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.
Road to Freedom
The Kingston Trio Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That we walked long before
Many years ago
And we'll walk a hundred more
And we're comin' one by one
You didn't see us two by two
Every time you turn around
So we'll sing it long and proud
So everyone will know
That the road to freedom is a long
Long way to go
Turn and look out over there
Just as far as you can see
There are many more
Who have died for liberty
And we're comin' one by one
You didn't see us two by two
Every time you turn around
Another's comin' through
So we'll sing it long and proud
So everyone will know
That the road to freedom is a long
Long way to go
The Kingston Trio's song "Road to Freedom" is an anthem of the Civil Rights Movement that captures the resilience and determination of African American protesters as they fought for equal rights in the United States. The lyrics describe the arduous journey towards freedom, a road that has been traveled by generations of African Americans. The song draws on the imagery of walking, a powerful metaphor for progress and endurance that is central to African American spirituality.
The first verse of the song sets the tone for the rest of the lyrics as the singer declares their intention to walk the same road that their ancestors took "many years ago." This path towards freedom is not an easy one, but it is one that must be taken. The second verse emphasizes that the fight for freedom is a collective effort, with each generation carrying on the legacy of those who came before them. The line "you didn't see us two by two" speaks to the fact that progress is often made through individual contributions that add up to a collective movement. The chorus underscores the idea that the road to freedom is a long one, but one that is worth fighting for.
The final verse brings the song full circle, reminding listeners that the struggle for freedom is ongoing and that the sacrifices of those who have died for liberty must not be forgotten. The song ends on an optimistic note, with the singer declaring that they will continue to walk the road to freedom and that others will join them.
Overall, "Road to Freedom" is a moving tribute to the sacrifices and resilience of African Americans in their fight for civil rights. It is a reminder of the work that still needs to be done to achieve true equality and justice for all.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm gonna walk that road
I am determined to travel the same path as those who came before me
That we walked long before
The road I will be traveling on is one that has been used by others in the past
Many years ago
The journey that was once taken happened several years back
And we'll walk a hundred more
The path will be arduous but I will persevere and trudge along
And we're comin' one by one
We are individually making our way towards the destination
You didn't see us two by two
Unlike couples, we are making the journey alone
Every time you turn around
Whenever you look back, you will see more individuals following the same track
Another's comin' through
More people are arriving to join the journey
So we'll sing it long and proud
We will vociferously proclaim and commemorate our mission
So everyone will know
Our message will be spread out to the wider society
That the road to freedom is a long
The path we walk upon to achieve liberty is extensive and tiring
Long way to go
Our journey to freedom may take a significantly longer time
Turn and look out over there
Observe the surroundings and reflect upon it
Just as far as you can see
As far as the eyes can gaze, there are people who have fought for liberty
There are many more
There are innumerable people who have been victims in the fight for freedom
Who have died for liberty
These individuals have given up their lives for the cause of obtaining freedom
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BILLY WHEELER, JERRY LEIBER, MIKE STOLLER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Larry Talbott
This is one of many great songs that John Stewart wrote when he was with the Trio!
3Pitous
#16(the river album) is one of their best albums.
rey knudson
ANOTHER GREAT SONG THAT I STILL LOVE! THANKS FOR SHARING IT! R.K.2/24/2021.
Robert Lane
We need this song today!
Everyone
The new theme for remeberence day
Robert Lane
When I first heard this song, as a pre-teen, I didn't get the message. Boy, do I get it now!
Glory
For sure Now Robert !!!
Andy Coe
I agree with Robert and "formwiz.": I heard this song when it first came out in 1962 on the Kingston Trio #16 album...loved it then and love it now.
Everyone
The new rememberence day theme
formwiz
The Trio wrote this song in hopes it would become the anthem of the civil rights movement instead of We Shall Overcome. This is the better song, as it talks about freedom and sacrifice, rather than pitting one group of people against another.