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.
Mark Twain
The Kingston Trio Lyrics
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I'd hobnob with them southern belles and ev'ry roustabout. I'd listen to them paddle wheels and hear the leadsman shout!
Chorus:
Mark Twain, it's two fathoms deep below. Mark Twain, heave the gang plank. Start the show.
Mark Twain, play those banjos as we go down the Mississippi, 'round the Gulf of Mexico.
There were gamblers, crooks and fakers and a minstrel man who'd dance. A singin' gal, Simone Lamour, imported straight from France.
(Chorus)
The calliope is quiet now. The rudder's thick with rust. The main deck and the paddle wheels are covered high with dust.
But granddad's in his glory, still standin' on the bow. A halo 'round his pilot's cap and I can hear him now.
(Chorus)
The Kingston Trio's song "Mark Twain" is a tribute to the era of the showboat and river pilots who navigated the Mississippi River. The lyrics paint a picture of a time long gone, as the singer recalls his grandfather's stories of being a river pilot on a showboat called The Stage. The singer's grandfather describes a time of excitement and adventure, hobnobbing with southern belles and listening to the paddle wheels and leadsman shout as they navigated the river. The chorus repeats the phrase "Mark Twain," which was a call used by river pilots to indicate that the water was two fathoms deep, and to heave the gangplank and start the show.
The lyrics of "Mark Twain" describe a time of entertainment and wonder, where showboats brought joy and excitement to the towns along the Mississippi River. The song celebrates the spirit of adventure and the love of travel, embodied by the river pilots who lived and worked on The Stage. The calliope, an important part of showboat music, is described as now quiet, and the rudder and paddle wheels are covered in rust and dust. However, the singer's grandfather is still remembered fondly, standing on the bow with his haloed pilot's cap, a reminder of a time long gone but still cherished.
Line by Line Meaning
My granddad used to tell me, 'Boy, when I was just your age, I was a river pilot on a showboat called The Stage.'
My grandfather would share stories about his youth, where he once worked as a river pilot on a showboat named The Stage, and he would say these stories to me from when he was my age.
I'd hobnob with them southern belles and ev'ry roustabout. I'd listen to them paddle wheels and hear the leadsman shout!
As a river pilot, my grandfather socialized with southern women and everyone who worked on the boat. He would enjoy the noise and sounds that came from the paddle wheels and the leadsman shouting directions.
Mark Twain, it's two fathoms deep below. Mark Twain, heave the gang plank. Start the show. Mark Twain, play those banjos as we go down the Mississippi, 'round the Gulf of Mexico.
Mark Twain, who inspired the pen name of Samuel Clemens, was a term riverboat pilots used to indicate that the water was two fathoms, which is the minimum depth a boat needs. The chorus mentions life on the riverboat where performers would play instruments and passengers would board as they journeyed down the Mississippi River and through the Gulf of Mexico.
There were gamblers, crooks and fakers and a minstrel man who'd dance. A singin' gal, Simone Lamour, imported straight from France.
On this showboat a collection of people worked, including gamblers, con men, and performers. One of these performers was Simone Lamour, an imported singer from France who would sing and dance.
It was a floatin' palace, boy, that showboat called The Stage, and granddad was the king of it when he was just my age.
The Stage was the embodiment of luxury, a showboat with ornate architecture that my grandfather navigated. He played an integral role, being the one to steer the ship as a river pilot, and it held a special place in his heart when he was young, which he'd tell me about.
The calliope is quiet now. The rudder's thick with rust. The main deck and the paddle wheels are covered high with dust.
Now that The Stage is abandoned, and no longer used, its once-spirited atmosphere is gone. The calliope, rudder, paddle wheels, and other parts show that neglect has taken its toll on the boat.
But granddad's in his glory, still standin' on the bow. A halo 'round his pilot's cap and I can hear him now.
While The Stage may no longer be in use, my grandfather, now a memory, remains a prominent figure in my mind. I can envision him standing at the front of the boat with his pilot's cap and a sense of pride, and I can still hear his voice recounting the tales from his past.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: HARRY BELAFONTE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind