As if time hadn’t passed, expect the great folk songs to come alive on stage, Saturday, April 26, 7 p.m. at the Paramount Theatre, when The Kingston Trio performs a benefit concert for Colorado Public Television 12.
The Kingston Trio is one of the few groups today that has survived the many changes in the world of music. They have remained consistent in their sound, which probably explains their resurgence in popularity over the last few years.
The Kingston Trio consists of George Grove, Bill Zorn and Rick Dougherty.
The original Kingston Trio was formed in 1957 by Bob Shane, Nick Reynolds and Dave Guard while they were attending college in the San Francisco area. Using only acoustic guitars and banjos, and singing simple yet memorable melodies, they revolutionized popular music, reawakening America to its rich folk music heritage. The release of Tom Dooley in October of 1958 began the “folk music revival” and set the stage for Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Peter, Paul & Mary and the entire protest movement of the 60’s. The Kingston Trio was the #1 vocal group in the world, a musical and cultural phenomenon whose record sales and concert draws were matched only by The Beatles.
In 1961, after 2 Grammies and numerous gold records, Dave Guard left the group and John Stewart was introduced, maintaining The Trio for 6 more years. In 1967, Bob, Nick and John disbanded to pursue individual careers. “Pop music tastes were changing,” says Shane: “that whole ‘rock revolution’ thing took a lot of our audience. But folk music is timeless, so I figured I might as well keep it alive.” That’s exactly what Bob has been doing for 47 years.
In 1976, after working for 9 years as the New Kingston Trio with various members, Bob purchased the rights to the name “Kingston Trio,” and the group, which at the time consisted of Bob Shane, Bill Zorn and Roger Gambill, carried on. Zorn left shortly thereafter to fulfill a record-producing contract in England, and George Grove joined the group.
In 1985, the Trio’s lineup changed again, following the untimely death of Roger Gambill. “We were devastated by the loss,” says Grove, “but the Kingston Trio as a group is a musical institution that had to go on, just as it had (then) for 28 years.” Bob Haworth then stepped in, but left in 1988 to pursue a solo career, and Nick Reynolds rejoined after a 21-year vacation. In 1999, Nick retired again and Bob Haworth returned, forming the lineup that continued until March 2004. In March 2004, Bob Shane retired for medical reasons, and Bill Zorn returned.
In August 2005, Bobby Haworth left the group again, and Rick Dougherty, formerly of the Limeliters, joined. The addition of Rick’s voice has made the current lineup the most vocally complete group since the original days.
The Kingston Trio’s trademark 3-part harmony and clean, crisp sound keeps them touring 30 weeks out of the year. Grove’s orchestral arrangements allow The Trio to perform with symphony concerts, which are a fan favorite. The Trio’s touring schedule has resulted in an increasing number of new fans, both young and old.
As Bob Shane put it, “All people want is for us to sing a song, tell a story, and make it good.” They have been doing just that since 1957.
Concert tickets are $42 (Gold Circle $55) and are available at www.tickethorse.com or by calling 1-866-461-6556. Tickets are also available through Channel 12 on- line at www.cpt12.org or by calling 303-296-1212 (M-F 9am-5pm).