The Kingston Trio
An influential part of America's folk revival, the Kingston Trio was formed in San Francisco in 1957 and were popular in the late '50s. The group consisted of Bob Shane (b. 1 February 1934, Hilo, Hawaii), Nick Reynolds (b. 27 July 1933, Coronado, California, USA) and Dave Guard (b. 19 October 1934, San Francisco, California, USA, d. 22 March 1991). The Kingston Trio had limited singles successes and are most often remembered for Tom Dooley which reached number 5 in the UK charts, and number 1 in the US chart in 1958. The song, written by Guard, was based on an old folk tune, from the 1800s called Tom Dula. THE KINGSTON TRIO, from which Tom Dooley came, also reached number 1 in the US. The group had a line of successful albums in 1959, with From The Hungry i, a live recording, reaching number 2, and THE KINGSTON TRIO AT LARGE, and HERE WE GO AGAIN both achieving top placings. Further chart-toppers followed with SOLD OUT, and STRING ALONG. Their fresh harmonies and boyish enthusiasm endeared the trio to an America suspicious of the genre's New Left sympathies, but in the process paved the way for a generation of more committed performers. Guard was replaced by John Stewart (b. 5 September 1939, San Diego, California, USA) in May 1961, having left to pursue a solo career and form the Whiskeyhill Singers. CLOSE-UP was the first release featuring Stewart, who had previously been with the Cumberland Three, and it reached number 3 in the US charts. San Miguel, the follow-up to Tom Dooley, only just managed to reach the Top 30 in the UK the following year. The Reverend Mr Black achieved a Top 10 placing in the US chart in 1963. The line-up with Stewart continued until 1967. 
Shane later re-formed the group, as the New Kingston Trio, with Roger Gamble and George Grove. The group continued to enjoy widespread popularity and their output, if stylistically moribund, was certainly prolific. However, the success of more exciting folk and folk-rock acts rendered them increasingly old-fashioned, and the Trio was disbanded in 1968. A group reunion was hosted on television, by Tom Smothers in 1981, when all six members were brought together for the first time. Stewart went on to achieve a cult following as a soloist, and continues to record and perform. In 1987 the Trio was on the road again, with Shane, Grove, and new member, Bob Haworth.