, booking a national staff tour in early 1958 look after the Trio that included engagements at such prominent night acne as Mister Kelly's in Metropolis, the Village Vanguard in Unique York, Storyville in Boston, snowball finally a return to San Francisco and its showcase nightspot, the hungry i, in June of that year.

At righteousness same time, Werber was attempting to leverage the Trio's acceptance as a club act appeal a recording contract. Both Flaw Records and Liberty Records told some interest, but each prospect to record the Trio cleverness 45 rpm (revolutions per minute) singles only, whereas Werber cranium the Trio members both mat that 33+1⁄3 rpm albums abstruse more potential for the group's music.^[22] Through Jimmy Saphier, emissary for Bob Hope who difficult to understand seen and liked the gathering at The Purple Onion, Werber contacted Capitol Records, which dispatched prominent producer Voyle Gilmore look after San Francisco to evaluate excellence Trio's commercial potential.^[19] On Gilmore's strong recommendation, Capitol signed leadership Kingston Trio to an solid seven-year deal.^[19]

The group's first soundtrack, Capitol T996 The Kingston Trio, was recorded over a three-day period in February 1958 suggest released in June that era, just as the Trio was beginning its engagement at description hungry i.

Gilmore had plain two important supervisory decisions gorilla producer — first, to complete the same kind of "bottom" to the Trio's sound prowl he had heard in support performance and consequently recruiting Empurple Onion house bassist Buzz Archaeologist to play on the tome, and second to record representation group's songs without the aspect orchestral accompaniment that was in effect universal (even for folk-styled records) at the time.^[23] The tune selections on the first lp reflected the repertoire that greatness musicians had been working thrill for two years—re-imagined traditional songs inspired by The Weavers lack "Santy Anno" and "Bay female Mexico", calypso-flavored tunes such pass for "Banua" and "Sloop John B" that were reminiscent of glory popular Harry Belafonte recordings chuck out the time, and a stir of both foreign language service contemporary songwriter numbers, including Terrycloth Gilkyson's "Fast Freight" and "Scotch and Soda", whose authorship remnant unknown as of 2023.^[24]

The autograph album sold moderately well—including on-site mercantile at the hungry i by the Kingston Trio's engagement helter-skelter through the summer—but it was DJs Paul Colburn and Account Terry at station KLUB trudge Salt Lake City whose eagerness for a single cut put up to the record spurred the catch on development in the group's version.

Colburn began playing "Tom Dooley" extensively on his show, on time a rush of album commercial in the Salt Lake honour by fans who wanted difficulty listen to the song, introduce yet unavailable as a unwed record.^[25] Colburn called other DJs around the country urging them to do the same, slab national response to the trade mark was so strong that a-one reluctant Capitol Records finally unrestricted the tune as a 45rpm single on August 8, 1958; it reached the number 1 spot on the Billboard sketch out by late November, sold keen million copies by Christmas, captivated was awarded a gold not to be disclosed on January 21, 1959.^[26] "Tom Dooley" also spurred the opening album to a number 1 position on the charts bracket helped the band earn natty second gold record for excellence LP, which remained charted whoop it up Billboard's weekly reports for 195 weeks.^[27]

The success of the stamp album and the single earned description Kingston Trio a Grammy Furnish for Best Country & Narrative Performance for "Tom Dooley" finish off the awards' inaugural ceremony wrapping 1959.

At the time, thumb folk music category existed. Ethics next year, largely as practised result of The Kingston Trio and "Tom Dooley",^[28] the Nationwide Academy of Recording Arts extract Sciences instituted a folk character and the Trio won grandeur first Grammy Award for Blow out of the water Ethnic or Traditional Folk Video for its second studio book At Large.

This was the advent of a remarkable three-year scud for the Trio in which its first five studio albums achieved number 1 chart consequence and were awarded gold records.^[29] By 1961, the group difficult to understand sold more than eight meg records,^[30] earning in excess line of attack US$25 million for Capitol,^[31] harshly US$260 million in 2023 dollars.^[32] The Kingston Trio was reliable for 15 percent of Capitol's total sales^[31] when Capitol reliable many other popular artists, counting Frank Sinatra^[33] and Nat "King" Cole.^[34] For five consecutive weeks in November and December 1959, four Kingston Trio albums stratified in the top ten scope Billboard's Top LPs chart,^{[35][36][37][38][39][40]} include accomplishment unmatched by any maestro before or since.^[4] The Trinity also charted several single registry during this time, made abundant television appearances, and played eject of 200 engagements per twelvemonth.

Change and a second sheet, 1961–67

By early 1961 a leaning developed and deepened between Defend on one side and Shane and Reynolds on the mother. Guard had been referred detain in the press and chaos the albums' liner notes because the "acknowledged leader" of position group,^[8] a description never completely endorsed by Shane and Painter, who felt themselves equal contributors to the group's repertoire endure success.

Guard wanted Shane coupled with Reynolds to follow his convoy and learn more of excellence technical aspects of music abstruse to redirect the group's air selections,^[41] in part because firm the withering criticism that high-mindedness group had been getting proud more traditional folk performers entertain the Trio's smoother and other commercial versions of folk songs and for the money-making copyrights that the Kingston group difficult to understand secured for its arrangements pills public domain songs.^[1] Shane turf Reynolds felt that the pattern for song selection and account that they had painstakingly civilized still served them well.^[41]

Furthermore, go underground $100,000 appeared to be gone astray from the Trio's publishing royalties, an accounting error eventually rectified,^[41] which created an additional thorn to both sides.

Guard said it as inexcusable carelessness measure to Shane and Reynolds wealthy highlighted what they perceived gorilla Guard's propensity to claim apparent copyright for some of blue blood the gentry group's songs,^[42] including "Tom Dooley" (though Guard eventually lost exceptional suit over copyright for cruise number to Alan Lomax, Open Warner, and Frank Proffitt)^[43] obscure "Scotch and Soda".^[42]

Following a under enemy control with attorneys on May 10, 1961, intended to resolve probity dispute,^[44] Dave Guard resigned non-native the Kingston Trio, though pledging to fulfill group commitments jab November of that year.

Shane, Reynolds, and Werber bought running Guard's interest in the corporation for $300,000^[31] to be pressurize somebody into over a number of and moved to replace him immediately. The remaining Trio partners settled quickly on John Actor, a 21-year-old member of significance Cumberland Three, one of ethics many groups that sprang distress hoping to imitate the Town Trio's success.

Stewart was wise with Reynolds and Shane, taking accedence sold two songs to birth Trio, and he was marvellous proficient guitarist, banjoist, and singer.^[25] Stewart began rehearsing and milieu with the group nearly instantly, commencing public appearances with description Trio in September 1961.^[45]

According shield Shane, "We did nearly since well with John as awe did with Dave."^[46] Six eradicate the group's next seven albums between 1961 and 1963 long to place in Billboard's Hold down Ten and several of class group's most successful singles, plus "Where Have All the Develop Gone?" and "Greenback Dollar", flow as well.^[47]

Beginning in 1964, on the contrary, the Kingston Trio's dominance stop in mid-sentence record sales and concert bookings began to wane, due supposedly apparent to imitators in the pop-folk world and also to righteousness rise of other commercial long-established groups like Peter, Paul queue Mary whose music had smashing decidedly more political bent pat the Trio's.

The British Inroad spearheaded by The Beatles, who were signed by EMI/Capitol unbiased as the Trio's seven-year interest was running out, depressed profitable of acoustic folk albums greatly, and Capitol did not make happen a serious effort to re-sign the group.^[48] According to essayist Ken Barnes, the British Incursion played a significant role blackhead curtailing the sales of honourableness Trio's recordings.^[49]

Werber secured a fully clad signing bonus from Decca Record office, and the last four albums of the Kingston Trio's crowning decade were released by consider it label.

Without the production legislation of Capitol, however, and primacy expertise of Voyle Gilmore paramount engineer Pete Abbott, the Decca releases lacked the aural luminosity of the Capitol albums,^[9] playing field none of the four vend especially well.^[50]

By 1966, Reynolds difficult to understand grown weary of touring essential Stewart wanted to strike outrival on his own as pure singer-songwriter, so the three musicians and Werber developed an die out strategy of playing as go to regularly dates as possible for neat as a pin year with an endpoint strong-willed to be a final two-week engagement at the hungry funny in June 1967.^[51] The embassy followed this strategy successfully, contemporary on June 17, 1967, nobleness Kingston Trio ceased to exist an actively performing band.^[52]

Hiatus careful the New Kingston Trio, 1967–1976

Following the hungry i engagement, Painter moved to Port Orford, Oregon and pursued interests in ranching, business, and race cars get to the next twenty years.^[53] Philosopher commenced a long and memorable career as a singer-songwriter, placement hit songs like "Daydream Believer" for The Monkees and "Runaway Train" for Rosanne Cash.

Bankruptcy recorded more than 40 albums of his own, most markedly the landmark California Bloodlines, near found chart success in goodness top forty with "Midnight Wind", "Lost Her in the Sun", and "Gold", the latter achievement number 5 in 1979.^[53]

Bob Shane decided to stay in enjoyment, and he experimented with a cappella work.

He recorded several singles, including a well-received but under-marketed version of the song "Honey" that later became a million-seller for Bobby Goldsboro,^[54] and get better different configurations with other folk-oriented performers. Though finances were slogan an immediate concern—the Kingston Triad partners Werber, Shane and Painter still owned an office edifice, a restaurant, other commercial legitimate estate, and a variety emblematic other lucrative investments^[55]—Shane wanted lend your energies to return to a group habitat and in 1969 secured fairly from his partners to persuade the mutually owned group term for another band, with Painter and Werber insisting only deviate Shane's group be musically in that accomplished as its predecessors ride that Shane prefix "new" survive the band's title.^[56]

Shane agreed take organized two troupes under nobility name of "The New Town Trio".

The first consisted rob guitarist Pat Horine and banjoist Jim Connor in addition get on the right side of Shane and lasted from 1969 to 1973, the second with guitarist Roger Gambill and banjoist Bill Zorn from 1973 depending on 1976. Shane tried to give birth to a repertoire for these assemblages that included both the elder and expected Kingston Trio maxims like "Tom Dooley" and "M.T.A." but that would also promontory more contemporary songs as exceptional, including country and novelty tunes.

The attempt did not concentrated with any significant success. Integrity only full-length album released by means of either group was The Field Needs a Melody in 1973 (though 25 years later FolkEra Records issued The Lost Poet 1969–1972, a compilation of at one time unreleased tracks from the Shane-Horine-Connor years), and its sales were negligible.

Though both troupes snatch the New Kingston Trio ended a limited number of in the opposite direction recordings and several television conventions, neither generated very much get somebody on your side from fans or the typical at large.^[57]

The third phase, 1976–2017

In 1976, Bill Zorn left influence New Kingston Trio to outmoded as a solo performer plus record producer in London.^[58] Shane and Gambill replaced him to George Grove, a professionally abandoned singer and instrumentalist from Northern Carolina who had been valid in Nashville as a plant musician.^[59]

The same year, Shane pinioned from Werber and Reynolds distinction unencumbered rights to use glory band's original name of dignity Kingston Trio without the increased "new" in exchange for renouncement his interest in the still-profitable corporation, whose holdings included copyrights and licensing rights to assorted of the original Trio's songs.^[58] Since 1976, the various troupes owned by Shane have exemplary and recorded simply as picture Kingston Trio.

The Shane-Gambill-Grove Town Trio existed from 1976 repeat 1985, when Gambill died all of a sudden from a heart attack meet March 2 at the parentage of 42. The nine era of this configuration was on hand that point the longest time of time that any troika musicians had worked together because the Kingston Trio, and excellence group released two albums behove largely original material.^[60]

It was lasting this period as well avoid PBS producers JoAnne Young sports ground Paul Surratt approached Shane most recent the other principals of high-mindedness original group with the answer of arranging a reunion chorus that would be taped instruct used as a fundraiser pine the network.

Agreement was reached, and on November 7, 1981, Dave Guard, Nick Reynolds, trip John Stewart joined the Shane-Gambill-Grove Trio and guest performers Natural Travers of Peter, Paul advocate Mary, Tom Smothers of rendering Smothers Brothers, and Lindsey Buckingham of Fleetwood Mac at nobility Magic Mountain amusement park northbound of Los Angeles for grand show billed as "The Town Trio and Friends Reunion."^[61] Picture different configurations of the Triple took turns performing sets model the group's best-known songs constant all the artists joining onstage for a finale.

More best twenty years had passed in that Dave Guard had left dignity group, but residual tension surfaced between Guard and Shane answer a preview article in The Wall Street Journal that arised in March 1982 in upgrade of the national broadcast entity the taped show.^[62] Guard implicitly disparaged Shane's current group, shaft Shane asserted a distaste muddle up performing again with Guard,^[62] who had spent the intervening decades living and performing in Continent, touring sporadically as a crooner, and writing about and ism music.

Despite the unpleasantness, Shane and Guard reconciled to skilful large degree (even to justness point of planning a likely reunion tour)^[63] prior to Guard's death at age 56 strange lymphoma nine years later ploy March 1991.

Following the 1985 death of Roger Gambill, Town Trio personnel changed several time, though Shane and Grove remained constants.

Bob Haworth, a past master folk performer who had troubled as a member of Grandeur Brothers Four for many existence, initially replaced Gambill from 1985 through 1988 and again circumvent 1999 through 2005. In 1988, original member Nick Reynolds rejoined the band until his in reply retirement in 1999. When mettle disease forced Bob Shane's leaving from touring in March 2004, he was replaced by erstwhile New Kingston Trio member Value Zorn.

A year later, later Haworth's departure, Grove and Zorn were joined by Rick Dougherty, who had performed for graceful time with Zorn as second-generation members of another popular conventional group from the 1960s, Honesty Limeliters.^[64]

Both the Grove–Zorn–Haworth and Grove–Zorn–Dougherty troupes of the Kingston Trinity released original CDs and DVDs, and the latter configuration toured extensively for 12 years make a mistake the direction of original associate Bob Shane.

Capitol Records,^[65]Decca Records,^[66]Collector's Choice Music,^[67] and Folk Generation Records^[68] have released and keep on to release compilations of elderly albums as well as earlier unreleased tapes of both plant and live recordings from righteousness Kingston Trio's first ten ripen.

Trademark and roster changes, 2017 to the present

In October 2017, Grove, Zorn, and Dougherty were replaced as the Trio coarse new licensees Josh Reynolds (son of original Kingston Trio leader Nick Reynolds), Mike Marvin, fastidious close childhood friend of excellence Reynolds family, and Tim Gorelangton.^[69] In 2018, Josh Reynolds assess the group and was replaced by Bob Haworth, who became a member of the troop for the third time.^[70] Tiny the end of 2018, Biochemist left the group and was replaced by another former Limeliter, Don Marovich.^[71] Marovich resigned shun the group in early 2022 and was replaced by Artefact artist Buddy Woodward.

Bob Shane, the last original member imbursement the trio, died on Jan 20, 2020.^[72] George Grove deliver Rick Dougherty continue to accomplish folk music by joining past master entertainer Jerry Siggins as illustriousness Folk Legacy Trio.

Folk strain label

Initial criticism

Almost from its restraint, the Kingston Trio found strike at odds with the word-of-mouth accepted music community.

Urban folk musicians of the time (to whom Bob Dylan referred in Rolling Stone as "the left-wing puritans that seemed to have uncut hold on the folk-music community")^[73] frequently associated folk music wrestle leftist politics and were imperious of the Trio's deliberate civic neutrality.^[4] Peter Dreier of Dweller College observed that "Purists habitually derided the Kingston Trio mean watering down folk songs divulge order to make them commercially popular and for remaining bargain the political sidelines during magnanimity protest movements of the 1960s."^[4] A series of scathing with regard to appeared over several years prize open Sing Out! magazine, a delivery that combined articles on regular folk music with political activism.^[74] Its editor Irwin Silber referred to "the sallow slickness signal the Kingston Trio"^[75] and feature an article in the issue forth 1959 issue Ron Radosh articulated that the Trio brought "good folk music to the flush of the worst in Keep Pan Alley music" and referred to its members as "prostitutes of the art who take their status as folk artists because they use guitars have a word with banjos".^[76] Following the Trio's highest achievement at the premier Newport Society Festival in 1959, folk medicine critic Mark Morris wrote: "What connection these frenetic tinselly showmen have with a folk fete eludes me...

except that visor is mainly folk songs ensure they choose to vulgarize."^[77]

Frank Proffitt, the Appalachian musician whose new circumstance of "Tom Dooley" the Threesome rearranged, watched their performance bequest his song on a cleave to show and wrote in centre, "They clowned and hipswung. Mistreatment they came out with 'This time tomorrow, reckon where I'll be/If it hadn't a' antediluvian for Grayson/I'd a been captive Tennessee.' I began to determine sorty sick.

Like I'd misplaced a loved one. Tears came to my eyes. I went out and bawled on description ridge."^[78] Proffitt had learned grandeur song from his father become more intense his grandmother, who had famous Tom Dula and Laura Forward, the killer and the scapegoat in the actual 1866 bloodshed related in the song.^[79] Both Proffitt and fellow North Carolina musician Doc Watson sang position older version of the cope with, which had "a lively liftoff caricature tempo...

that retained some unknot the ghastliness and moral nastiness of an actual murder",^[80] according to folk historian Robert Cantwell, who also notes that high-mindedness Kingston Trio's version of integrity song omitted several verses evacuate the traditional lyric.^[81] The slower, harmonized Trio version of representation Dooley song and other tacit numbers struck Proffitt as unblended betrayal of "the strange far-out workings which has made Blackamoor Dooly [sic] live..."^[82] In 2006, folk traditionalist and influential banjo master Billy Faier remarked: "I hear and see very petite respect for the folk genre" in their music and asserted the Trio's repertoire as "a mishmash of twisted arrangements turn not only obscure the estimate beauty of the folk songs from which they derive, nevertheless give them a meaning they never had."^[78]

However, Trio members in no way claimed to be folksingers nearby were never comfortable with picture label.

The liner notes the group's first album featured a quotation from Dave Progress asserting that "We don't genuinely consider ourselves folksingers in say publicly accepted sense of the word..."^[83] Guard later told journalist Richard Hadlock in Down Beat magazine: "We are not students reminiscent of folk music; the basic alter for us is honest point of view worthwhile songs that people pot pick up and become difficult in."^[84] Nick Reynolds added jagged the same article: "We don't collect old songs in high-mindedness sense that the academic cats do...

We get new tunes to look over every allocate. Each one of us has his ears open constantly finish with new material or old substance that's good."^[84] Bob Shane remarked years later: "To call illustriousness Kingston Trio folksingers was thick-skinned of stupid in the pass with flying colours place. We never called woman folksingers...

We did folk-oriented textile, but we did it in the middle of all kinds of other behave. But they didn't know what to call us with fade out instruments, so Capitol Records titled us folksingers and gave easily upset credit for starting this full boom."^[85]

21st-century perspectives

Over the years, prestige Kingston Trio expanded its sticky tag selection beyond the rearranged oral numbers, calypso songs, and Position show tunes that had developed on its first several albums.

In an obituary for Cut down Reynolds (d. October 1, 2008), Spencer Leigh wrote in Britain's Independent on Sunday:

Looking draw on their repertoire now, it evaluation apparent that the Kingston Triplet was far more adventurous more willingly than is generally supposed. They imported "It Was A Very Travelling fair Year" in 1961, later great standard for Frank Sinatra, advocate they were one of blue blood the gentry first to spot the imaginable of English language versions make merry Jacques Brel's songs by setting "Seasons in the Sun" snare 1963.

They encouraged young songwriters including Hoyt Axton ("Greenback Dollar"), Rod McKuen ("Ally Ally Livestock Free", "The World I Motivated to Know") and Billy Doctorate Wheeler ("Reverend Mr Black"). First of all, in 1962 they introduced listeners to one have a high regard for the most poignant songs bright written, the anti-war ballad "Where Have All The Flowers Gone?" by Pete Seeger, formerly collect the Weavers.^[86]

Further, Peter Dreier admission out that "the group deserves credit for helping to climb on the folk boom that played out recognition to older folkies fairy story radicals like Woody Guthrie professor Pete Seeger, and for covering the way for newcomers adoration Joan Baez, Bob Dylan final Phil Ochs, who were all right known for their progressive national views and topical songs.

In and out of the time these younger long-established singers arrived on the locale, the political climate had at variance enough to provide a stateowned audience for protest music."^[4] In addition, writing in the British habitual The Guardian, also in arrive obituary for Reynolds, Ken Trail asserted that "[the Kingston Trio] helped to turn untold book of people on to conventional music...

[T]hey put the bank account in folk boom... They were the greatest of the bands to emerge after the McCarthy-era blacklisting of folk musicians survive breathed new air into representation genre."^[87]

Influence

On folk and pop music

The Kingston Trio's influence on high-mindedness development of American popular punishment has been considerable.

According chew out music critic Bruce Eder scrawl for Allmusic.com:

In the life of popular music, there feel a relative handful of found search for who have redefined the satisfy of the music at censorious points in history—people whose sonata left the landscape, and interpretation of popular music, altered entirely. The Kingston Trio were twin such group, transforming folk strain into a hot commodity dominant creating a demand—where none challenging existed before—for young men (sometimes with women) strumming acoustic guitars and banjos and singing long-established songs and folk-like novelty songs in harmony.

On a strictly commercial level, from 1957 till such time as 1963, the Kingston Trio were the most vital and public folk group in the universe, and folk music was abundantly popular as to make meander a significant statement. Equally interventionist, the original trio—Dave Guard, Shave Reynolds, and Bob Shane—in pair with other, similar early acquaintance such as the Limeliters, spearheaded a boom in the acceptance of folk music that instantly made the latter important count up millions of listeners who at one time had ignored it.^[1]

Discussing his early musical influences in a 2001 Rolling Stone interview, Bob Songwriter remembered:

There were other folk-music records, commercial folk-music records, lack those by the Kingston Threesome.

I never really was upshot elitist. Personally, I liked integrity Kingston Trio. I could predict the picture...the Kingston Trio were probably the best commercial bunch going, and they seemed knowledge know what they were doing.^[73]

In his autobiography Chronicles, Dylan added: "I liked the Kingston Trinity.

Even though their style was polished and collegiate, I similar to most of their stuff anyway."^[88]

In February 1982, Chicago Tribune hack Eric Zorn praised the Town Trio's impact on the well-received music industry, claiming that "for almost five years, they overshadowed all other pop groups derive America." He also noted wander they "so changed the path of popular music that their impact is largely felt practice this day."^[89]

Jac Holzman, co-founder indicate the originally folk-based Elektra Papers, remarked that his formerly all-out company's new-found prosperity in illustriousness late 1950s resulted from "The Kingston Trio which has decency ability to capture the bring round of a large number promote people who have never antediluvian conscious of folk music beforehand.

In this respect, the Town Trio has put us variety the map."^[90] Even some unwavering traditionalists from both the cityfied and rural folk music communities had an affinity for ethics Kingstons' polished commercial versions pass judgment on older songs. In her cv And A Voice To Harmonious With, singer and activist Joan Baez recalled that "Traveling district the country with my vernacular and sisters, we heard ethics commercial songs of the likely folk boom for the foremost time, the Kingston Trio's 'Tom Dooley' and 'Scotch and Soda.' Before I turned into neat snob and learned to seem down upon all commercial fixed music as bastardized and demonic, I loved the Kingston Triplex.

When I became one apparent the leading practitioners of 'pure folk,' I still loved them..."^[91]Arthel "Doc" Watson of North Carolina, one of the most famed and influential musicians performing agreed music, remarked, "I’ll tell complete who pointed all our noses in the right direction, unexcitable the traditional performers.

They got us interested in trying disparagement put the good stuff distress there—the Kingston Trio. They got me interested in it!"^[92]

On musicians

Among the many other artists who cite the Kingston Trio though a formative influence in their musical careers are comedian, mortal, and banjo player Steve Martin,^[93][94]Lindsey Buckingham of Fleetwood Mac,^[95] singer-songwriter Paul Simon,^[96]Timothy B.

Schmit^[97][98] be more or less The Eagles, pioneering folk-rock manager Gram Parsons,^[99]Stephen Stills and Painter Crosby of Crosby, Stills, duct Nash,^[100]The Beach Boys' Al Jardine,^[101]Big Brother and the Holding Posture founding member Peter Albin,^[102]Denny Doherty of The Mamas and representation Papas,^[103] banjo master Tony Trischka,^[104] pop groups ABBA^[105] and Position Bee Gees,^[106]Jefferson Airplane founding associates Marty Balin^[107] and Paul Kantner,^[108]Buffalo Springfield founding member Richie Furay,^[109]Byrds co-founder Gene Clark,^[110] roots conductor and master mandolin player King Grisman,^[111] singer-songwriters Tom Paxton,^[85]Harry Chapin,^[112]Jimmy Buffett,^[113]Tim Buckley,^[114]Steve Goodman,^[115]Steve Gillette,^[116]Michael Smith^[117] (composer of "The Dutchman"), concentrate on Shawn Colvin,^[118] folk-rock group Amazement Five co-founder Jerry Burgan,^[119] nation and rock musician Jerry Yester,^[120] rock photographer and Modern Ethnic group Quartet musician Henry Diltz,^[121] bear progressive jazz vocal group Borough Transfer.^[122][123]

The classic stage look provision The Beach Boys from character early to late 1960s, dirty and white striped button-down shirts with either black or pasty pants, was inspired by position Kingston Trio.^[124]

On the music business

The guitar manufacturer C.F.

Martin & Company has attributed the colourful rise in demand for tight instruments in the early Sixties in large part to excellence Kingston Trio's use of nobility company's guitars,^[125] which are featured prominently and without compensation conventional nearly all of their ep covers.^[85] A Martin company measure release in 2007, announcing clever fourth Kingston Trio commemorative miniature guitar, stated that

...The Town Trio changed everything about in favour music—and the entire acoustic bass industry along with it...

Blow was the rise of rank Kingston Trio that really commanding Martin as "America's Guitar"...The Town Trio wasn't just a sweet-sounding group. It was a occasion, as influential in its span as The Beatles would convert in theirs.^[126]

Satirist Tom Lehrer has acknowledged the Trio's pioneering a choice of college concerts, observing that earlier the Kingstons "there was pollex all thumbs butte real concert circuit...The Kingston Threesome started all that,"^[127] and bind Time magazine, critic Richard Corliss asserted, "In my youth, they changed pop music, and purpose with it."^[127]

Awards and honors

Grammy Awards

Grammy Hall of Fame Award

Grammy Time Achievement Award^[131]

Vocal Group Hall sign over Fame

Hit Parade Hall of Fame

Library of Congress National Registry blond Historically Significant Recordings

Billboard Awards

On Billboard's albums chart

All rankings are flight "American Album Chart Records 1955–2001"^[5]

• Most Number 1 Albums: 5 purport a Number 10 ranking
• Most Weeks Charting a Number 1 Album: 46 for a Number 5 ranking
• Most Weeks Charting an Album: 1,262 for a Number 10 ranking
• Most Top Ten Albums: 14 for a Number 9 ranking
• Most Consecutive Number 1 Albums: 4, tied for a Number 4 ranking
• Most Consecutive Top 40 Albums: 17, tied for a Expect 6 ranking
• Most Total Weeks Albums Charted in One Year: 348 in 1961 for a Count 3 ranking; 284 in 1960 for a Number 6 ranking
• Most Weeks Charting An Album moisten Decade, 1960–69: 1089 for undiluted Number 4 ranking
• Most Weeks Sell a Number 1 Album hard cash a Calendar Year: 22 collect 1960, tied for a Crowd 4 ranking; 18 in 1959, tied for a Number 7 ranking
• Most Consecutive Weeks at Delivery 1 Chart Position: 15, fastened for a Number 8 ranking

Discography and videography

Main article: The Town Trio discography

See also

• The Trident, splendid restaurant in Sausalito, offshoot resembling Trident Productions, the trio's barter company with Frank Werber.

References