Orrie de Nooyer Auditorium in Hackensack, NJ on October 2, 1982

THE KINGSTON TRIO

Orrie de Nooyer Auditorium,
Hackensack, NJ

October 2, 1982

The story of the Kingston Trio, its success and longevity, is really a look at the transformation of American music over the last 21/2 decades. In the late 1950s, the American public had seen the end of a war, and at last the country and the world were at peace. When three clean-cut, outspoken and charismatic young college students started singing about what had happened to each of us, when their songs spoke of our frustrations, expectations and joys in life, their success was imminent. The Kingston Trio's music had purpose; it was not "ditties" or crooning love songs. The messages were clear, the melodies and harmonies easy to remember, and the overall effect was almost magical.

Of course the Kingston Trio did not invent what we now call "folk music." What the Trio did create however, was a public awareness of the new style and made the way possible for other artists to adapt to an art form called folk music. Their pioneering influenced and primed the world for groups and artists like Peter, Paul & Mary, the Limelighters, Chad Mitchell Trio, Joan Baez, Smothers Brothers, and, of course, Bob Dylan.

Bob Shane, Nick Reynolds and Dave Guard (the Kingston Trio) definitely carved a place for themselves in our musical history. But the amazing aspect of the Trio's collective personality is that it has continually adapted itself over the last 22 years. Unlike most contemporary artists who come and go, perhaps leaving their mark for very brief periods, the Trio's music today is every bit as responsive and sensitive as it was back in 1958 when "Tom Dooley" became one of the best selling records in American musical history. (To date it has sold over six million copies!)

By 1961, the Kingston Trio experienced four more "gold records: "Charlie and the MTA" (a song satirizing the policies of the Boston Metropolitan Transit Authority), "Tijuana Jail" (a look at what it's like to be stuck in a jail in Mexico), "Scotch and Soda" (which even today is a beautiful love song), and "Worried Man" (a song that talks about optimism). Later that same year personal differences between the members saw Dave Guard going his own way and John Stewart replacing him. For the next six years the Trio recorded for both Capitol and Decca until 1967 when the members decided it was time to retire the Trio. Nick Reynolds moved to Oregon to try cattle ranching (he's still there today!), and Bob and John launched solo careers. (John is recording and touring).

Bob's attempt at a solo career was short-lived. In the back of his mind was a dream to revive the Trio, to give it a more contemporary sound, "to . . . bring it up to date, so to speak." Bob felt that people still appreciated and wanted to hear the music and messages that the Trio concept represented. So in 1972 Bob reformed the Kingston Trio and added the humor, personality and talents of Roger Gambill. Third members of the Trio came and went as Roger and Bob recreated and updated the old music and started integrating the music of today. For the last six-plus years, Bob has led the Trio on an exhausting tour schedule of night clubs, concert halls, stadiums and pavillions all over the world for 32 weeks a year. They discovered what Bob believed all along: people not only remembered the energy, dynamics, enthusiasms and messages of the Trio, but they wanted to bear more!

Three years ago Bob and Roger added George Grove to the group, their youngest member. Both Roger and Bob call George " . . . the musician of the Trio". He is an accomplished banjo and acoustic guitar artist and has a versatile and beautiful voice -- which both contrasts and compliments the husky lead vocals of Bob. Roger is the perfect third element in the triad, filling in between the two other members. Their partnership and comradeship is inseparable. As Roger explained, "When you're working close with people (the Trio), it's almost like a marriage. You're living together, sharing soap, borrowing toothpaste, laughing at the same jokes. There has to be a tremendous amount of respect and affection both on and off the stage. We're just lucky in that respect."

The Kingston Trio today is not three independent individuals making music. It's a cohesive and purposeful force made up of a perfect blending of talents and personalities. The members feel collectively responsible for the music they sing and to the people they entertain. Listening to them, there is no doubt that they enjoy what they are doing. They've added bassist Stan Kaess, drummer Tom Green and mandolin-fiddle player Ben Schubert to their group. They've added songs like "Early Morning Rain," "Amazing Grace," and "The-First Time Ever (I Saw Your Face)". In addition, they've introduced the new songs (which appear on their newest album with Nautilus Recordings released May 1979) "Aspen Gold" and "Longest Beer of the Night".

The Trio's entertainment concept is as meaningful and enjoyable today as it was in 1 958 when "Tom Dooley" first hit the charts. Bob, primarily, has kept the tradition of the Trio alive, not only for himself, but for all of us. He and the Trio have shared over 20-years of their lives, inviting each of us to become a part of the Trio experience. As Bob said, "We genuinely love to perform and we work hard at making it look like fun. To keep the Kingston Trio idea alive, our goal is simply to be the best at what we do."

-- THANK YOU to Bill Welsch for sharing a photocopy
of the foregoing article for our reading enjoyment.


Last revised: February 23, 2006.