Search - Kingston Trio :: The Essential Kingston Trio

Excellent overview of the overlooked musical giants

Robert G. Daugherty | Los Angeles, CA | 11/09/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"It's about time "The Kingston Trio" got the attention and respect that they deserve. Not only were they aruguably the most influential act in musical history, they were also one of the most successful. At one point, the group had 4 albums in the Top Ten simultaneously, a feat that even The Beatles failed to accomplish. In addition to being a great album band, they were a great singles band as well. "Tom Dooley", "MTA", "Greenback Dollar", "Tijuana Jail", "A Worried Man" and countless others were MONSTER sellers.



I feel that their place in musical history has been ill-served by their record company, Capitol Records, a company that was arguably built on the success of the Kingston Trio. The company is as "corporate" as they come. They have no sense of music history. They are only interested in what can make them a ton of money in the here and now.



The Beatles catalogue is a case in point. They have refused to remaster the UK catalogue and give Beatles fans their first four albums in Stereo. I guess that project would not be "commercial" enough for their tastes.



Similarly, they have only released the first two Trio albums as a "TwoFer", further denigrating this band's status as the world-beating ground-breakers that they were. The only reason we have the Trio's albums are on CD is that Collector's Choice and Bear Familiy licensed them from Capitol!



The label that made so much money on The Kingston Trio in the late 50's and early 60's won't even release their albums on CD! The company clearly has no understanding of musical history and pays no respect to its stellar roster of artists. If they can't treat The Beatles with respect, how can we expect them to treat the Kingston Trio with respect?



At any rate, the whole British Invasion folk/rock thing was caused by the folk boom started by the Kingston Trio in the late fifties. After all, the Beatles were originally a "skiffle" band--skiffle bands turned up all over England in the wake of the American folk boom.



When the Americans responded to the "British Invasion", the first responders were all folk artists influenced by the Kingston Trio. The Byrds, Buffalo Springfield, the Mamas and the Papas, Lovin' Spoonful, Grateful Dead and Jefferson Airplane were all transplanted "folkies", born and bred in the musical millieu created by the Kingston Trio.



And, of course, Bob Dylan. He, too, followed in the Trio's footsteps. He cites them directly in his autobiography. Groups popped up all over the place emulating the Kingston Trio, much as British bands popped up to in England to capitalize on the Beatles success. Peter, Paul and Mary, Ian and Sylvia, The New Christy Minstrels (with Barry McGuire and Gene Clark), the Chad Mitchell Trio (with John Denver and Roger McGuinn), the Journeymen (with John Phillips) all owe their careers to the Kingston Trio.



Even folkies Joni Mitchell and Neil Young were influenced by the Trio. They are even cited on the "Buffalo Springfield Again" album as musical influences and prime movers.



Even the Beach Boys (!), of all groups, were heavily influenced by the Kingstons.



The Kingston Trio introduced a ton of classics that have now become part of our musical vernacular. Songs such as "Wimoweh" (better known as "The Lion Sleeps Tonight"), "The First Time" (made famous by Roberta Flack), "It Was a Very Good Year" (Frank Sinatra), "Sloop John B" (the Beach Boys) "Shady Grove ("Quicksilver Messenger Service") and many others were introduced to the American public by the Trio.



So, the legacy of the Kingston Trio has sadly been grossly neglected by the music industry that owes them so much. This compiliaton is a welcome addition to any music lovers collection but it will do little to change this perception.



In my view, the Trio is the "missing link" between the musical progression from Elvis to the Beatles. If Capitol Records had not been their label, I believe the Kingston Trio would be regarded as highly as those other two musical giants, as they surely deserve to be.

"

Great songs, great arrangements and great performers -- what

My2Cents | San Carlos, CA United States | 12/07/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I am a new fan to the Kingston Trio, but loved this CD set so much I felt compelled to write my first Amazon review ever. Although I didn't grow up listening to them, I did grow up listening to their music without realizing it. So many songs I've liked over the years turned out to be their songs at one time or another.



After stumbling onto a PBS special on them I immediately fell in love - with their style, their rhythm, their harmonies, their incredible energy, their musical arrangements and the sense of fun they conveyed in their performances. The local PBS station was in the middle of a pledge drive and I immediately called up and pledged the right amount to get the various Kingston Trio CD's and DVD's they were using to bribe us to contribute.



This particular CD set is by far my favorite of the two we received. I've had the two discs permanently in my car disc changer for well over a month now and haven't gotten tired of listening to them. The energy and sense of fun so evident while watching them on TV somehow came through even while just listening to them on CD.



Most of their songs just grabbed me from the beginning and I couldn't stop humming them - especially Early in the Mornin', Reuben James, Buddy Better Get On Down the Line, Desert Pete (which is inspiring, hilarious and toe-tapping all at the same time!), El Matador and Reverend Mr. Black. In addition are old familiar favorites that I'd heard others sing (e.g. Sloop John B, that I knew from The Beach Boys). I now know many of them by heart and can't help singing along while in the car. I only wish I'd "discovered" them sooner."

Terrific - original, lots of hits, great quality

Roy F. Johnson | Columbia, TN United States | 09/07/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"One of the best CD purchases I've made. It was worth the price for the first disc alone. I generally prefer the earlier hits, mostly on disc 1. I would have liked "Early Mornin' Rain", "Fast Freight", "Scarlet Ribbons" and "Three Jolly Coachmen". That would have made the purchase just about perfect for me."