KINGSTON TRIO, THE: WHEREVER WE MAY GO (TV)
Summary
This documentary tells the history of Dave Guard, Bob
Shane, and Nick Reynolds -- better known as the 1950s
and '60s American folk rock group The Kingston Trio.
Comedian Ronnie Schell opens by discussing how the Trio
brought folk music to the masses and how they were the
"Beatles of their time." The group's biographer,
William J. Bush, talks about how, without Shane, there
would never have been a Bob Dylan. Beach Boys member
Al Jardine discusses how "Sloop John B" was directly
influenced by the Trio's music. Bush further discusses
how many hit records the group had for Capitol Records.
Then, the band's first hit, "Tom Dooley," is discussed
by notables such as Tom Smothers, as clips show the
song being performed. Schell then discusses how the
Trio became friends and formed the group. Reynolds
discusses the first time he met Shane. Next, clips show
an early performance of "The Tijuana Jail" and the
group's early adaptation of "world music" as seen in a
performance of "El Matador." Then, Schell discusses the
"beatnik era" in San Francisco during the late 1950s and
early 1960s and how this informed the Trio during that
time. Clips show performances of "Shady Grove" and
"Lonesome Traveler." Then, Bush discusses the "fourth
member" of the Trio, Frank Werber, the group's manager.
Next, the group's effect on college-aged crowds is
detailed as a performance of "M.T.A." -- a rail on a new
rail tax -- is shown. Josh Reynolds, Nick's son, then
discusses the group's avoidance of politics in its music
and how their appeal led to commercials for 7 Up in
which they appeared with Buster Keaton. Next, the
program details the group's influence on a generation as
banjo and guitar sales skyrocketed and "Ivy league
fashions" exploded. Shane talks about the vast numbers
of colleges his group played in its early days and how
this formed a fan base which still exists today as clips
show a performance of "Raspberries, Strawberries."
Next, Bush talks about how the frequent performances
led to stress between the group as they bickered in
figuring out what direction they should head. Next, the
program tells how Guard left the group over musical
direction disputes and how he was eventually replaced by
John Stewart of The Cumberland Three. Clips show a
Stewart-featured Trio performance of "Little Light."
Next, the program details how the new incarnation of the
group and their success lead to a zany 1962 sitcom pilot
"Young Men in a Hurry." Then, the program discusses
Guard's life and career after leaving the group, in
which he moved to Australia and eventually had his own
TV show called "Dave's Place." Next, clips show a
performance of the Trio's "most requested" song, "Scotch
& Soda." Then, the program details the group being
asked to play for the much-maligned President Lyndon
Johnson as clips show a performance of "Where Have All
the Flowers Gone." Next, Shane and Stewart detail what
happened to the group after the Beatles reached
prominence in America before eventually deciding to
"hang it up" in 1967, as shown in a clip from "The Andy
Williams Show." Then, the program details each
members' activities after the Trio disbanded: Stewart
discusses trying to forge his own solo career; Reynolds
details moving to Oregon with his son; and Shane talks
about forming The New Kingston Trio. Then, the program
details the 1981 reunion concert on public television
which reunited the original Trio, along with Stewart, as
clips show their performance of "Hard, Ain't It Hard"
and "Greenback Dollar." Afterward, Jardine further
discusses the importance of "Sloop John B" as clips are
shown of its performance at the reunion concert. The
program addresses Guard's final days and his ultimate
reconciliation with the rest of the Trio as well as the
how the Trio lives on in their current incarnation
featuring George Grove, Bill Zorn, and Rick Dougherty.
A clip shows them singing "All of the Hard Days Are
Gone." Finally, Bush discusses the Trio's continuing
influence on today's musicians. This program is
closed-captioned.
Cataloging of this program was made possible by the
Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
Details
- NETWORK: PBS
- DATE: November 30, 2005
- RUNNING TIME: 0:59:29
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:91205
- GENRE: Public affairs/Documentaries
- SUBJECT HEADING: Music, popular (songs, etc.)
- SERIES RUN: PBS - TV, 2006
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- JoAnn Young … Executive Producer
- Jim Scalem … Executive Producer
- Dan Schaarschmidt … Coordinating Producer
- Paul Surratt … Producer
- Ian Marshall … Associate Producer
- Beach Boys, The
- The Beatles
- William J. Bush
- Cumberland Three, The
- Rick Dougherty
- Bob Dylan
- George Grove
- Dave Guard
- Al Jardine
- Lyndon B. Johnson
- Buster Keaton
- Kingston Trio, The
- New Kingston Trio, The
- Josh Reynolds
- Nick Reynolds
- Ronnie Schell
- Bob Shane
- Tom Smothers
- John Stewart
- Frank Werber
- Andy Williams
- Bill Zorn