Mark Wakeman: Memory of Kingston Trio is special

In November of 1958, when I was 11 years old, something happened that I was unaware of at the time, but would later prove to be a major factor in determining the path my life would take.

The event was a song called “Tom Dooley,” and it was a #1 hit on the charts for an unknown group of three young men who called themselves The Kingston Trio. They became the forerunners of a type of music that had no classification of its own at the time, but would quickly became known as folk music. The Trio broke the ground for all who would follow them, such as Peter, Paul, and Mary, Joan Baez and Bob Dylan. Their songs were an eclectic mix of traditional Americana, love songs, with a dash of Jamaican calypso tossed in, hence the ” Kingston. ”

They would introduce songs that would later be sung by others, such as “Sloop John B.” (Beach Boys ), “It Was a Very Good Year” ( Frank Sinatra ) and “Wimoweh,” originally written in Zulu, and morphed into “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” (The Tokens ). “Where Have All the Flowers Gone,” written by Pete Seeger, was the first anti-war song to become popular, with it’s message of life, love, war, and death returning at the end to life once again. Peter, Paul, and Mary sang it on their first album released in 1962, which was a #1 for five weeks.

Dave Guard, one of the original members, left in 1961 and was replaced by John Stewart. The Trio continued to appear live and record more albums until 1967, when the fad was becoming less popular and they retired. Different groups have formed and performed under the licensed name The Kingston Trio, playing the old songs to an aging audience, but still worth listening to.

In 1960, a friend of my older brother, David, became interested in playing guitar and singing folk music. His parents bought him a guitar, and he and my brother would sing and play after school frequently. I, too, wanted to play and sing, but not with David and Wade, his friend.

Christmas, 1961, I was given a $13 four-string guitar, which I taught myself to play, with the help of some song books.

In 1967, I was given a Martin D-18 from a well-to-do friend, and I have been playing it ever since, which, finally brings me to the point, when:

In 1990, In Munich, Germany, I walked into a club for open mike night, and this woman looked up at me, covered in snow. and said, ” Do you know how to play that, or do you just carry it around for looks”, ha-ha-ha. Of course, she thought I was German, and wouldn’t understand her, so she was quite surprised when I laughed and said, ” What do you want to hear, smarty?”

This was how I met my late wife, Connie, who passed away in December of 2015, after 25 great years of marriage.

Dave Guard died in 1991, and Nick Reynolds, also one of the original three, passed away in 2008, as did John Stewart, Guard’s replacement.

Bob Shane, the last surviving member of the Trio, left us a few days ago, at age 85. He, and his companions were instrumental ( ha-ha ) in me walking in the door with my guitar. Without their influence on Wade, David, and I, I never would have had met my beloved wife.

So, Good-bye, Bob, and thank you for the music, and the effect you and Dave, Nick, and John, have had on the world. And on me.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Mark Wakeman, a 1965 graduate of Wayland High School, is an occasional contributor to the Townbroadcast.