The Kingston Trio
Fans of legendary folk icons The Kingston Trio can re-discover their timeless music all over again. In celebration of 60-plus years of music, the iconic folk group performs their best-loved songs as part of the ‘Keep The Music Playing’ national tour. All three current members, Mike Marvin, Tim Gorelangton and Don Marovich, have intrinsic links to the original group: Mike is the “adopted son” of founding member Nick Reynolds, who was also his musical mentor; Tim, a friend of John Stewart since he was in his early twenties, is one of the few musicians outside the Trio who has recorded with Nick Reynolds; and Buddy Woodward, a highly regarded musician who has worked with former Trio member George Grove.
The Kingston Trio was one of the most prominent groups of the era's pop-folk boom that started in 1958 with the release of their first album and its hit recording of "Tom Dooley", which sold over three million copies as a single.
Cited as an influence by recording artists as musically and generationally diverse as Bob Dylan, Crosby, Stills & Nash and The Eagles to comedian and banjo player Steve Martin to contemporary artists such as the multi-Grammy® nominated Mumford & Sons and The Avett Brothers, The Kingston Trio occupies a unique, preeminent position in American musical history.
The Trio released 19 albums that made Billboard's Top 100, 14 of which ranked in the top 10, and five of which hit the number 1 spot. Four of the group's LPs charted among the 10 top-selling albums for five weeks in November and December 1959, a record unmatched for more than 50 years, and the group still ranks in the all-time lists of many of Billboard's cumulative charts, including those for most weeks with a number 1 album, most total weeks charting an album, most number 1 albums, most consecutive number 1 albums, and most top ten albums.
THE KINGSTON TRIO began with Nick Reynolds, Bob Shane and Dave Guard in 1955… Home base: San Francisco.
The three founded what turned out to be the most influential music band to emerge from the 1950’s, only to be
outdone by The Beatles. With talent and tenacity, they rose to become the undisputed kings of an acoustic musical
genre that exploded onto the American scene, and still exists today!
They were never actually folksingers but more a musical and vocal group that performed a variety of styles.
Audiences worldwide agreed. Recently, the Kingston Trio received the “Grand Grammy” of all Grammys: The
Lifetime Achievement Award. Reserved for those select few who have attained spectacular success in the music
business over an extended career, this honor places the Trio among a heady pantheon of names like Frank Sinatra,
Charlie Parker and The Beatles.
With their signature-striped shirts, banjos, bongos, guitars and charismatic personalities, they became the biggest
singing and recording act of their time.
Fans of legendary folk icons The Kingston Trio now have an opportunity to re-discover their timeless music as part
of the national “Keep the Music Playing” tour which celebrates the group’s more than 60 years of entertaining
audiences everywhere with performances of many of the Trio’s best-loved songs.
All three current members, Mike Marvin, Tim Gorelangton and Don Marovich have intrinsic links to and experience
with the original group: Mike, the “adopted son” of Nick Reynolds, grew up at the knee of the Kingston Trio
founding member, who was his life-long musical mentor; Tim, a close friend since boyhood, is one of the few
musicians outside the Trio who has recorded with Nick Reynolds; and Don Marovich who has performed with the
Trio and who plays the guitar, banjo and mandolin.
Many of their personal memories recall the iconic trio’s performances and journey as folk music made its
extraordinary ascent to the pinnacle of popular culture – and the top of the music charts.
