Singers (below) Reynolds, Shane and Guard perform at Newport Jazz Festival where their singing drew more applause than jazz soloists.

The brightest new sounds heard through all the racket of rock 'n' roll come from the voices and instruments of three college grad cutups, Dave Guard, Bob Shane. And Nick Reynolds, who call themselves the Kingston Trio (see cover). Despite the surprising facts that every chord is in tune and every lyric in good taste, The Kingston Trio at Large is now the best selling LP in the country. One of the songs in it, M.T.A. (LIFE, June 29,) still ranks high among the single record hits.

Last month the touring trio expanded into a mixed sextet on a lark. Traveling with the singers on a swing through New England was their three bright and pretty wives. Afternoons on the beaches the girls joined in the fraternity house chorales the boys learned when they were carefree California undergraduates at Stanford and nearby Menlo Business College. "The stuff we sang gassed us then," one of them said, "even though the harmonies were strictly Whiffenpoof." Soon the three couples will head out on vacations separately -- a rarity in their happy design for group living. "This trio," as on of them said, "has got to quit acting like Siamese twins."

Click Here For page 2