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Kingston Trio Founder Nick Reynolds Dies

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SAN DIEGO - Nick Reynolds, a founding member of the Kingston Trio who jump-started the revival folk scene of the late 1950s and paved the way for artists such as Bob Dylan and Joan Baez, has died. He was 75.

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Reynolds had been hospitalized with acute respiratory disease and other illnesses, and died Wednesday in San Diego after his family took him off life support, said son Joshua Reynolds.

"Dad was so happy he turned people onto music in a way that people could really approach it, in a simple and honest way," Josh Reynolds told The Associated Press. "He was a very gracious and loving performer. He was a devoted family man."

The Kingston Trio's version of the 19th century folk song "Tom Dooley" landed the group a No. 1 spot on the charts in 1958, and launched the band's career.

Born on July 27, 1933, in San Diego, Nicholas Reynolds demonstrated an early love of music and did sing-alongs with his two sisters and their Navy captain-father, who taught him to play guitar.

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'Tom Dooley'

'Lonesome Traveler'

He graduated from Coronado High School in 1951 and attended the University of Arizona and San Diego State University before attending Menlo College, a business school near Palo Alto. He graduated from Menlo in 1956.

It was during the mid-1950s that Nicholas Reynolds met Bob Shane, who introduced him to Stanford student Dave Guard. Guard and Shane knew each other from playing music in Guard's native Hawaii. The three formed the Kingston Trio.

In 1958, "Tom Dooley" earned Reynolds, Guard and Shane a trophy for best country and western performance at the first Grammys. The group, defined by tight harmonies and a clean-cut style, went on to win a Grammy the next year for best folk performance for its album "The Kingston Trio At Large."

Later member John Stewart joined the group in 1961, replacing Guard. Stewart died in January, also in San Diego.

After leaving the Kingston Trio in 1967, Reynolds moved to Oregon, where he stayed until the 1980s and took a break from music to raise his family, his son said.

Reynolds moved back to California in the mid-1980s and rejoined Stewart for one album. In 1991, Reynolds rejoined Shane in a reconstituted version of the Trio. He remained with the group until retiring in 2003, his son said.

Reynolds is survived by his wife Leslie, sons Joshua and John Pike Reynolds, daughters Annie Reynolds Moore and Jennifer Reynolds, and his two sisters.

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. Active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.

2008-10-02 21:19:41

Christopher Peterson, BuzzFoto / FilmMagic

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FastSuperBurrito

02:32 AMJan 07 2009

"The Merry Little Minuet" ? "Some Fool Made A Soldier Of Me" ?these are not protest songs? are you sure?

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Endgame1a1

12:20 AMOct 06 2008

Deriverbluff 04:20 PMOct 05 2008 Obviously "HltKnxhlt" has the Kingston Trio confused with another group! They did not do "protest" songs! They still have some CDs out if he or she wants to hear some good music from the 50's. Been there, done that!Actually they did. But "where have all the Flowers gone" is about as edgy as it got with them. Stewart wanted to do a lot more in the protest vein, but couldn't quite make it happen with Nick and Bob.

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I r marcus

12:14 AMOct 06 2008

The first music that I remember making a mark in my soul was Tom Doolie, I was ten years old and heard it in a bar in Rome Italy, it was 1963, the next day I saw John Kennedy give a speech at the embassy. It all seems so surreal of hope and good will, art and music and goodwill. Hope every youngster can get away from the tube, the computer, and themselves to feel involved in the saga of their own lives.

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Djl2

08:50 PMOct 06 2008

For more on Nick, The Kingston Trio, and all esle related, visit "Kingston Crossroads," where the fans gather.

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Pilotken9

05:52 PMOct 05 2008

Nick, Oh how the world love the music you inspired us with. Shady Grove with Dave and Bob and you has been in my soul for fifty years. I'VE BEEN TO THE EAST AND I'VE BEEN TO THE WEST, BEEN THIS WHOLE WORLD ROUND, BEEN TO THE RIVER AND I'VE BEEN BAPTIZED, THIS WILL BE MY BURRYING GROUND.

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GLNIOL

05:45 PMOct 05 2008

The Kingston Trio were the best. I personally saw the original group in 58-59 at a live performance at the University of Michigan. They brought the house down. To this day I still love and admire them. They were very talented and played good music with real words and meaning. Not like music of today.

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Andy4150

04:52 PMOct 05 2008

The Kingston Trio were the reson I learned to play guitar and banjo. Folk music at the time (1959-1965)was a breath of fresh air in a rock dominated top 40 market. The sound was clean different,easy to listen to an so easy to play and sing. You didn't need amplification and was the main staple at many a beach party on Cape Cod growing up. Thank you Nick, John, Dave and Bob for giving me so much enjoyment inspiration and a way to make a career in entertainment Your sound must Never Die. Jam with Dave and John now RIP. Let your Sound never die. I hope your Jamming with John and Dave in Heaven.

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Always49

04:41 PMOct 05 2008

I saw them in Concert way back when they still looked like college kids and then again after they reunited and were grandfathers and Nick spent the night sitting on a stool while he plucked that banjo because he had just had a hip replacement and do you know what? The music was just as good then as it was some 35 years before. Rest in peace Nick.

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Deriverbluff

04:20 PMOct 05 2008

Obviously "HltKnxhlt" has the Kingston Trio confused with another group! They did not do "protest" songs! They still have some CDs out if he or she wants to hear some good music from the 50's. Been there, done that!

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AutumnWriter

03:13 PMOct 05 2008

He hasa passed on but the music he helped create certainly has not--and won't. RIP.

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