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Arts & Culture

The Kingston Trio Celebration

The Kingston Trio performs. Enjoy the groundbreaking folk group’s biggest hits on "The Kingston Trio Celebration."
Courtesy of Shari Belafonte
The Kingston Trio performs. Enjoy the groundbreaking folk group’s biggest hits on "The Kingston Trio Celebration."

Airs Saturday, Nov. 5, 2016 at 9 p.m. on KPBS TV

This program is part of our TV Membership Campaign. Support quality programming you depend on from KPBS. Give now!

In 1957, The Kingston TrioBob Shane, Nick Reynolds and Dave Guard—emerged from San Francisco’s North Beach club scene to take the country by storm, bringing the rich tradition of American folk music into the mainstream for the first time. During the late 50s and early 60s, the Trio enjoyed unprecedented record sales and worldwide fame, while influencing the musical tastes of a generation.

The Limeliters, Kingston Trio and Sana Christian perform on stage.
Courtesy of Shari Belafonte
The Limeliters, Kingston Trio and Sana Christian perform on stage.
Barry McGuire joins the Kingston Trio to perform the trio's hits and 1950s and ’60s chart toppers.
Courtesy of Shari Belafonte
Barry McGuire joins the Kingston Trio to perform the trio's hits and 1950s and ’60s chart toppers.
Josh Reynolds joins the group in performance.
Courtesy of Shari Belafonte
Josh Reynolds joins the group in performance.
Give $25 a month or $300 all at once and receive the Kingston Trio Combo: including the program DVD and CD, a “The Kingston Trio: Capitol Collector's Series” CD, and “The Kingston Trio: From the Hungry I” CD. This gift includes a KPBS License Plate Frame (if you're a new member). Also enjoy access to KPBS Passport and myKPBS Film Club. The program DVD or CD only are at the $120 level.
Courtesy of Forest Direct
Give $25 a month or $300 all at once and receive the Kingston Trio Combo: including the program DVD and CD, a “The Kingston Trio: Capitol Collector's Series” CD, and “The Kingston Trio: From the Hungry I” CD. This gift includes a KPBS License Plate Frame (if you're a new member). Also enjoy access to KPBS Passport and myKPBS Film Club. The program DVD or CD only are at the $120 level.

Through changing times and lineups, the Trio has played on, remaining popular for a simple reason — their timeless songs. And nearly 60 years after “Tom Dooley” shot to the top of the charts, today’s Trio is still on the road 30 weeks a year, bringing back all the great memories and making new ones.

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In June 2015, the current incarnation of The Kingston Trio—Bill Zorn, George Grove and Rick Dougherty—joined retired founding member Bob Shane in the shadow of the historic Capitol Records building where Bob, Nick and Dave first recorded together to perform a once-in-a-lifetime celebration of the group and its legacy.

The once and current Trio members were joined by musical contemporaries and artists influenced by the Trio’s groundbreaking sound and legends in their own right: Timothy B. Schmit of The Eagles, Al Jardine of The Beach Boys, Trini Lopez, Barry McGuire of the New Christy Minstrels, Sana Christian, and The Limeliters, along with Josh Reynolds, son of the late founding Trio member Nick Reynolds.

The resulting concert captures the gamut of emotions sparked by musical memories of not only the Trio’s greatest hits, but those of their friends and chart mates of the times.

Al Jardine leads the Trio on “Sloop John B,” and is later joined by Timothy B. Schmit for the gorgeous “Scarlet Ribbons,” first made a hit by Harry Belafonte. Trini Lopez wows the crowd with his version of Ritchie Valens’ Spanish language classic “La Bamba.”

The set list runs through the Grammy-winning group’s biggest songs, including the great folk classics “Raspberries, Strawberries,” “Reverend Mr. Black,” and “A Worried Man.” Fittingly, Bob Shane takes center stage for “Scotch And Soda,” the song second only to “Tom Dooley” in Kingston Trio lore.

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Josh Reynolds steps in for his father on the Trio’s hit “M.T.A.” And there isn’t an audience member unmoved by the sweet sounds of the whole group singing Pete Seeger’s “Where Have All the Flowers Gone.”

Performances of these songs and more celebrate the collective musical memories of a generation, and preserve the timeless tunes for years to come.

The Kingston Trio Celebration

"Enjoy the groundbreaking folk group’s biggest hits and more 1950s and ’60s chart toppers

“The Kingston Trio Celebration” features these performances:

  • “Tijuana Jail” - The Kingston Trio
  • “Chilly Winds” - The Kingston Trio with Sana Christian
  • “Lonesome Traveler” - The Limeliters
  • “Long Black Veil” - The Kingston Trio
  • “Reverend Mr. Black” - The Kingston Trio with The Limeliters and Sana Christian
  • “Sloop John B” - Al Jardine and The Kingston Trio
  • “Raspberries, Strawberries” - The Kingston Trio
  • “Genny Glenn” - The Kingston Trio
  • “Greenback Dollar” - The Kingston Trio with Barry McGuire
  • “La Bamba” - The Kingston Trio with Trini Lopez
  • “Scarlet Ribbons” - George Grove and Bill Zorn of the current Trio, Bob Shane, Al Jardine and Timothy B. Schmit
  • “Reuben James” - The Kingston Trio
  • “Tom Dooley” - The Kingston Trio with Bob Shane
  • “Scotch And Soda” - Bob Shane with George Grove
  • “M.T.A.” - The Kingston Trio with Josh Reynolds
  • “Where Have All the Flowers Gone?” - The Kingston Trio, Barry McGuire, Sana Christian, The Limeliters, Trini Lopez, Josh Reynolds and Henry Diltz
  • “A Worried Man” - The Kingston Trio

CREDITS:

Produced by: Terrel Cass Productions and Desert C.A.M. Studios/Winmill Productions. Executive producers: George Jensen and Barry Speyer. Producers: Terrel Cass and Chip Miller. Director: Chip Miller. Co-producer: Bobbie Childress.