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.
Jasmine
The Kingston Trio Lyrics
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And oh, here comes I′ll find you my friend,
Where roses and canyons and night bloomin' Jasmine still grow,
And oh, here come those songs once again, and oh, here I go,
And oh, here come those longings again,
Where roses and canyons and night bloomin′ Jasmine still grow,
I told you... and oh, here I go,
And oh, here come those sidewalks again, and oh, here I go,
And oh, here come those long walks my friend,
Where roses and canyons and night bloomin' Jasmine still grow,
And oh, here come those highways again, and oh, here I go,
And oh, here comes I'll find you again,
Where roses and canyons and night bloomin′ Jasmine still grow,
Where roses and canyons and night bloomin′ Jasmine still grow
The Kingston Trio's song "Jasmine" is a nostalgic and introspective track about memories of a past friendship and the longing to reconnect with that person. The singer acknowledges that every time he hits the road, he thinks of his friend and wonders where he can find him again. The reference to roses, canyons, and night blooming jasmine is a symbol of a place where time seemed to stand still, a place where the two friends used to spend time together. Their location may have been some sort of sanctuary or hideaway.
The lyrics are emotional, and the feeling of excitement mixed with uncertainty can be felt throughout the song. The singer seems to be searching for a connection or a sense of belonging that may have been lost. The mention of "long walks" hints at the fact that the friends may have forged their bond through exploring the natural beauty of their surroundings. The line "And oh, here come those songs once again" indicates that certain tunes may have triggered memories or emotions related to the friendship.
Overall, "Jasmine" is a beautiful and introspective tune about friendship and the search for something special that may be lost but not forgotten.
Line by Line Meaning
And oh, here go those highways again, and oh, here I go,
I am travelling on the highways once again, and I am embarking on a new journey.
And oh, here comes I'll find you my friend,
I am confident that I will find my friend once again.
Where roses and canyons and night bloomin' Jasmine still grow,
I am going to a place where nature still thrives and blooms, even at night.
And oh, here come those songs once again, and oh, here I go,
The songs that I have heard before are now playing again, and I am leaving to experience them anew.
And oh, here come those longings again,
My desires and aspirations are resurfacing once more.
Along time ago, I found you and so,
I have known you for a long time and this gives me comfort.
I told you... and oh, here I go,
I already shared my thoughts with you previously, and now I am leaving.
And oh, here come those sidewalks again, and oh, here I go,
I am walking on the sidewalks once more, and I am ready to move forward.
And oh, here come those long walks my friend,
We are going to take long walks together again, my friend.
And oh, here comes I'll find you again,
I am confident that I will find you again in this place.
Where roses and canyons and night bloomin′ Jasmine still grow,
I am going to a place where nature is still alive and vibrant, and even the Jasmine blooms at night.
Writer(s): John Stewart
Contributed by Jordyn V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.