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.
River
The Kingston Trio Lyrics
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Rollin' river, tell me, what do you see on your long, long journey from the mountains to the sea?
Do you sparkle in the sunshine? Does your rushing waters flow?
Rollin' river take me with you when you go.
I have been travelin' hard for such a long time, searchin' for something, something to call mine.
I can see your waters flashing and it's almost like a song. I can listen to your music all night long.
If my body's feelin' restless like your hurried waters flow,
When I'm longin' to go somewhere but I've got no where to go.
Pack my dreams up in my guitar case and sings these words I know,
Rollin' river take me with you when you go.
[Chorus: x3]
Rollin' river take me with you when you go.
The Kingston Trio's song "Rolling River" is a captivating tune about the journey of a river from its source in the mountains to the sea. The song's chorus invites the river to share what it has seen on its long, winding journey, asking if it sparkles in the sunlight and if its waters rush with vigor. The singer expresses a strong desire to join the river on its journey, seeking solace and belonging as he has been traveling for a long time, searching for something to call his own. The rhythm of the river, expressed through its rushing water and melodic music, captivates the singer and provides a source of inspiration.
The song has a powerful message about the passage of time and the need to seek something meaningful in our lives. It speaks to the restlessness and search for purpose that many of us feel, and the longing to be carried away by something larger than ourselves, like a rolling river. The river serves as a metaphor for life's journeys and the many different paths we might take. Tellingly, the singer asks the river to take him with it, suggesting a desire to relinquish control and allow oneself to be carried away by life's currents.
Line by Line Meaning
Rollin' river, tell me, what do you see on your long, long journey from the mountains to the sea?
The singer is asking the river what it sees throughout its long journey from its origin to its destination.
Do you sparkle in the sunshine? Does your rushing waters flow?
The singer is asking the river if its waters sparkle and flow rapidly.
Rollin' river take me with you when you go.
The singer wants the river to take them along its journey.
I have been travelin' hard for such a long time, searchin' for something, something to call mine.
The singer expresses their long journey of traveling and search for something to possess as their own.
I can see your waters flashing and it's almost like a song. I can listen to your music all night long.
The singer can see the sparkling water and enjoy listening to the sweet sound of the river.
If my body's feelin' restless like your hurried waters flow,
The singer connects their body's restlessness to the river's running water.
When I'm longin' to go somewhere but I've got no where to go.
The singer expresses a longing to go somewhere but having no destination in mind.
Pack my dreams up in my guitar case and sings these words I know,
The singer packs their dreams in their guitar and sings words they know.
Lyrics © MARGARD MUSIC
Written by: B. MACINTOSH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind