October 1962
NOTE: place you curser over the images in the article to read the captions as they appeared in the magazine.

"The Kingston Trio . . . Strictly From Wildsville"

by HARRY SCHREINER

THERE is probably no group of show business performers who Thave ever been involved in so many kookie happenings as the famed Kingston Trio. In fact, their start in the show biz whirl was, to say the least, offbeat. At the time the group consisted of Dave Guard, Bob Shane, and Nick Reynolds. Since, Dave has been replaced by John Stewart. In those days they landed a job singing in a nightclub in San Francisco for $60 a week, which, when split, amounted to "scrimping" in kingsized letters. To supplement their income they secretly took jobs with a local photographer modeling bathing suits!

The biggest record hit the boys ever had was Tom Dooley and they did such a convincing vocal job on it that people from all over the country sent them money to save the legendary Dooley from the gallows. These donations and ones sent to Deejays were all given to worthwhile charities by the trio.

Ask the boys what the most exciting thing that ever happened to them was, and they will probably tell you the story about the trip they took not long ago on a Friday the 13th to Notre Dame University for a concert. The plane and their pilot John Rich of Salt Lake City was heading into a snowstorm. The boys could hear the howling winds inside the small cabin and they huddled together for warmth as the pilot strained to see through the white curtain. They were headed for South Bend airport in Indiana when suddenly the engines began to knock furiously. The trio stared at each other and then toward the pilot's cabin, a worried look on their faces. Then it happened. The engines stopped!

"Brace yourselves" Rich shouted, "Crash landing!"

Visibility was zero and flying just a few hundred feet off the ground, the pilot spotted a field, told the boys to hold on. The plane hit hard and then bounced into deep snow, cushioning the landing. Though shaken by the ordeal, the Kingstons hauled their instruments out of the plane and walked a few hundred yards through the deep snow, to a highway where they hitched a ride on, a passing truck which look then, to Goshen. From there they made it to Notre Dame in a taxi, arriving at the auditorium minutes before curtain time.

Recently the Kingstons heard that Rich had suffered a severe stroke and to help defray his medical expenses and provide financial aid while he is confined, they gave a benefit performance, turning all profits over to the stricken pilot.

A friend of the trio had this to say about them. "The boys probably do more charity benefits each year than any other celebrities," In 1959 they did one for the late Dr. Tom Dooley the famed surgeon of Laos. Dr. Dooley, whom they met while he was in the U.S. for a cancer operation, told them that the Laotian ratives never could pronounce his name until they heard the Trio's famous Capitol disc of Tom Dooley.

Each of the trio has their own particular brand of hurnor, but ail are entertaining to talk to. Reynolds describes the outfit thusly: "We may look like tennis burms, but man, underneath we're loaded with stability."

Bob Shane says: "The stuff we used to sing in college gassed us even though our harmony was Whiffenpoof."

Their agent, Frank Werber claims he found them doing their happy routines for beer and pretzels at a place called "The Cracked Pot." The Kingstons have been known for the odd names of the places they have appeared in.-- have a few more: "The Purple Onion," and "The Hungry i"

With all the adventures the boys have shared, they remain, said a friend, "surprisingly calm when the curtain goes up. In fact," he went on to say,."I heard that after their near plane crash when they were asked it the trip to Notre Dame was interesting, one said, 'Down to earth is all I can say, Doc!'

Write to the K.T. c/o F. Liberman Associates, 8733 Sunset Blvd., H'wood, Calilf.

Last revised: February 23, 2006.