The Kingston Trio was formed in 1957 in the Palo Alto, California area by original lineup of Dave Guard (1934–1991), Bob Shane (1934–2020), and Nick Reynolds (1933–2008), who were just out of college. Greatly influenced by The Weavers, the calypso sounds of Harry Belafonte, and other semi-popular folk artists such as the Gateway Singers and the Tarriers, they were discovered playing at a college club called the Cracked Pot by Frank Werber, a local publicist then working at the Hungry i. He became their manager, and secured them a one-shot deal with Capitol Records.
Their first hit was a catchy rendition of an old-time folk song, "Tom Dooley", which went gold in 1958. It was so popular that it entered popular culture as a catchphrase: Ella Fitzgerald, for example, parodies it during her recorded version of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer". It won them the first Grammy award for Best Country & Western Performance in 1959. The next year, they won the first Grammy Award for Best Ethnic or Traditional Folk Recording category for the album The Kingston Trio at Large.
At one point in the early 1960s The Kingston Trio had four albums at the same time among the Top 10 selling albums, a record unmatched for nearly 40 years. In spite of this, they had a relatively small number of hit singles.
The group's music was simple and accessible, with much use of tight vocal harmony, signature riffs (often played on the banjo), and repetitive choruses. Capitol producer Voyle Gilmore[1] enhanced their vocal sound to great effect with reverb and the relatively new process of doubletracking, in which the performers sang along with their own pre-recorded part to produce a stronger sound than with a single voice, in part due to a natural time gap of a fraction of a second between the original recording and the overdubbed part. At first pairs of tape recorders were used, then later multitrack recording machines, to produce the effect.
Guard left the band in 1961 as part of a disagreement over its musical direction. He formed the group Whiskey Hill Singers, and was replaced by John Stewart, who led the group through several more years of popularity until the arrival of The Beatles and British invasion rock bands pushed them from the charts.
In 1967 the Trio disbanded after a final performance at the Hungry i, June 17, 1967.
Shane, the lone member to resist the break-up of the Trio, started a new group, aptly named, "The New Kingston Trio," in 1969. Eventually, Shane was successful in reaching a contractual agreement with his former partners, Guard, Reynolds, and Werber, to secure and license once again, the original name, "The Kingston Trio" (unencumbered by the adjective new), in 1976.(Blake et al. 1986.) Shane still owns the property today, 2006.
For a number of years in the 1980s Reynolds, one of the original three members, rejoined Shane.
In 2004 Shane retired from the group due to health problems. He was replaced by Bill Zorn, who had been with Shane in an iteration of the group called The New Kingston Trio; Zorn also has been a member of The Limeliters.
In 2005 Bobby Haworth (a one-time member of The Brothers Four) left the group to be replaced by Rick Dougherty, who also had been a member of The Limeliters.
As of 2006, The Kingston Trio consisted of George Grove, Bill Zorn and Rick Dougherty.
in October 2017, Grove, Zorn, and Dougherty were replaced as the Trio by new licensees Reynolds and Marvin and their friend, Tim Gorelangton. In 2018, Josh Reynolds left the group and was replaced by Bob Haworth, who became a member of the band for the third time. At the end of 2018, Haworth left the group and was replaced by Don Marovich.
Children Of The Morning
The Kingston Trio Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's only a moment, yes, I know. Children of the morning told me so.
Burn with the fire, make it bright. Lost within the space of outer sight.
One lonely flame against the night. Children of the morning, make it light.
Worn by a voice upon the breeze, glistened by the waters rollin' free.
Hidden in the color of a tree. Children of the morning, it is thee.
Stand upon the mountain, it is done. Watch them at the cross roads as they come.
(Repeat first verse)
The lyrics to The Kingston Trio's song "Children Of The Morning" speak to the power of the natural world and the role that humans play within it. The song opens with an invitation to join in the celebration of life, to dance in a circular motion that mirrors the cyclical nature of the earth. The circle is eternal, moving at a slow pace as time shifts around it. The lyrics acknowledge that this moment, this dance, will not last forever, but that it is only one moment in a vast and complex system. The chorus reinforces the idea that the natural world speaks to us, and that we are part of a larger community of beings. The children of the morning, those who wake with the dawn and greet each day with open hearts, have much to teach us. They offer a vision of hope and renewal that comes with each new day.
The second verse of the song speaks to the idea that the earth is alive, and that humans have a role to play in keeping the flame of life burning bright. The image of a lone flame against the darkness highlights the importance of each individual in sustaining life. The chorus reinforces this idea, as the children of the morning are encouraged to make their light, to let their energy and enthusiasm shine out for all to see. The song speaks to the idea that we are all part of a larger ecosystem, and that our actions have consequences. The final verse of the song speaks to the power of unity, and the role that we play in creating the world we want to live in. We are called to stand on the mountain and witness the movement of life around us, to watch as others come to join us in our celebration. The song reminds us that we are all children of the morning, and that we all have something to offer.
Line by Line Meaning
Dance to the circle, watch it grow. Turning like forever, movin' slow.
Join in the celebration and see it expand. It rotates tirelessly and gradually.
It's only a moment, yes, I know. Children of the morning told me so.
Although it feels brief, it will come to pass, as the wise ones proclaim.
Burn with the fire, make it bright. Lost within the space of outer sight.
Aim to ignite with intensity, revealing one's true illuminating nature, unobservable by the naked eye.
One lonely flame against the night. Children of the morning, make it light.
In the darkness, only one source of light exists, so the Morning Children should brighten the world.
Worn by a voice upon the breeze, glistened by the waters rollin' free.
Heard in the wind's whisper, illuminated by the light of water's fluidity.
Hidden in the color of a tree. Children of the morning, it is thee.
Stowed in the essence of a tree's hue. You, the children of the morning, embody it.
Stand upon the mountain, it is done. Watch them at the crossroads as they come.
Overcome all obstacles, the mission is accomplished. Watch and greet others as they arrive at the intersection.
Blinded by another winter's sun. Children of the morning, you have won.
Despite the sun's bright glare, you, children of the morning, have emerged as a winner.
(Repeat first verse)
Reiterate the first verse.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: JOHN STEWART
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Donald Gehre
Truly beautiful, like the original cover for the album which is not pictured above. Stewart wrote many of the titles on this album, one of their last before "retiring" in June, 1967. Many of the hip musicians in Sausalito and the City dug the trio-and smoked a fair share of weed with them!
Alex Telfer
TIMELESS AND ELOQUENT!
Charlie Kucharski
I believe this was penned by John Stewart and I love those songs of the later Kingston Trio a couple years before they broke up. They were really clicking at this time but music was taking different turns about this time. Wish more people could have heard these later songs. Thanks to You Tube we can still hear them.
SeldomSeenSlim Fat
Great John Stewart song. Quite possibly the first 'psychedelic' song paving the way to the whole psychedelic era.
Motto Panukeiku
This is a complete rip off of the Folksmen song “Children of the Sun”. Makes me so mad.