I have been a Kingston Trio fan for ages and ages. Bunnicula just came in to tell me he'd just now seen on CNN that John Stewart (Dave Guard's replacement) died at the age of 68 from a brain aneurysm. This sucks. This totally sucks.
I have a DVD called, "The Kingston Trio Story: Wherever We May Go". Bunnicula and I watched that over the course of a couple days a few weeks ago. It was wonderful to learn so much more that I hadn't known back in day when I was a young fan. We thoroughly enjoyed it and were so glad to immerse ourselves in that music again.
When John first joined the Kingston Trio, I wasn't sure if I would like "the usurper" (as I thought of him). I loved Dave Guard's voice and his witty repartee. I didn't know then why Dave Guard left, but I followed his career post-Kingston Trio and delighted in it. As to the Kingston Trio, I quickly learned to like John Stewart. Although his voice took some getting used to (a VERY heavy vibrato), he was an excellent songwriter and musician and his voice turned out to be a good blend with Nick's and Bob's.
I actually stopped following the Kingston Trio seriously when they were in that configuration, before a lot of other changes happened. Why that happened: I discovered Joan Baez and other "more authentic" folk musicians. But the Kingston Trio was like a first love. I never forgot them and kept all of their LPs (and I do still have them all). I eventually bought CD versions of several of the LPs also.
I know that John went on to have a very successful solo career of his own and that he wrote so many songs for others to record.
This is a sad day for folk music, for pop music, for rock and country. Such a talent. And such a good person, from what I have been reading.
Thank you for gracing our lives, John Stewart.
tired
sad