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The Kingston Trio -- Their unique start and influence
Two of the group's original memebers had been living in Hawaii before attending college in the states. They got together in college around a common love of Island and Calipso music, and named themselves "The Kingston Trio" after Kingston Jamaca, as they were planning be strictly an island/calipso singing group, But, for some reason, they decided to try the American folk song "Tom Dooley," about the 1868 hanging of the named confederate veteran for brutally stabbing his fiance, Laura foster. To Everyone's surprise, "Tom Dooley" rose rapidly to #1, so when their agent handed them a box of money and told them they were folk singers they readily agreed. The rest is folk music history. In fact, "Tom Doole" became #1 in 1958 and folk music historians agree that it was the popularity of this one song which started the folk revival two years later. (See my other lense: American Folk Music, Past, Present and Future) Listen to this, their first #1 hit for yourself below and for more see the Wikpedia module and also the link list titled "The Kingston trio Vocal Group Hall of Fame inductees" further down (click links to read the articles.)
The Kingston Trio did more than perhaps any other group to bring the rich tradition of folk music into the mainstream of American popular music for the first time. Find out how.
Check out their hits and albums below and read about what happened next.
Contents at a Glance
- The background of the Kingston Trio's #1 hit song
- The single best Kingston Trio album
- The most popular Kingston Trio songs according to Wikipedia
The background of the Kingston Trio's #1 hit song
(click to read article)
"Tom Dooley" is an old North Carolina folk song based on the 1866 murder of a woman named Laura Foster in Wilkes County, North Carolina. It is best known today because of a hit version recorded in 195...
The single best Kingston Trio album
Brand NEW LIVE album. The Kingston Trio at their Best. Save 10% now!
Flashback! 1963
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The Kingston Trio was at the top of the charts then, and this is one of the VERY BEST live performances available of the Trio in its prime. The restoration of the recording is phenomenal, and the audio quality is first rate. The selection of songs has many of the "standard" Trio repertoire, but the selection also includes songs that, heretofor, were available only on studio recordings. "Flashback" will be enjoyed by anyone with a passing fondness for the 1960s Folk Music Revival as well as by avid Kingston Trio fans.
Release Date: 10/06/2009
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The most popular Kingston Trio songs according to Wikipedia
All their songs are great but these are the 10 main chart toppers
2)"The Tijuana Jail"-----------------------------#12 in 1959
3)"M.T.A."----------------------------------------#15 in 1959
4)"A Worried Man"-------------------------------#20 in 1959
5)"El Matador"-----------------------------------#32 in 1960
6)"Bad Man Blunder"--------------------------- #37 in 1960
7)"Where Have All the Flowers Gone?"-------#21 in 1962
8)"Greenback Dollar"----------------------------#21 in 1963
9)"The Reverend Mr. Black"--------------------#8 in 1963
10)"Desert Pete"---------------------------------#33 in 1963
So, here's the Kingston Trio with their first big hit, Tom Dooley
Take a listen and I'm sure you'll see why it went to #1!
The Kingston Trio on Billboard Magazine's album charts
All rankings are from "American Album Chart Records 1955 - 2001"
- Most #1 Albums: 5 for a #10 ranking
- Most Weeks Charting A #1 Album: 46 for a #5 ranking
- Most Weeks Charting An Album: 1262 for a #10 ranking
- Most Top Ten Albums: 14 for a #9 ranking
- Most Consecutive #1 Albums: 4, tied for a #4 ranking
- Most Consecutive Top 40 Albums: 17, tied for a #6 ranking
- Most Total Weeks Albums Charted In One Year: 348 in 1961 for a #3 ranking; 284 in 1960 for a #6 ranking
- Most Weeks Charting An Album By Decade, 1960-69: 1089 for a #4 ranking
- Most Weeks With A #1 Album In A Calendar Year: 22 in 1960, tied for a #4 ranking; 18 in 1959, tied for a #7 ranking
- Most Consecutive Weeks At #1 Chart Position: 15, tied for a #8 ranking
Want all the Kingston Trio hits in one studio album? This is it!
The Essential Kingston Trio
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With their rousing harmonies, engaging personalities, and ear for catchy material, the trio earned their popularity through favorites such as "Everglades," "Where Have All the Flowers Gone?," and "Greenback Dollar" that still sound fresh today.
Release Date: 08/29/2006
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But, here are some Kingston Trio albums you really shouldn't miss
What happened nest to the Kingston Trio?
The aftermath of the Kinston Trio's success of Tom Dooley according to YouTube
The Kingston Trio Story:
"Wherever We May Go"--Great PBS Documentary featuring all their great songs
The Kingston Trio Story - Wherever We May Go
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This great DVD celebrates the group's musical hits and sheds light on their fascinating and largely unknown 50-year history through rare performance footage and revealing interviews with band members and friends.
Release Date: 08/29/2006
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The Kingston Trio on Wikipedia
The Kingston Trio is an American folk and pop music group that helped launch the folk revival of the late 1950s to late 1960s. The group originated as a San Francisco Bay Area nightclub act with an original lineup of Dave Guard, Bob Shane, and Nick Reynolds. It rose to international popularity, fueled by unprecedented sales of 33 1/3 rpm long-playing record albums, and helped to alter the direction of popular music in the U.S.
The Kingston Trio was one of the most prominent folk music groups of the era's relatively short-lived pop-folk boom that their success helped to create. Beginning with their first album released in 1958?which included the hit recording of "Tom Dooley" that sold over t...
The Kingston: Vocal Group Hall of Fame inductees
- The Kingston Trio inductiees
- This link explains more and goes into more detail on their start and their entire history.
More Kingston Trio albums you shouldn't miss
Recent posts about The Kingston Trio
- David Bowling's Top Ten Albums Of 1959 - Blogcritics Music
- I totally disagree with the statement ,"The Kingston Trio is one of the forgotten groups of their era." I know plenty of 20-something acoustic music fans and musicians who LOVE their music. My parents owned the Belafonte Live Album and ...
- Chit-Chat with musician Steve Justman: Wilmette musician brings ...
- Performing songs by Peter, Paul and Mary, the Kingston Trio and the Chad Mitchell Trio, as well as some of his original songs, Justman takes his audience on a train ride to the past, with him taking the reins as conductor. ...
- terry & liz's house: The Kingston Trio - Make Way
- I converted it over the last couple afternoons; partly cuz I'm nuts about The Kingston Trio; partly cuz I wanted to make sure I hadn't forgotten how to do this. . Track Listing : 01. En El Agua (2:21) ...
- STUMPTOWNBLOGGER: KINGSTON TRIO WISHES YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS
- TrackBack. TrackBack URL for this entry: http://www.typepad.com/services/trackback/6a010536b86d36970c0128767fdbe8970c. Listed below are links to weblogs that reference KINGSTON TRIO WISHES YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS: ...
Then there's that fabulous Kingston Trio Christmas Album
especially not to be missed!
The Last Month of the Year
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The Last Month of the Year is considered the Kingston Trio's most musically ambitious and also one of the their least known. It was recorded in 1960. Nick Reynolds stated in an interview: "It wasn't your standard Christmas album. That's why we called it The Last Month of the Year. It was a pretty complicated little album, some very intricate stuff...(For more click on the link of the sme name in the link list above.
Release Date: 10/10/2000
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And The Kingston Trio and friends Reunion
Another great PBS DVD
Mary Travers of Peter, Paul and Mary makes a special appearance and joins the trio for two numbers. Lindsey Buckingham of Fleetwood Mac, who had just produced Stewart's hit album "Bombs Away Dream Babies," plays bass on several numbers and joins Stewart for a duet of "Spinning of the World." Stewart also does a solo performance of one of his best songs, "You Can't Go Back to Kansas."
The Kingston Trio and Friends Reunion
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Tommy Smothers acts as MC, quite humorously, attempts to join the Trio on "Chilly Winds,"also quite humoursly, and does a short solo turn, less humourously.
At the end, all six Trio members team up for several numbers, and the entire cast joins in on the big finale of "MTA."
Release Date: 05/13/2003
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So you play and want to sound like the Kingston Trio?
Kingston Trio sheet music and guitar chord books on Amazon
The Kingston Trio Vocal Album No. 1
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The Kingston Trio Vocal Album No. 8 College Concert Recorded in Live Performance
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Where Have All the Flowers Gone? Cover Photo: The Kingston Trio
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KINGSTON TRIO SONGBOOK Big Notes-Easy Guitar
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The Kingston Trio on eBay
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Reader Feedback
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- BarbRad BarbRad Apr 10, 2009 @ 1:47 am
- A friend introduced me to the Kingston Trio when I was in college and I became a fan immediately. I still have all the old albums I bought way back in the 60s, though I have updated to at least one CD. I never knew how they got their name until I read your lens.
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- Evelyn_Saenz Evelyn_Saenz Mar 27, 2009 @ 11:20 pm
- I discovered The Kingston Trio when I was researching for my Pete Seeger Lens. I fell in love with their music instantly as I do with all folk music.
You have done a wonderful job highlighting their careers.
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- jipock jipock Mar 3, 2009 @ 4:08 pm
- Great Lens!!! 5*****
by faithfuljim
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