I became a Kingston Trio fan the first time I heard The KT Live at the HUNGRY I album when I was 10 years old. The Kingston Trio were the Beatles before the Beatles. The late 1950’s and early 1960’s saw KTmania and I am glad I was a part of it.

Musical lightning has struck four times in my life. By that, I mean I have only encountered four musical acts (individuals or musical groups) who I knew when I bought an album I would like every song on it. They are Frank Sinatra, The Beatles, The Beach Boys and most of all The Kingston Trio.

I remember our first record player. It was a combination TV set and record player which my parents and older brother played 78’s or 45’s on. I used to listen to records by such artists as Frank Sinatra, the Mills Brothers, Johnny Raye, Rosemary Clooney, Bill Haley and the Comets, show tunes, Elvis and any record I could find that my parents or brother had purchased. None of them were of my choosing. They were just in the cabinet and I liked listening to music. Enter the Kingston Trio at the HUNGRY I. I suppose my brother brought that album home but I never remember him listening to it. When I heard Nick, Dave and Bob nothing had ever affected me like that before. I could sit for hours and just listen to the songs and their banter over and over again and never tire of it.

We got a new Magnavox Hi Fidelity record player not long after that and I can remember the excitement of it being delivered and opening the large box it came in. All I could think of was how my new AT LARGE album was going to sound on it. Funny thing is that I can remember where I was or nearly every circumstance in my life when a new Kingston Trio album was released. Prior to the Kingston Trio, people listened primarily to old 78’s or 45 records but the Trio ushered in the album phenomena. In those days not only was the record itself important but so was the album cover. I loved every album cover the Kingston Trio released and I still enjoy them today. They were the epitome of "cool" and I always wanted to dress and look like them when I was young.

All three members were heroes to me. I admired them all for different reasons but I took a special interest in Dave Guard because he was the banjo player. Thanks to Dave, I learned to play a banjo which is something I have always appreciated and been grateful to him for. I’m sure many of you remember the groups who performed in your local towns and school assemblies who were Kingston Trio wannabes. Maybe you were part of one of them. Many of us probably still tinker with our banjos and guitars to this day and others like Lindsey Buckingham or John Stewart are professional musicians and writers because of that influence. In fact, the influence of the Kingston Trio probably goes farther than any of us imagine. According to Tony Trischka, who is one of the finest banjo player/instructors (taught Bela Fleck) in the United States today, John Lennon’s first musical instrument was the 5 string banjo. There is a story floating about that Bob Shane made his way backstage at a Beatle Concert and found himself in the dressing room of John Lennon and Paul McCartney. Supposedly, when he introduced himself (thinking they would never know who he was) they began to rattle off various Kingston Trio songs in two part harmony. Although John Lennon is not here to confirm it, I suspect Dave Guard had something to do with that first 5 string banjo and that the Trio collectively along with other artists influenced the harmonies the Beatles became famous for. Like the rest of you, I was shocked when Dave Guard left the group. Funny thing, I was angry but didn’t know whom to be mad at. Some how I suspected Bob Shane.

In my estimation John Stewart was either extremely gutsy or too young and foolish to know any better than to try and take Dave Guard’s place. Looking back now, every banjo player in America probably wanted that gig and he was the lucky one who got it. While I’ve never been a fan of John’s voice, I am a fan of John. I have always admired his humor and obvious talent as both a songwriter and musician and I think he added a lot to the group. I also think technically he was a better banjo player than Dave, but I still like Guard’s banjo style and voice more. I continued to follow the Trio and still listened intently; however, the surf craze had just begun and the British invasion was just around the corner.

I was swallowed up by Beatlemania and from what I gather so were some of the Trio. In all honesty, I broke away from the group and after they split in 1967 I paid very little attention to their whereabouts. In 1980, I noticed they were playing in my community but for various reasons I was unable to attend the concert. Bob Shane was the only original in the group and I had never heard of George Grove or Roger Gambill. To this day, I know very little about Roger except that he was a very talented fellow, a good guy and very popular amongst many KT fans.

For the next fifteen years I lost track of the Kingston Trio and never even knew that Dave Guard was sick or had passed away. I had all but given up folk music and was listening to either rock or the oldies such as Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr. I had long since sold my banjo and guitar. Then in 1996, my wife suggested we go to a Bluegrass Festival and when I heard Ron Block of Alison Kraus and the Union Station play the 5 string banjo all my old feelings began to stir. I decided to go back to my roots and where my whole appreciation of music began and that was the Kingston Trio. I looked up the Trio on the Internet and learned that Nick had rejoined the group and that Dave had died of cancer a few years earlier.

I began to go to the used record stores and purchase all the old albums. I realized how much I had missed them and how much of an impact they had made on my life and my deep appreciation for music. I was so moved that I sat down and wrote a letter to the President of the United States and asked him if he would please honor the Trio with the Kennedy Center Award because I felt they had made such a big contribution to my generation. I found Nick Reynolds and mailed a copy of that letter to him and it wasn’t but a few weeks later that Nick’s wife called me and thanked me for writing President Cliniton that letter. I told her then and I’ll say it again now that it was a small thing to do in return for all the many hours of enjoyment the Trio has given me and that I love them for it. I have been writing letters to Vice Presidents, Senators, Congressmen and members of the Kennedy Center ever since to try and convince them that the Trio should get this award and I urge you to do the same now and in the future. When Leslie Reynolds called me I thanked her and asked if she thought it was possible that I could meet the guys sometime and she told me she would arrange it.

The Kingston Trio had an unfortunate incident in the early days. Like many musicians who fly a lot, they nearly met a tragic end in a private aircraft (I think in route to a Notre Dame Concert). The pilot who saved them that night later became ill and died of a brain tumor. The Trio did a benefit concert in his honor. My uncle had been a very good friend of this man and somehow arranged for me to meet the KT. At the age of twelve this was a dream but unfortunately I came down with a severe case of the flu and was unable to attend the concert that night. The KT was kind enough to send home a 7Up promotional 45 record personalized and signed for me instead. So when Leslie Reynolds told me she could arrange an opportunity for me to meet Nick and Bob some 35 years later I was thrilled.

That opportunity came a few months later in Jackpot, Nevada. In case you’ve never been to Jackpot, there literally are only about three buildings in the town and it was built to service the gamblers who come from Idaho and especially Twin Falls, Idaho. It has a very nice casino if gambling is your thing and I don’t think I’ve ever been to any other venue where the Kingston Trio is better than in Jackpot.

Sorry for the digression, now back to the story. I can’t tell you the excitement I felt during my drive to Jackpot. I didn’t know what to expect. I hadn’t seen Nick Reynolds or Bob Shane in 30 years. I had no idea what they would even look like. Although it wasn’t realistic, I still pictured them as the guys on all those record album covers that I had admired when I was young. I can still recall sitting on the front row of this small show room. The curtain was down but I could hear them tuning up behind the curtain. The anticipation was huge and then exactly at 8 pm the curtain went up and there was Nick, Bob and George two feet away from me. I was seeing the Kingston Trio in person for the first time in my life. There they were! My childhood heroes singing "Hard Ain’t It Hard". Definitely much older, they sounded great! Nick’s opening joke about how old the audience looked was hilarious. Of course he knew we were all thinking the same of them. After the show Paul Gabrielson took me back stage and I found myself alone with Bob Shane and Nick Reynolds. I was awe struck. Here I was in a dressing room with Nick and Bob and I didn’t know what to say. I blurted out that I was the guy "who wrote the president". To this day I’m not sure if they even knew about that but it was a good opening line. They were both very nice. Nick, who was anxious to escape, left shortly thereafter for a night cap and some sleep. I was astonished how friendly Bob was. When I mentioned the benefit concert some 35 years earlier he quite clearly remembered that night and in a very sincere and quiet voice said, "That was when Dave was with us". If ever I had any hard feelings for Bob Shane regarding Dave Guard they instantly left the moment he said that.

With respect to Dave Guard, I think it is more than time for anyone out there who harbors any feelings about the breakup to let them go. Nobody admires Dave Guard more than I do but in all fairness, Dave left Bob and Nick high and dry because he was hell bent on going in a different direction. Objectively speaking, I can see all sides now. Dave saw the future coming and could see that they would have to change and grow as musicians if they were to endure. Bob and Nick saw the past and thought they were doing something right. Afterall, they had been making hit records, receiving grammies and making money. In retrospect, I think Dave made a big mistake but I still admire him greatly and hope that he is in good company wherever he may be. Too much has been made of the split and I give much credit to Nick and Bob for not making public displays about it. They just grew apart. As Forrest Gump once said, "shit happens". So get over it.

I left Jackpot satisfied that I had both seen and met the Kingston Trio or at least two thirds of the Trio. I didn’t meet George Grove but with that stupid attitude so many of us have, I thought, no biggie, he wasn’t an original. I felt my KT journey was over and I drove home. I continued to play the albums but not with as much vigor as before. A few months later I was in another used record shop when I saw LIVE AT THE CRAZY HORSE. I thought what the heck, I’ll buy it. I was astonished. CRAZY HORSE nearly had the same affect on me as the HUNGRY I had had when I was a young boy. WOW!!! What an album! And what a banjo!

Enlightened, I couldn’t wait for another opportunity to see them. Over the past five years I have seen the KT perform over 30 shows in nearly 12 different venues. I have traveled to Jackpot every year for the past five years and to the Crazy Horse (both the new and the old locations). There have been many memorable nights and there have been a few magical ones too. The most magical was the first time I saw them at the Crazy Horse Saloon. It was like a party. The room was full of people who had known them for along time. They sounded great and they were pure fun. It also was the last time I ever saw Nick Reynolds. For some reason I thought that it might be and that is why I traveled almost a thousand miles to see them that night.

Speaking of Nick Reynolds, the reason I care so much about Nick is his enthusiasm. If you listen carefully to all the old records you will always hear Nick cheerleading the group. Whether it’s "hit it", "one more time", or any other comment, he’s always directing the group’s energy and he’s always having fun. Nick also has sung some remarkable songs over the years. It would probably surprise Nick, but my favorite song he ever did was "The Wanderer" on HERE WE GO AGAIN. There are just so many Nick Reynolds classics such as "Hobo’s Lullaby" and "If There’s One More Town" that it’s hard to mention them all and this story is already long enough. If I had to sum up Nick Reynolds in a song for posterity’s sake I would point out either "This Little Light Of Mine" or "Tom Dooley". If you listen carefully to "This Little Light Of Mine" you hear him having a ball and cheerleading at his best. His harmonies in "Tom Dooley" make it the song that it is. Thank you Nick for everything and I hope retirement is good to you.

I first met George Grove at the Crazy Horse Saloon and I have been his fan ever since. The banjo bible is a book titled MASTERS OF THE 5 STRING BANJO written by Pete Wernick and Tony Trischka. In a reference to a legendary banjo player by the name of Snuffy Jenkins (page 6), they are talking about his back and forth style from strumming, 3 finger picking and claw hammering (frailing to some) "with finger picks on". One of the band members makes a comment that "you’re playing to the musicians when you can do that". That sums it all up about George Grove’s banjo style. Like Snuffy Jenkins, George is all over the banjo from strumming to 3 finger picking to frailing and with finger picks on! I’ve seen many legendary banjo players over the past 5 or 6 years but it is George’s style that really gets me. Anyone who does not take George seriously or thinks he doesn’t weigh in as heavily as past members is sadly mistaken. If you should read this George please forgive me for not paying you enough respect because "you weren’t an original". Next to Bob Shane, George Grove has been the longest enduring member of the KT.

I have seen the New Trio with Bobby Haworth perform at least a half dozen shows and I am happy to say that they are rapidly becoming one of the best Trios of all time. (Read my Las Vegas Review on the KT Website under "reviews". ) Bobby H. I think you’re awesome and while I miss Nick, I don’t think a better replacement could have been found. Thank you for what you are bringing to the Trio. You’re doing a splendid job and you really have found your sea legs. You were nothing short of spectacular in Las Vegas. Something I think people don't realize is that not only are George and Bobby H. members of the KT, but they are fans of the KT too.

And finally, a few thoughts about Bob Shane. I admire and appreciate Bob Shane for keeping the KT alive for all us fans. There is so much that could be said about Bob’s voice and it has been said a million times. I’m convinced that Bob as a solo singer could have been in the category of Sinatra and others; but that was not his style. While I could listen to Bob sing "Scotch and Soda" a thousand times (and I probably have), my favorite Bob Shane song is "Try To Remember". There aren’t words to describe how I feel about that song and the way he did it. To Bob I say thank you and I am pulling for you to reach your goal of 50 years in show business. If I’m not mistaken that will take place in the year 2007. I plan to be there.

So where does my KT journey take me next? I hope everywhere. As long as they want to perform I want to support them and I hope you all will too. I am happy to hear from any of you. My email is: robertandassoc2004@yahoo.com

 

HOME	MESSAGE BOARDS	COMMENT & GUESTBOOK	READ, LOOK & LISTEN
DISCOGRAPHY	LYRICS PAGES	PICK-O'-THE-WEEK	FANS' PHOTO GALLERY
SITES OF RELATED INTEREST	MUSIC MART