Kingston Trio: Difference between revisions
imported>Hayford Peirce (added some obit info, hopefully -- it's impossible preview footnotes, unfortunately) |
imported>Hayford Peirce (adding info, added a footnote) |
||
| Line 3: | Line 3: | ||
'''The Kingston Trio''' is an American [[folk music|folk]] and [[pop music]] group that was exceptionally popular in the late 1950s and early 1960s and played a major part in launching the folk-music revival of that era. Their music and repertoire were much like that of a well-known and influential earlier group called the [[The Weavers|Weavers]], although they did not share the Weavers' commitment to social activism. Fifty-one years after their initial formation in the Palo Alto area of Northern California, the most recent incarnation of the Trio<ref>Liner notes on all the early albums issued by the Trio referred to them as "the Kingston Trio", with the first word uncapitalized except at the start of a sentence. At some point, however, the Trio obtained a trademark for "The Kingston Trio" and that is the way they now refer to themselves. The October 3, 2008, obituary in the ''New York Times'' for Nick Reynolds, however, still refers to them as "the Kingston Trio".</ref> is still touring on a regular basis, although two of the original members, Dave Guard and Nick Reynolds, have died, and the third, Bob Shane, no longer plays with them on a regular basis.<ref>Guard died on March 22, 1991, Reynolds died on October 1, 2008. The ''New York Times'' obituary for Guard can be found at [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D0CEEDE143DF937A15750C0A967958260&scp=2&sq=%22Dave+Guard%22+%22Kingston+Trio%22+&st=nyt]; for Reynolds at [http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/03/arts/music/03reynolds.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=Nick%20Reynolds&st=cse&oref=slogin]</ref> | '''The Kingston Trio''' is an American [[folk music|folk]] and [[pop music]] group that was exceptionally popular in the late 1950s and early 1960s and played a major part in launching the folk-music revival of that era. Their music and repertoire were much like that of a well-known and influential earlier group called the [[The Weavers|Weavers]], although they did not share the Weavers' commitment to social activism. Fifty-one years after their initial formation in the Palo Alto area of Northern California, the most recent incarnation of the Trio<ref>Liner notes on all the early albums issued by the Trio referred to them as "the Kingston Trio", with the first word uncapitalized except at the start of a sentence. At some point, however, the Trio obtained a trademark for "The Kingston Trio" and that is the way they now refer to themselves. The October 3, 2008, obituary in the ''New York Times'' for Nick Reynolds, however, still refers to them as "the Kingston Trio".</ref> is still touring on a regular basis, although two of the original members, Dave Guard and Nick Reynolds, have died, and the third, Bob Shane, no longer plays with them on a regular basis.<ref>Guard died on March 22, 1991, Reynolds died on October 1, 2008. The ''New York Times'' obituary for Guard can be found at [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D0CEEDE143DF937A15750C0A967958260&scp=2&sq=%22Dave+Guard%22+%22Kingston+Trio%22+&st=nyt]; for Reynolds at [http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/03/arts/music/03reynolds.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=Nick%20Reynolds&st=cse&oref=slogin]</ref> | ||
Earlier singers such as the Weavers and [[Burl Ives]] had enjoyed occasional commercial success in the 1940s and 1950s with folk-based music such as ''Goodnight, Irene'' and ''Kisses Sweeter than Wine'', but none of them rose to the sustained heights that the Kingston Trio held for a few years. Not long after becoming famous with their surprise hit single, the ballad of [[Tom Dooley|''Tom Dooley'']], the Trio had, at one point in December, 1959,<ref>''The Kingston Trio on Record'', by Benjamin Blake, Jack Rubeck, and Allan Shaw, Kingston Korner, Inc., Naperville, Illinois, page 37</ref> four albums among the Top 10 albums at the same time, a unique achievement not matched until nearly 40 years later by [[Garth Brooks]]. Many other suddenly popular folksinging artists such as [[Joan Baez]] and [[New Christy Minstrels|the New Christy Minstrals]] appeared on the scene, but the Trio's overall success was unrivaled except by that of a slightly later group, [[Peter, Paul and Mary]]; their great popularity, however, came to a relatively quick end with the advent of the so-called [[British Invasion]] by the [[The Beatles|Beatles]] in 1964 and the subsequent disappearance of mainstream interest in folk music. | Earlier singers such as the Weavers and [[Burl Ives]] had enjoyed occasional commercial success in the 1940s and 1950s with folk-based music such as ''Goodnight, Irene'' and ''Kisses Sweeter than Wine'', but none of them rose to the sustained heights that the Kingston Trio held for a few years. All three of the original members came from solidly middle-class families and had college educations—Guard, in fact, had a degree in economics from [[Stanford University|Stanford]]—and although their infectious delight in belting out their music was obvious to their audiences, they also aspired to commercial success. "Although regarded as overly commercial by purists," <ref>''The New York Times,'' October 3, 2008, obituary for Nick Reynolds, "Nick Reynolds, Kingston Trio Harmonizer, Dies at 75"</ref> they made a conscious decision at the beginning of their act not to succumb to the same fate that had only a few years earlier befallen their illustrious forerunners, the Weavers. | ||
Not long after becoming famous with their surprise hit single, the ballad of [[Tom Dooley|''Tom Dooley'']], the Trio had, at one point in December, 1959,<ref>''The Kingston Trio on Record'', by Benjamin Blake, Jack Rubeck, and Allan Shaw, Kingston Korner, Inc., Naperville, Illinois, page 37</ref> four albums among the Top 10 albums at the same time, a unique achievement not matched until nearly 40 years later by [[Garth Brooks]]. Many other suddenly popular folksinging artists such as [[Joan Baez]] and [[New Christy Minstrels|the New Christy Minstrals]] appeared on the scene, but the Trio's overall success was unrivaled except by that of a slightly later group, [[Peter, Paul and Mary]]; their great popularity, however, came to a relatively quick end with the advent of the so-called [[British Invasion]] by the [[The Beatles|Beatles]] in 1964 and the subsequent disappearance of mainstream interest in folk music. | |||
Considering their enormous popularity, it may seem surprising that they had so relatively few [[Top 40]] hits. It was sometimes jocularly said that because much of their sales came from college students, their audience could calculate that they would receive more music for their money by waiting for a popular single to eventually appear on a long-playing album at $3.98 with 10 or 12 songs on it rather paying $0.98 for a two-song [[45 RPM]] recording. | Considering their enormous popularity, it may seem surprising that they had so relatively few [[Top 40]] hits. It was sometimes jocularly said that because much of their sales came from college students, their audience could calculate that they would receive more music for their money by waiting for a popular single to eventually appear on a long-playing album at $3.98 with 10 or 12 songs on it rather paying $0.98 for a two-song [[45 RPM]] recording. | ||
Revision as of 22:51, 4 October 2008
The Kingston Trio is an American folk and pop music group that was exceptionally popular in the late 1950s and early 1960s and played a major part in launching the folk-music revival of that era. Their music and repertoire were much like that of a well-known and influential earlier group called the Weavers, although they did not share the Weavers' commitment to social activism. Fifty-one years after their initial formation in the Palo Alto area of Northern California, the most recent incarnation of the Trio[1] is still touring on a regular basis, although two of the original members, Dave Guard and Nick Reynolds, have died, and the third, Bob Shane, no longer plays with them on a regular basis.[2]
Earlier singers such as the Weavers and Burl Ives had enjoyed occasional commercial success in the 1940s and 1950s with folk-based music such as Goodnight, Irene and Kisses Sweeter than Wine, but none of them rose to the sustained heights that the Kingston Trio held for a few years. All three of the original members came from solidly middle-class families and had college educations—Guard, in fact, had a degree in economics from Stanford—and although their infectious delight in belting out their music was obvious to their audiences, they also aspired to commercial success. "Although regarded as overly commercial by purists," [3] they made a conscious decision at the beginning of their act not to succumb to the same fate that had only a few years earlier befallen their illustrious forerunners, the Weavers.
Not long after becoming famous with their surprise hit single, the ballad of Tom Dooley, the Trio had, at one point in December, 1959,[4] four albums among the Top 10 albums at the same time, a unique achievement not matched until nearly 40 years later by Garth Brooks. Many other suddenly popular folksinging artists such as Joan Baez and the New Christy Minstrals appeared on the scene, but the Trio's overall success was unrivaled except by that of a slightly later group, Peter, Paul and Mary; their great popularity, however, came to a relatively quick end with the advent of the so-called British Invasion by the Beatles in 1964 and the subsequent disappearance of mainstream interest in folk music.
Considering their enormous popularity, it may seem surprising that they had so relatively few Top 40 hits. It was sometimes jocularly said that because much of their sales came from college students, their audience could calculate that they would receive more music for their money by waiting for a popular single to eventually appear on a long-playing album at $3.98 with 10 or 12 songs on it rather paying $0.98 for a two-song 45 RPM recording.
References
- ↑ Liner notes on all the early albums issued by the Trio referred to them as "the Kingston Trio", with the first word uncapitalized except at the start of a sentence. At some point, however, the Trio obtained a trademark for "The Kingston Trio" and that is the way they now refer to themselves. The October 3, 2008, obituary in the New York Times for Nick Reynolds, however, still refers to them as "the Kingston Trio".
- ↑ Guard died on March 22, 1991, Reynolds died on October 1, 2008. The New York Times obituary for Guard can be found at [1]; for Reynolds at [2]
- ↑ The New York Times, October 3, 2008, obituary for Nick Reynolds, "Nick Reynolds, Kingston Trio Harmonizer, Dies at 75"
- ↑ The Kingston Trio on Record, by Benjamin Blake, Jack Rubeck, and Allan Shaw, Kingston Korner, Inc., Naperville, Illinois, page 37
Top 40 hits in chronological order
- Tom Dooley, #1 in 1958
- The Tijuana Jail, #12 in 1959
- M.T.A., #15 in 1959
- A Worried Man, #20 in 1959
- El Matador, #32 in 1960
- Bad Man's Blunder, #37 in 1960
- Where Have All the Flowers Gone?, #21 in 1962, written by Pete Seeger
- Greenback Dollar, #21 in 1963
- Reverend Mr. Black, #8 in 1963
- Desert Pete, #33 in 1963