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.
Home from the Hill
The Kingston Trio Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Home with his loved one, never to part. Close to his loved one. Home in her heart.
The hill is the distant horizon where the end of a rainbow lies.
He searched for a dream and discovered it was waiting for him in his lover's eyes.
Home is the hunter. Home from the hill. Home is the dreamer; safe in the arms of his love nevermore to roam.
He's home. He's home.
(Interlude)
Home is the hunter. Home from the hill. Home is the dreamer; safe in the arms of his love nevermore to roam.
He's home. He's home.
The Kingston Trio’s “Home From The Hill” speaks of the journey of a hunter searching for a dream or a better future, and finally finding it in the comforting and loving arms of his beloved. The opening verse is a reference to the thrill of the hunt and the adventurous spirit of a hunter. The moments of quiet reflection and contemplation while searching for his dreams have directed his course in life towards the horizon, where the end of a rainbow lies. It is where he expects to find his reward for his hard work and dedication.
However, the hunter discovers that his dream is not located at the end of the rainbow, but it is waiting for him in the familiar, comforting arms of his lover. The hill, which was once the direction of his dreams, now seems like a distant memory. The repetition of the line “Home is the hunter. Home from the hill. Home is the dreamer” reveals that the hunter was searching all along for a place to call home, and found it with his loved one. The song emphasizes the message that, even after pursuing one's dreams, one's heart's desire may be what was expected of a home.
“Home From The Hill” is not just a love song but a message for anyone who sets out to achieve their dreams that all along they could have been close to their desire. The track offers a message of hope that one's recurring dream only requires reaching out for it, and it may already be within reach. The song offers a life lesson to its listeners to cherish the significant others in their lives and never take their love for granted.
Line by Line Meaning
Home is the hunter. Home from the hill.
Returning from his journey, the adventurous seeker has come back to his origins.
Home is the dreamer. Home from the hill.
The imaginative one has returned from his wanderings, full of inspiration and contemplation.
Home with his loved one, never to part.
Together in love, they will never be separated again.
Close to his loved one. Home in her heart.
He is always in her heart, and she in his.
The hill is the distant horizon where the end of a rainbow lies.
The hill represents an elusive goal, the terminus of a search where great fulfillment can be found.
He searched for a dream and discovered it was waiting for him in his lover's eyes.
The singer searched for meaning and purpose in the world, and found it in the love of his partner.
He's home. He's home.
He has found what he was looking for, and is now content and at peace.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BRONISLAW KAPER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Damian North
I was raised on the trio
I love this song so much
Paul Sweet
Thanks for posting this lovely song. I had some vague memories of it, but was beginning to wonder if this song was just a figment of my imagination.
murry cohen
Overproduced.....too much orchestra
Dustin Taylor
AS one grows older home become s more than just a place. Sometimes you can go home again.
rte66byhd
seldom heard. thanks for posting it
SHAWN HARMON
MY FAMILY IS KINGSTON FAMILY POLYGAMIST UTAH ON LIFETIME CHANNEL MY FATHER DENNIS ROSS HARMON BRIDGE GUY KILLER OF ABBY AND LIBBY WONDER IF WE ARE RELATED MY GRANDFATHER WAS FROM SACRAMENTO CALIFORNIA