1: Run Joe (Dave Guard and the Calypsonians) (Composer Unknown) 2:42
Taken from acetate mono demo recorded approximately February 10, 1957
Previously unreleased
The Kingston Trio of Dave Guard, Nick Reynolds and Bob Shane did not suddenly hatch on the doorstep of the Capitol Tower in 1958. The three participated in various musical aggregations in their California college scene, including one called " Dave Guard and the Calypsonians." In early 1957, Bob was in Hawaii for a gig (that reportedly included Elvis impressions) when the quartet (Dave, Nick, Barbara Bogue and Joe Gannon) recorded eight tunes for some demonstration discs. "Run Joe," as the high end distortions bear out, is taken directly from one of those surviving acetates, and it accurately showcases the group's sound at that time.

2: Fast Freight (Composer: Terry Gilkyson) 5:12
Taken from acetate mono demo recorded approximately February 10, 1957
Previously unreleased
Dave borrowed the arrangement for Fast Freight" from the song-bag of "The Easy Riders," a group much admired by he and his cohorts.

3: Tom Dooley
Master #18490 (mono) recorded February 5, 1958
(Adopted by Frank Warner, John A. Lomax and Alan Lomax) , 3:01
Album: THE KINGSTON TRIO / Single 4049
The Trio first heard the song on the afternoon of August 20, 1957, at a talent audition at the Purple Onion. Their final arrangement featured Nick Reynolds' now famous spoken intro ("Throughout history . . . ") and Bob Shane's memorable lead vocal and it was one of the few songs the group did with Bob on banjo.
It was recorded for their first album, THE KINGSTON TRIO, and it might have remained there if a Salt Lake record store owner hadn't seen the group perform in San Francisco and been impressed enough to cart a few copies home to sell. One was picked up by a local disk jockey who was taken enough with "Tom Dooley" to plat it on the air. Listener requests were overwhelming and more stations throughout the United States began programming the track.
It was actually the Trio's second 45 (check out the first - "Scarlet Ribbons" - on the groups excellent CAPITOL COLLECTORS SERIES compact disc release), and it would remain charted for five months, hitting the #1 spot during one week, earning the group its only gold single (selling over six million copies worldwide) and its first two Grammy nominations. (It lost in the "Vocal Group" category but won for "Best Country and Western Vocal.")
What "Tom Dooley" did cannot be minimized. Only "Heartbreak Hotel" and "I Want To Hold Your Hand" can legitimately claim to have a greater impact on the direction of American Popular Music since World War II. Just about every person who ever made a living with an acoustic guitar owes a debt to the Kingston Trio's recording of "Tom Dooley."

4: Sloop John B
Master #18439 (mono) recorded February 5, 1958
(Lee Hays and Carl Sandburg) 3:30
Album: THE KINGSTON TRIO
Few lines of musical influence are as easily traced as those provided by "Sloop John B." The Kingston Trio's haunting low key version from their first album was handed down to them by their mentors, The Weavers; and the Trio then handed it down (along with their emblematic striped shirts) to the Beach Boys, who took a rocking rendition to #3 in 1966. Note Nick's subduded percussion on this Kingston classic.

5: Dodi Li (Guard / Reynolds / Shane) 5:12
Master #18403 (mono) recorded February 7, 1958
Previously unreleased
The Kingston Trio had eleven strong songs on tape in the course of two days recording for their first album On the third day they immediately cut the twelfth ("Little Maggie") and then found themselves with some leftover studio time The result was "Dodi Li" This is as spirited a tune as the Trio ever had laid down and a translated version (with less emphasis on hand claps) retitled "Dorie: appeared on their second album FROM THE HUNGRY I

6: New York Girls (Burl Ives) 2:33
Master #30206 (mono) recorded August 16, 1958
Album: FROM THE HUNGRY I
Another major influence on the Kingston Trio was folk balladeer Burl Ives, who ironically became a Country-Pop hit maker once the Folk Boom bloomed and then abandoned all that for a successful acting career. This lively sea chanty "New York Girls" was recorded by the Trio for their FROM THE HUNGRY I album and that robust rendition is included here.

7: They Call The Wind Maria (Frederick Loewe and Alan Jay Lerner) 4:32
Master #30207 (mono) recorded August 16, 1958
Album: FROM THE HUNGRY I
"They Call The Wind Maria", from the Broadway musical "Paint Your Wagon," was a show stopper in the Trio's repertoire from almost the beginning, and if remains an all-time favorite with the group's many fans. Bob's lead vocal is one of his most electrifying, and Nick's tempo changing work on bon ~os is fIrst rafe on this prime FROM THE HUNGRY I cut

8: Shady Grove / Lonesome Traveler (adapted by Jean Ritchie / Lee Hays) 3:14
Master #30209 (mono) recorded August 16, 1958
Album: FROM THE HUNGRY I
A tempo change is also one of he highlights of another FROM THE HUNGRY I selection, "Shady Grovel Lonesome Traveler." One of the few medleys ever recorded by the Trio, it features a humorous introduction by Bob and a fine performance by Dave on lead vocal "Lonesome Traveler" is especially exhilarating.

9: Little Maggie (adapted by Dave Guard) 2:26
Master #18402A added to the Capitol archives December 14, 1958
Previously unreleased by Capitol
In the autumn of 1958, while "Tom Dooley" was still heading toward the top spot, the Kingston Trio performed a concert in El Paso, Texas that was recorded in stereophonic sound, a first for the group. The tapes were purchased by Capitol. Voyle Gilmore pulled ten songs from these tapes for an album titled STEREO CONCERT {ST 1183, released March 16, 1959; reached #15), probably the only album by a recording artist of the Fifties and/or Sixties that was never available in plain old mono. Beyond these ten songs were some additional gems, five of which are assembled here for your enjoyment First up IS "Little Maggie," a song which originally appeared on the group's first album, here preceded by a previously unheard introduction of the Trio. This track is every bit as energetic as the studio version, and the group's humorous slant on the lyrics is even more apparent in live performance.

10: Bay Of Mexico (adapted by Dave Guard) 3:34
Master #18398A added to the Capitol archives December 14, 1958
Previously unreleased by Capitol
Listening to it now, it's hard to imagine why "Bay of Mexico" was omitted from STEREO CONCERT's lineup. The live stereo adds a dimension that makes this a cut above the earlier studio version from the Trio's first album.
The Weavers' Pete Seeger gave Dave a few pointers regarding the songs arrangement.
The Trio traditionally worked with one microphone in concert, so they were pretty much oblivious to the additional pair hung from overhead to capture the recording in stereo. This accounts for the drastic drop in volume during the group's patter (spoken intimately into the house mike) as well as the occasionally far-off quality of Nick's vocals.

11: Across The Wide Missouri (Jimmy Shirl and Ervin M. Drake) 3:54
Master #31705A added to the Capitol archives December 14, 1958
Previously unreleased
Perhaps the most unusual item that didn't appear or STEREO CONCERT is this Dave Guard solo rendition of "Across The Wide Missouri." If you are familiar with the great harmonies of the studio version that later appeared on HERE WE GO AGAIN this one will provide a change of pace. The Trio was still calling the tune "Shenandoah" at this point.

12: Scotch And Soda (Dave Guard) 2:15
Master #18389A added to the Capitol archives December 14, 1958
Previously unreleased
Now considered the ultimate saloon song, "Scotch And Soda" was already an oldie when Dave and Bob first heard it In 1953. They were on a pre-Trio double date and Dave's dates parents {whose most famous offspring became baseball great Tom Seaver) played them a memorable song they'd heard at a hotel piano lounge on their honeymoon. When the time came to record the Trio's first album, Dave worked up an
arrangement for Bob's solo. After nearly five years of pleas from DJs, Capitol released "Scotch and Soda" as a single In 1962. The version Included here is the earliest known live recording of the song, another previously unreleased selection from the STEREO CONCERT tapes. Today "Scotch And Soda" is still Bob's favorite Trio tune and the identity of the original composer still remains a mystery.

13: Pay Me My Money Down (adapted by Dave Guard) 2:26
Master #unknown added to the Capitol archives December 14, 1958
Previously unreleased by Capitol
It's not known at what point the Trio stopped performing "Pay Me My Money Down," but there is no known studio version of the song and Capitol has waited until now to release this infectious live treatment. You may recognize this interchangeable Folk melody, as it was used to Top Ten effect by both Eddie Fisher and Vince Martin (with the Tarriers) on "Cindy, Oh Cindy" In 1 956.

14: Tijuana Jail (Denny Thompson) 2:48
Master #33597 recorded February 18, 1959
Album: THE BEST OF THE KINGSTON TRIO
The first released stereo studio recording by the Kingston Trio was "Tijuana Jail". One of Voyle Gilmore's finds, this novelty tune was recorded In New York City and rushed out as a single apparently because of a rumor that Harry Belafonte was about to do the same. The song (which would probably be banned today because of its no-longer in vogue "Frito Bandito" humor) re-established the group as hit-makers, as it reached #12 and charted for three months "Tijuana Jail" was recorded at the I same session that produced the Trio's second studio album, THE KINGSTON TRIO AT LARGE

15: M.T.A. (Jacqueline Steiner and Bess Hawes) 3:13
Master #22563 recorded February 16, 1959
Album: THE KINGSTON TRIO AT LARGE
"M.T.A. is undoubtedly Nick Reynolds' most famous lead vocal, and it ranks second only to "Tom Dooley" as the Trio's hallmark. The group first heard the song from Will Holt (writer of modern Folk classics like "Lemon Tree") and It earned them eleven weeks on the singles charts. Considering how popular the record was (and still is). It is more than a little surprising that it only aspired to the #15 position. This novelty song was originally created to protest a Boston Subway fare increase that happened to coincide with a mayoral election. The writers put their words to the tune of the Folk standard "The Wreck Of Old 97," which goes to show how the same melody can be used to conjure up drastically different moods.

16: All My Sorrows (Guard / Reynolds / Shane) 2:45
Master #22601 recorded February 17, 1959
Album: THE KINGSTON TRIO AT LARGE
Just about everybody's favorite B side from the Dave/Nick/Bob era is "All My Sorrows" which has the dual distinction of being one of the best cuts from a great album (AT LARGE) and the flip side of a great single ("MTA.) The Trio borrowed this song from the pre Limeliters repertoire of Glenn Yarborough and turned it into one of the most movingly understated moments that the band ever put on tape. Not long after Dave Guard was claimed by cancer, Lindsey Buckingham did a cover version of "All My Sorrows" for his 1992 album OUT OF THE CRADLE. Acknowledged as one of the geniuses of modern Rock, the former Fleetwood Mac member learned many a guitar lick from Kingston Trio records, and he considered Dave a good friend, as well as a mentor. Said Lindsey "I thought that would just be something nice for him."

17: Good News (Louis Gottlieb) 1:58
Master #22598 recorded February 18, 1959
Album: THE KINGSTON TRIO AT LARGE
Besides being a great group performance, "Good News" is especially significant in that it is the Trio's first real attempt at recording a spiritual. The boys got this one from Lou Gottlieb, who at the time was between leaving the Gateway Singers and forming the Limeliters. It's from AT LARGE, an album which won the Trio its second Grammy and spent fifteen weeks at #1.

18: Remember The Alamo (Jane Bowers) 2:59
Master #22609 recorded February 16, 1959
Album: THE KINGSTON TRIO AT LARGE
Few Trio songs reach the dramatic heights of "Remember The Alamo" the powerhouse closing cut from AT LARGE Disney's "Davy Crockett" mania was still sweeping the land in 1959, and with it a keen resurgence of inter-est in the 120-year-old battle of the Alamo. Texan Jane Bowers debuted as a songwriter for the Trio with this gem, which would be covered twenty-five years later by Johnny Cash

19: Molly Dee (John Stewart) 1:43
Master #31771 recorded June 2, 1959
Album: HERE WE GO AGAIN
The initial cut from the Trio's fifth album, HERE WE GO AGAIN's "Molly Dee," a line from which gave rise to the album's title. The song marked the first writing success for California college stu-dent John Stewart. When the first royalty check from "Molly Dee" arrived, and It was larger than what his father made in a year as a horse trainer, John made up his mind as to how he Intended to spend the rest of his life.

20: The Unfortunate Miss Bailey (Louis Gottlieb) 3:58
Master #31756 recorded May 27, 1959
Previously unreleased
Here's a fascinating, previously unreleased alternate tale of HERE WE GO AGAIN's "The Unfortunate Miss Bailey," preceded by some wonderful pre-take chatter. As you will hear, the slower pace gives a slightly different slant to the song's flavor.

21: Sail Away Ladies (Guard / Reynolds / Shane) 2:28
Master #31747 recorded May 26, 1959
Extended play single: M.T.A. (EAP1-1119)
Oddly enough, the first track recorded at the sessions for HERE WE GO AGAIN never found a home on that album. "Sail Away, Ladies" was released on EP and then pretty much forgotten Dave recalled it was "about 75 percent completed when we put It aside, hoping to do it full justice at some future session" Dave also indicated this arrangement was heavily influenced by an earlier version by Odetta

22: A Worried Man (Dave Guard and Tom Glazer) 2:51
Master #31764 recorded June 1, 1959
Single 4371
Both Dave and Bob played banjo on "A Worried Man," the Trio's follow-up to M.T.A. It was derived by Dave Guard and Tom Glazer from the traditional "Worried Man Blues" (if Glazer's name sounds familiar it's probably because he's to blame for the 1963 Top Twenty Hit "On Top of Spaghetti," also derived from a traditional song ["On Top of Old Smokey"] and now considered a children's classic). "A Worried Man" is HERE WE GO AGAIN's Closing track.

23 & 24: The Kingston Trio Sings for 7-Up
Two radio commercials recorded in 1960
Previously released only on transcription discs to radio stations
Spot #1 - 2:23 Spot #2 - 2:03
Closing out the first disk are two treats for collectors and nostalgia buffs. The 7-Up soft drink company signed the Trio to be their official spokesmen in 1960, and the group recorded several radio and television commercials built around slogan "nothing does it like 7-Up." The radio spots were cleverly disguised as mini-programs, hosted by Ken Carpenter, who bantered with Dave, Nick and Bob in a humorous fashion on various topics.
In the first spot included here, the "action" centers around Nick's attempt at assembling a bike for his infant son, Josh. Eventually (as always), the Trio bursts into song, and "With You My Johnny" is rendered with new lyrics that mention 7-Up. (Check out the real version on disk two.)
In the second spot, the foursome ponder the possibility that Frank Werber is a beatnik, reminding ue how suspect beards were in the Eisenhower era! "Corey, Corey" from AT LARGE is given new lyrics in this one and note how Dave's banjo picking style has evolved in just one year.