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.
Early In The Mornin’
The Kingston Trio Lyrics
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Told me I was born early in the morn.
[Chorus:]
When you lift your eyes and see the sun a-risin' on the far horizon early in the mornin'.
It was early in the day when I set out to roam. Went to seek my fortune far away from home.
I set out to roam far away from home.
[Chorus]
But today when I awoke I missed my darlin' so. Gotta have her by my side forever more I know.
[Chorus]
So tomorrow I'll be leavin' at the break of day. Gonna hurry to my love and there I'll always stay.
At the break of day. There I'll always stay.
[Chorus]
The Kingston Trio's song, "Early in the Mornin'" is a simple yet emotionally evocative song that tells the story of a man who was born at sunrise and who sets out to find his fortune, but eventually returns home to be with his love. The song opens with the singer recounting his grandfather's words that he was born "as the sun was comin' up early in the morn." That moment set the tone for the singer's life journey. He then sets out to seek his fortune "far away from home." However, the final verse of the song reveals that despite his travels, the singer returns home, realizing that he needs his "darlin'" by his side forever more. The song ends with the singer planning to head back to his love at sunrise the next day.
The song's lyrics reflect a bittersweet nostalgia, a longing for a time and place that can never be revisited. The singer's journey seems to have brought him closer to the era of his birth ("early in the mornin'"), making him reflect on what he had left behind. The song's message is a reminder that there is no place like home, and that no amount of wandering can replace the comfort and love of a familiar place and face.
Line by Line Meaning
I remember Grandpa telling me that I was born as the sun was comin' up early in the morn.
Grandpa told me that I was born early in the morning when the sun was rising.
Told me I was born early in the morn.
Grandpa told me that I was born early in the morning.
When you lift your eyes and see the sun a-risin' on the far horizon early in the mornin'.
When you look towards the horizon and see the sun rising early in the morning.
It was early in the day when I set out to roam. Went to seek my fortune far away from home.
I left early in the morning to seek my fortune far away from home.
I set out to roam far away from home.
I left home to go on a journey far away.
But today when I awoke I missed my darlin' so. Gotta have her by my side forever more I know.
When I woke up this morning, I realized how much I missed my sweetheart and I know I need her by my side forever.
Need my darlin' so. Evermore I know.
I know I need my sweetheart by my side forever.
So tomorrow I'll be leavin' at the break of day. Gonna hurry to my love and there I'll always stay.
Tomorrow I will leave at dawn and rush to my love, where I will stay forever.
At the break of day. There I'll always stay.
I will leave at dawn and stay with my love forever.
[Chorus:] When you lift your eyes and see the sun a-risin' on the far horizon early in the mornin'.
When you look towards the horizon and see the sun rising early in the morning.
Lyrics © EMI Music Publishing
Written by: BARRY MANN, CYNTHIA WEIL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind