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Omaha Steve

(99,060 posts)
Wed Jan 29, 2020, 12:30 AM Jan 2020

Bob Shane, founding member of Kingston Trio, dead at 85

Source: AP

NEW YORK (AP) — Bob Shane, the last surviving original member of the popular folk group the Kingston Trio and the lead singer on its million-selling ballad “Tom Dooley” and many other hits, has died.

Shane died Sunday at a hospice in Phoenix, Arizona at age 85. Mike Marvin, a cousin and surrogate son of fellow Kingston Trio founder Nick Reynolds confirmed the death but did not immediately know the cause of death.

Shane, Reynolds and Dave Guard were performers in the San Francisco club circuit in the 1950s and broke through nationally in 1958 with their eponymous debut album, which featured “Tom Dooley,” an old standard inspired by a Confederate veteran’s conviction for murder. The song reached No. 1 on the Billboard pop charts, won a Grammy for best country and western song (no folk category existed) and helped launch the so-called folk revival, with other artists including Joan Baez; Peter, Paul and Mary; and, eventually, Bob Dylan.

Clean cut and amiable, they were criticized by some folk artists for being too slick and for avoiding political statements. But the Kingston Trio was one of the country’s top acts over the next few years. Five Kingston Trio albums topped the Billboard charts, with favorite songs including “Where Have All the Flowers Gone?,” “500 Miles,” “It Was a Very Good Year,” later recorded by Frank Sinatra, and “Sloop John B,” later a Beach Boys hit.



FILE - In this Jan. 31, 1967, file photo, members of the Kingston Trio, from left: Bob Shane, John Stewart and Nick Reynolds are pictured in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles. Shane, the last surviving original member of the popular folk group the Kingston Trio and the lead singer on its million-selling ballad “Tom Dooley” and many other hits, died Sunday, Jan. 26, 2020, in Phoenix. He was 85. (AP Photo/File)


Read more: https://apnews.com/0ee74b125330fa442c80544c0b8a50e2

26 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Bob Shane, founding member of Kingston Trio, dead at 85 (Original Post) Omaha Steve Jan 2020 OP
MTA elleng Jan 2020 #1
my personal favorite along with DeminPennswoods Jan 2020 #2
That was my first thought as well meadowlander Jan 2020 #11
Love MTA burrowowl Jan 2020 #13
A big part of the soundtrack to my childhood. Harker Jan 2020 #3
Aaaahhhhh man!!!! Olafjoy Jan 2020 #4
Mine too! n/t moonscape Jan 2020 #5
It was just going through my head as I scrolled ... IthinkThereforeIAM Jan 2020 #8
My whole family loved them. My aunt took a bunch OregonBlue Jan 2020 #21
They're all preserved in the musical DNA that's a huge part of who I am, now and forever. NBachers Jan 2020 #6
For me, too... Harker Jan 2020 #7
My 2 favs: "Merry Minuet" & "Three Jolly Coachmen" Grins Jan 2020 #9
The folk group I was in Crabby Appleton Jan 2020 #17
I met Bob once. Chipper Chat Jan 2020 #10
They actually were political: they recorded a campaign 45 for RFK in '64 nuxvomica Jan 2020 #12
Along with The Limelighters, I still love their music. They were witty and topical and singable... Hekate Jan 2020 #14
My favorite was their Christmas album, called Jane Austin Jan 2020 #15
I was born in 1949 and started playing guitar Crabby Appleton Jan 2020 #16
A couple'a more obscure ones. Minor key, Spanish themed. 3Hotdogs Jan 2020 #18
Dave Guard should be mentioned, also. 3Hotdogs Jan 2020 #19
Oh yes. Tracer Jan 2020 #20
Sad news. Here's a favorite ditty... cyberswede Jan 2020 #22
This message was self-deleted by its author softydog88 Jan 2020 #23
This message was self-deleted by its author geralmar Jan 2020 #24
Had many of their LPs back in the 1960s. Elwood P Dowd Jan 2020 #25
Still have most of their LPs, a boxed set, cassettes and CD's. SharonAnn Jan 2020 #26

Olafjoy

(937 posts)
4. Aaaahhhhh man!!!!
Wed Jan 29, 2020, 01:03 AM
Jan 2020

I loved the Kingston Trio. My favorite was “Lemon Tree”. Very pretty 😄🍋🍋🍋

IthinkThereforeIAM

(3,072 posts)
8. It was just going through my head as I scrolled ...
Wed Jan 29, 2020, 01:32 AM
Jan 2020

... my dad had an early 60's Kingston Trio album that I wore out. All of their hits.

OregonBlue

(7,744 posts)
21. My whole family loved them. My aunt took a bunch
Wed Jan 29, 2020, 11:25 AM
Jan 2020

of us cousins to Portland to see them and get albums signed when I was about 13. They were my heartthrobs back then.Lemon Tree was one of my favorites but MTA made us all laugh. Loved They call the Wind Mariah.

NBachers

(16,999 posts)
6. They're all preserved in the musical DNA that's a huge part of who I am, now and forever.
Wed Jan 29, 2020, 01:27 AM
Jan 2020

There's a constant tape loop of so many Kingston Trio songs playing at all times in my sub-conscious, ready to be pulled up whenever the circuit is thrown.

nuxvomica

(12,360 posts)
12. They actually were political: they recorded a campaign 45 for RFK in '64
Wed Jan 29, 2020, 04:09 AM
Jan 2020

When RFK was running for the Senate, my dad had the whole family working on his campaign and we distributed stacks of 45s with the trio singing "Robert Kennedy / Wait till November Three / That's gonna be a great day!"

Hekate

(90,189 posts)
14. Along with The Limelighters, I still love their music. They were witty and topical and singable...
Wed Jan 29, 2020, 04:28 AM
Jan 2020

RIP and thanks for the memories and the soundtrack of my youth.

Jane Austin

(9,199 posts)
15. My favorite was their Christmas album, called
Wed Jan 29, 2020, 04:42 AM
Jan 2020

Last Month of the Year.

It's wonderful and has some unusual Christmas songs.

They were the soundtrack to my youth, too.

Crabby Appleton

(5,231 posts)
16. I was born in 1949 and started playing guitar
Wed Jan 29, 2020, 07:20 AM
Jan 2020

In about '59, played in a folk group for a few years. As others have mentioned Kingston Trio provided the soundtrack of my youth. Thanks guys!

3Hotdogs

(12,207 posts)
18. A couple'a more obscure ones. Minor key, Spanish themed.
Wed Jan 29, 2020, 07:53 AM
Jan 2020

South Coast.

San Miguel.

I believe those are the titles.

And, The unfortunate Miss Bailey.

Response to Omaha Steve (Original post)

Response to Omaha Steve (Original post)

Elwood P Dowd

(11,443 posts)
25. Had many of their LPs back in the 1960s.
Wed Jan 29, 2020, 04:09 PM
Jan 2020

Saw them at a folk music concert back in the days they called it a "Hootenanny" (early 1960s). I think the only LP I have left is "The Best Of The Kingston Trio" on Capitol Records.

SharonAnn

(13,766 posts)
26. Still have most of their LPs, a boxed set, cassettes and CD's.
Wed Jan 29, 2020, 10:49 PM
Jan 2020

As you can guess, I’ve never outgrown my love for them.

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