The Kingston Trio
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Back in the early 1960’s (actually 1963) – my parents surprised me on Christmas with my very first record player!
It was a Zenith suitcase model – a tidy little package that folded up and transported very easily. At that time I was astonished at the sound emitting from the fold-open dual stereo speakers (looked a lot lot this model below).
So there I was sitting under the Christmas tree – very happy – very excited – and planning a bus trip to downtown Denver’s Woolworth Store located on 16th Street. That would probably have to be held off for a time because I would have to save the $3.49 for a stereo long play or (since I now had a stereophonic player) a stereo copy at a challenging $4.49!
But then the unimaginable happened – My next present retrieved out from under the tree was a flat – seemingly square – probably – yes! Just about the correct dimensions.
I tore into it and there they were! My very first two long play record albums! And who would have guessed? They were both recordings by the very popular-at-the-time Kingston Trio! In my wildest imagination I would never imagined me going out an buying a Kingston Trio record.
Christmas Morning 1963 with Nerdy Sister Pam/1965 at CSU Fort Collins with the Zenith – Freshman Year
Then it hit me. My then 18 year-old sister (I was 14) was a bit of a square. I was then quite certain that my parents had consulted by sister for the long play gift purchase. “Oh well,” I thought silently, “It’s okay. It could have easily been an Eddie Fisher or Liberace record!”
So next, it was time to put the old Zenith to the test. I gently opened the first Kingston Trio record – “The Best Of The Kingston Trio” and placed the platter on the automatic dispensing spindle post – turned to engage switch – the in a moment or two out came – in living stereo – the sounds of “Tom Dooley”.
That day I sort of became a closet folkie. I was mesmerized by the rich stereo sound and I was sold! The second LP was a little daunting for me initially. It was “Sunny Side” and you know what? I came to enjoy this second LP even more than the greatest hits!
Early Days
Hilo: Birth Town of Dave Guard
The Kingston Trio formed in the 50th State of Hawaii in the town of Honolulu. Dave Guard and Bob Shane were friends and classmates in Punahou School where they both learned to play ukuleles and to admire Hawaiian music.
Two years ago, when I was vacationing in my favorite Hawaiian island – Hawaii (the “Big Island) and was residing in my favorite of all Hawaiian towns – Hilo – I was surprised to learn that Bob Shane was born in Hilo.
The Kingston Trio’s legacy places them commercially far above the nearest competitor – In their time they were scorching hot!
Bob Shane was born Robert Castle Schoen on February 1st, 1934. Dave Guard was born Donald David Guard in San Francisco, California on October 19th, 1934. He made his way to Honolulu to attend the notable Punahou School.
Punahou School on the Island of Awahoo
Alumni of the school include Olympian Buster Crabbe – who later portrayed the character “Tarzan” in the movies; actor Scott Coffey (Ferris Bueller’s Day Off); TV writer Allan Burns (Munsters, Get Smart, Mary Tyler Moore Show); and many more including Barrack Obama!
Guard and Shane began performing around Honolulu while still teens. After graduating, Guard would head for California to attend Stanford and Shane would also travel to sunny Cal attending Menlo College in San Diego where he would meet up with Nick Reynolds.
Reynolds was born on July 27th, 1933 in San Diego Nicholas Wells Reynolds. In time, Reynolds and Shane would seek out Guard and the three would begin working together as a trio but often with many other musicians as well – without a group name for the most part but sometimes as “Dave Guard and the Calypsonians”.
The Kingston Quartet
The alliance wasn’t intended to become a way of life and so the three went their separate ways. Bob Shane would head back to Hawaii to work in a family business. Guard and Reynolds continued to focus on their music and met up with Barbara Bogue and Joe Gannon forming the “Kingston Quartet”.
Reynolds was replaced in the foursome for a short time by Don MacArthur but then returned. Bogue and Gannon would both depart causing Guard and Reynolds to put in a call to Hawaii to their friend – Bob Shane would eagerly agreed to return to the States. The group’s manager was a publicist from San Francisco – Frank Werber. Frank was a task master and drove the trio very hard in lengthy rehearsals and even submitted them to the handling of a voice instructor.
Frank Werber
Their big break came in 1957 when they took the place of a female comedian who had cancelled her gig at the Purple Onion in San Francisco. Her name was Phyllis Diller!
All of the rehearsing and vocal training paid off. The trio were a big hit! The next step was to secure a recording contract. Two west coast labels made offers – Liberty and Dot – but both labels only wanted the trio to record 45’s. Werber and company insisted on long plays. A Purple Onion acquaintance had a contact at Capitol Records in Hollywood. Capitol sent a scout to watch and listen to the trio perform – He was impressed and the Kingston Trio had themselves a 7-year contract!
In 1959 the Kingston Trio were bestowed with a Grammy award for “Best Country & Western Performance” for the hit song “Tom Dooley”. At that time there wasn’t a Grammy folk category and this led directly to the creation in of a new category: “Best Ethnic or Traditional Folk Recording”. This award was given to the Kingston Trio for their second long play “The Kingston Trio At Large”.
Holding out for a long play recording contract proved to be a great move on the part of Werber and the trio – Their first six Capitol long plays all went Top Ten – with five going to number 1 and the sixth to number 2 during which time the group sold millions of copies and gained international fame.
Along Came Stewart
As time marched on trouble was on the horizon. Purist folkies were critical of the trio’s smooth and commercial sounds (purist folkies are generally not happy with anyone who manages to become fiscally successful it seems – Bob Dylan was subjected to the same criticism and he lashed back in an interview stating that “the left-wing puritans seem to have a hold on the folk-music community”).
Next, a rift was forming between Dave Guard and his two folk-mates based on many reasons – creative and otherwise. In the Spring of 1961 the split came with Guard being bought out of his share of the enterprise. A void had to be quickly filled and so they turned to another folk group member from the Cumberland Three – the 21-year-old John Stewart.
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John Stewart (Middle)
With Stewart the number 1 LP’s ceased but the trio still were very successful, placing nine of their next 10 long plays in the Top Ten nationally.
Dave Guard moved on to form the Whiskey Hill Singers with Judy Henske, David Wheat and Cyrus Faryar – a short-lived project – releasing one LP in the Spring of 1962.
John Stewart was born on September 5th, 1939 in San Diego, California John Coburn Stewart. Unlike his fellow Kingston’s, Stewart’s first journey into music was with a rock and roll garage band called Johnny Stewart and the Furies. The group managed one obscure single on the Anna label.
John next joined a group called the Woodsmen followed by the formation of the Cumberland Three – modeled after the popular Kingston Trio. Other members of the Cumberland’s were John Montgomery and Gil Robbins who would become the father of actor Tim Robbins.
I had the pleasure of seeing the Kingston Trio perform live at the “Lagoon” in Salt Lake City, Utah in the summer of 1965 when I was working a summer job in nearby Huntsville, Utah. The Trio at the time included John Stewart. During an intermission my group wondered into a Lagoon malt shop and lo and behold there were the three Kingstons, taking their break, drinking soft drinks and playing songs on the malt shop juke box. I do remember that they selected at least one Beach Boy song! Turns out the Kingston Trio made the Lagoon a regular stop – appearing there yearly from 1959 through 1967 sometimes returning twice during a year.
Folk Music on the Wane
1964 ushered in the British Invasion led by you-know-who and the days of the commercial folk groups was nearing an end. Record sales began to slump and Capitol Records elected to not re-sign the Trio. So it was onto Decca Records where the group managed some minor single and LP action for a couple of years (1965-1966).
Trouble Looms for Folk Folks
1967 saw Stewart electing to go solo and Nick Reynolds wanting to retire from touring. The three with Werber’s guidance, made their final year a performance-packed lucrative undertaking, making the final appearance on June 17th, 1967 a bitter-sweet final bow.
Reynolds would pursue his love of race cars and ranching. Bob Shane went solo for a time. Reynolds and Shane also co-owned a successful restaurant along with Frank along with other profitable ventures.
Shane would form the New Kingston Trio – which only had minor success. Guard had headed off for Australia where he stayed involved in music performing and teaching. Shane and Guard had remained at odds for over two decades but then in the 1980’s it appeared that there might be a reunion in the making – but with Guard it wouldn’t happen.
A New Trio: Pat Horine, Bob Shane, Frank Sanchez, Stan Kaess and Jim Connor
1988 saw Nick Reynolds return to the Trio along with Bob Shane (and others) and they remained together until 1999 when Nick once again retired. Shane would be forced to retire in 2004 due to heart problems.
The world would never enjoy a Shane, Reynolds and Stewart reunion.
Bob Shane died on January 26th, 2020 at age 85; Dave Guard passed away at age 56 on March 22nd, 1991 from cancer; Nick Reynolds died on October 1st, 2005 at age 75. John Stewart died in 2008 at age 68.
Kingston Trio Selective Discography
Selected charting singles along with the group’s top charting long plays – as well as some solo material – and many nice extended plays which were very popular in the early 1960’s.
45 – John Stewart (as Johnny Stewart) – Vita – Rockin’ Anna b/w Lorraine – October, 1957
45 – Capitol – Scarlet Ribbons b/w Three Jolly Coachmen – May, 1958
The group’s debut single
45 EP – Capitol – The Kingston Trio – June, 1958
45 – Capitol – Tom Dooley – Number 1 Hot 100 – Number 9 R&B – September, 1958
45 EP – Capitol – Tom Dooley – 1958
45 – Capitol – Raspberries, Strawberries – Number 70 Hot 100 – January, 1959
45 EP – Capitol – Raspberries Strawberries – 1959
45 Special – Capitol – From the Hungry I – January, 1959
45 – Capitol – The Tijuana Jail – Number 12 Hot 100 – March, 1959
45 EP – Capitol – The Tijuana Jail – March, 1959
45 Capitol – The M.T.A. – Number 15 Hot 100 – June, 1959
45 EP – Capitol – M.T.A. – June, 1959
45 EP – Capitol – The Kingston Trio At Large Part 1 – June, 1959
45 EP – Capitol – The Kingston Trio At Large Part 2 – June, 1959
45 EP – Capitol The Kingston Trio At Large Part 3 – June, 1959
45 – Capitol – A Worried Man – Number 20 Hot 100 – September, 1959
45 EP – Capitol – Here We Go Again Part 1 – October, 1959
45 EP – Capitol – Here We Go Again Part 2 – October, 1959
45 EP – Capitol – Here We Go Again Part 3 – October, 1959
45 – Capitol – Coo Coo-U – Number 98 Hot 100 – December, 1959
45 Special – Capitol – The Kingston Trio Sings For The New March Of Dimes – December, 1959
45 – Capitol – El Matador – Number 32 Hot 100 b/w Home From the Hill – Number 102 Bubbling Under – February, 1960
45 EP – Capitol – A Worried Man – 1960
45 EP – Capitol – Cool Cargo – 1960
45 EP – Capitol – The Kingston Trio’s Three Hit Albums – 1960
45 EP – Capitol – Sold Out Part 1 – April, 1960
45 EP – Capitol – Sold Out Part 2 – April, 1960
45 EP – Capitol – Sold Out Part 3 – April, 1960
45 – Capitol – Bad Man Blunder – Number 37 Hot 100 – June, 1960
45 EP – String Along Part 1 – July, 1960
45 EP – String Along Part 2 – July, 1960
45 EP – String Along Part 3 – July, 1960
45 – Capitol – Everglades – Number 60 Hot 100 – October, 1960
45 EP – 12th Month of the Year Part 1 – October, 1960
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45 EP – 12th Month of the Year Part 2 – October, 1960
45 EP – 12th Month of the Year Part 3 – October, 1960
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45 Capitol – Goodnight My Baby b/w Somerset Glouestershire Wassail – November, 1960
45 EP – Capitol – Close-Up Part 1 – 1961
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45 EP – Capitol – Close-Up Part 2 – 1961
45 Custom – Capitol – Made Exclusively for Welgrume Sportwear Customers – 1961
45 Custom – Capitol – Made Exclusively for Lion Of Troy Shirt Customers – 1961
45 EP – Capitol – Make Way! Part 1 – January, 1961
45 EP – Capitol Compact 33 – The Kingston Trio – February, 1961
45 – Capitol – You’re Gonna Miss Me (Frankie and Johnny) – Number 110 Music Vendor/Record World – March, 1961
45 – Capitol – Coming From the Mountains – Number 112 – Music Vendor/Record World – October, 1961
45 – Capitol – Where Have All the Flowers Gone – Number 21 Hot 100 – Number 4 Adult Contemporary – January, 1962
45 EP – Capitol Compact – The New Frontier – 1962
45 EP – Capitol Compact 33 – New Frontier – 1962
45 – Capitol – Scotch and Soda – Number 81 Hot 100 b/w Jane, Jane, Jane – Number 93 Hot 100 – April, 1962
45 EP – Capitol Promo – Selection From the Best Of the Kingston Trio – May, 1962
45 – Dave Guard & The Whiskeyhill Singers – Capitol – Plane Wreck At Los Gatos b/w Ride On Railroad Bill – June, 1963
45 – Capitol – Old Joe Clark – Number 113 Bubbling Under b/w C’Mon Betty Home – Number 112 Music Vendor/Record World – September, 1962
45 – Capitol Promo – One More Town – Number 97 Hot 100 – September, 1962
45 Promo – Capitol Promo – Kingston Trio Open-End Interview – 1963
45 – Capitol – Greenback Dollar – Number 21 Hot 100 – Number 6 Adult Contemporary – January, 1963
45 – Capitol – Reverend Mr. Black – Number 8 Hot 100 – Number 15 R&B – April, 1963
45 – Capitol – Desert Pete – Number 33 Hot 100 – Number 12 Adult Contemporary – August, 1963
45 – Capitol – Ally, Ally Oxen Free – Number 61 Hot 100 – November, 1963
45 – Capitol – Last Night I Had the Strangest Dream – Number 124 Bubbling Under b/w The Patriot Game – Number 132 Music Vendor/Record World – February, 1964
45 – Capitol – If You Don’t Look Around – Number 123 Bubbling b/w Seasons In the Sun – Number 111 Music Vendor/Record World – May, 1964
This would be the Kingston Trio’s final charting Capitol single
45 – Decca – Hope You Understand b/w My Ramblin’ Boy – Number 107 Music Vendor/Record World Boy – October, 1964
This was the Trio’s debut on their new label – Decca
45 – Decca – I’m Going Home – Number 104 Bubbling Under – January, 1965
45 – Decca – Yes I Can Feel It b/w Stay Awhile – June, 1965
45 – Decca – Parchment Farm (Blues) – Number 30 Adult Contemporary – December, 1965
45 – Decca – Babe, You’ve Been On My Mind b/w Texas Across The River – November, 1966
The Trio’s final Decca recording before the break up
45 – Monkees – Colgems – Daydream Believer – Number 1 Hot 100 – November, 1967 (composer John Stewart)
45 – Bob Shane – Decca – Weeping Annahleah b/w Simple Gifts – December, 1967
45 – Bob Shane – Decca – Honey b/w I Don’t Think Of You Anymore – February, 1968
45 – The Lovin’ Spoonful – Kama Sutra – Never Going Back – Number 73 Hot 100 – July, 1968
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45 – Pat Boone – Tetragrammaton – July You’re A Woman – Number 100 Hot 100 – Number 23 Adult Contemporary – March, 1969
45 – Tetragrammaton – Scotch and Soda – Number 124 Bubbling Under – May, 1969 (Composer John Stewart)
The Kingston Trio’s final charting single
45 – Mac Wiseman – Churchill – Scotch and Soda – Number 88 Country – July, 1979 (Composer Dave Guard)
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45 – John Stewart – Capitol – Armstrong – Number 74 Hot 100 – September, 1969
45 – John Stewart – Capitol – The Lady and the Outlaw – Number 115 Music Vendor/Record World – December, 1969
45 – Ed Bruce – July You’re A Woman – Number 77 Country – July, 1973 (Composer John Stewart)
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45 – Red, White and Blue – GRC – July You’re A Woman – Number 71 Country – December, 1973 (Composer John Stewart)
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45 – John Stewart & Others – Survivors – Number 101 Music Vendor/Record World – May, 1975
45 – John Stewart – RSO – Gold – Number 5 Hot 100 – Number 42 Adult Contemporary – May, 1979
45 – John Stewart – RSO – Midnight Wind – Number 28 Hot 100 – Number 49 Adult Contemporary – August, 1979
45 – John Stewart – RSO – Lost Her In the Sun – Number 34 Hot 100 – Number 18 Adult Contemporary – December, 1979
45 – Anne Murray – Capitol – Daydream Believer – Number 1 Adult Contemporary – Number 12 Hot 100 – Number 3 Country – December, 1979
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45 – Ray Price – Warner Bros. – Scotch and Soda – Number 70 Country – July, 1983 (Composer Dave Guard)
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45 – The Monkees – Arista – Daydream Believer – Number 79 Hot 100 – November, 1986
45 – Rosanna Cash – Columbia – Runaway Train – Number 1 Country – August, 1988
Kingston Trio Long Play Selective Discography
Beyond these listed long plays the Kingston Trio placed eight additional albums on the Hot 200
LP – Capitol – The Kingston Trio – Number 1 – November. 1958
LP – Capitol – From the Hungry I – Number 2 – February, 1959
LP – Capitol – The Kingston Trio at Large – Number 1 for 15 Weeks – June, 1959
LP – Capitol – Here We Go Again! – Number 1 for 8 Weeks – November, 1959
LP – Capitol – Sold Out – Number 1 for 12 Weeks – April, 1960
LP – Capitol – String Along – Number 1 for 10 Weeks – August, 1960
LP – Capitol – Make Way! – Number 2 – February, 1961
LP – Capitol – Goin’ Places – Number 3 – July, 1961
LP – Capitol – Close Up – Number 3 – October, 1961
LP – Capitol – College Concert – Number 3 – March, 1962
LP – Capitol – Dave Guard and the Whiskey Hill Singers – Number 92 – April, 1962
LP – Capitol – The Best Of the Kingston Trio – Number 7 – June, 1962
LP – Capitol – The Kingston Trio #16 – Number 4 – March, 1963
LP – Capitol – Sunny Side! – Number 7 – August, 1963
The Trio’s final Top Ten LP
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LP – Tetragrammaton – Once Upon A Time – Number 163 – July, 1969
The Trio’s final charting long play
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