Tom Dooley

[The Brucester]

BTW when Leonard Cohen talked about The Kingston Trio song "Tom Dooley" (who was sentenced to hang)
I remember saying to Leonard (at Beautys Restaurant)....

"There must've been a knock on Tom Dooley's prison cell an hour before his hanging. The warden asked....
=> "Who shall I say is calling? " (Leonard laughed: hahaha....what a memory that was)

Great Forum, Jarkko....and thank you, again, for keeping the flame burning !!!

- Brucester (Montreal, QC, Canada)


***This post and three more have been split from the magazine cover thread, to keep it on topic / Jarkko***

[vlcoats]

BTW when Leonard Cohen talked about The Kingston Trio song "Tom Dooley" (who was sentenced to hang)
I remember saying to Leonard (at Beautys Restaurant)....

"There must've been a knock on Tom Dooley's prison cell an hour before his hanging. The warden asked....
=> "Who shall I say is calling? " (Leonard laughed: hahaha....what a memory that was)

I have always loved Tom Dooley. It was one of my dad's favorite songs and one he would sing in the car along with Strawberry Roan and a few others. Thank you for sharing the connection between Tom Dooley and Leonard. It made my evening.
Vickie
edited for typo...

[The Brucester]

You're very welcome, Vickie.
Thank you for your post.

Leonard Cohen was very much influenced by the Folk Music he listened to back in the late 50's (+ early 60's).
The Kingston Trio were the top album sellers of that time, having 5 of their LPs reach the #1 spot here in Canada as well as the United States.
(the Kingstons inspired other folk groups such as Peter, Paul & Mary, etc...)

For "ol' times sake"... and for your enjoyment, here's The Kingston Trio singing "Tom Dooley" on
Milton Berle's popular American TV show (1958) :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3zdE8bliGI

>>> ENCORE SELECTION <<<

"The Escape of Old John Webb" ~ from the LP: "String Along with The Kingston Trio" (1960) :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMJSWWvBdzA

ENJOY !!!

- Brucester (Montreal, QC, Canada)

[vlcoats]

Thank you Brucester! All of this has me thinking of my dad's other favorites... The Limeliters and Roger Miller. One of the biggest regrets I have over not discovering Leonard until after he was already gone is that I was never able to ask my dad if he ever listened to him. Dad was a little younger than Leonard, but I like to think he would have appreciated his music and style.
Vickie

[The Brucester]

Thanks for your post, Vickie. Much appreciated.

Your Dad sounds like a great guy and I have no doubt whatsoever he would have appreciated the songs of Leonard Cohen: style + substance ~~~> most definitely !!!
I also like The Limeliters and Roger Miller

AND...AND...AND...

Since your Dad was a Kingston Trio fan, I would like to dedicate these 2 songs to him.
Both are sung as a solo by Bob Shane, who is now 85 years of age, and the last surviving member The Kingston Trio :

<> "It Was A Very Good Year" (1961) re-posted for better sound:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjtUclZjUkk

(LP cover: Bob Shane + Dave Guard + Nick Reynolds)

<> "Try To Remember" (1968)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tnbt3NwomHo

- Brucester (Montreal, QC, Canada)

[The Brucester]

THE KINGSTON TRIO's co-founder and last surviving member of the "original" folk-singing group,
passed away on January 26th, 2020. He was 85. (complications from pneumonia)

BOB SHANE (1934-2020)

As discussed on this forum, LEONARD COHEN was a fan of THE KINGSTON TRIO, and Leonard sang
some lyrics to their hit "Tom Dooley" at 'Beauty's Restaurant' when we sat together at the counter.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3zdE8bliGI

re above vid: BOB SHANE (banjo player + lead vocal)
NICK REYNOLDS (does the song's intro) + DAVE GUARD ("poor boy- a well-a")

=> "Tom Dooley" - TV show "Kraft Music Hall (1958) - hosted by Milton Berle

AND...AND...AND...

BOB SHANE singing "Scotch & Soda" (his signature song, Feb 3, 2018) - Final Performance:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kn2NFuMC5GQ

ps: LEONARD COHEN used to sing KINGSTON TRIO songs to his campers back in the late
50's and early 60's when he was at Camp B'nai B'rith. (Laurentians, Montreal, Quebec)

At the time, THE KINGSTON TRIO had five #1 albums on Billboard's Top Selling Records Chart.

Brucester