Folk Trios Trivia Quiz

Answer: The Kingston Trio

All of these songs but "Flowers" appeared on the group's 1958 debut album, "The Kingston Trio."

The original trio was composed of Dave Guard, Nick Reynolds, and Bob Shane.

Although Dave Guard is listed as the lyricist on "Scotch and Soda," the group has never been able to find out who the original lyricist was, since the parents of Tom Seaver, a friend of the trio's, had first heard the tune in 1932.

Incidentally, The Weavers were actually a quartet, not a trio.

Answer: The Mitchell Trio

After ten "Chad Mitchell Trio" albums were recorded with Chad in the group, Denver replaced him for two albums under the name, Mitchell Trio, in '65. The first was "That's the Way It's Gonna Be" and the second was "Violets of Dawn." In 1967, Denver and Kobluk were joined by David Boise for an album named "Alive!", which turned out to be the "original" Mitchell Trio's final recording. Two "reunion" albums were recorded in 1994 and 1997.

Answer: The Limeliters

Joining Yarbrough were Lou Gottlieb and Alex Hassilev. The group disbanded in 1965, as Yarbrough began a solo career with such hits as "Baby the Rain Must Fall." In 1981 Hassilev and Gottlieb reformed the group by adding Red Grammer.

Answer: Peter, Paul, and Mary

One of the biggest names in folk music, the trio made up of Peter Yarrow, Paul Stookey, and Mary Travers got together in 1961 and sang as a group until 1970. They then reformed as a group in 1978 and continued touring and recording albums until Mary passed away in 2009.

Answer: The Springfields

The original members of The Springfields were Mary O'Brien, her brother Dion, and Tim Feild. Dion then took the stage name Tom Springfield and Mary took the name Dusty Springfield, with which she would undertake her solo career.

Answer: The Browns

"The Three Bells" was the story of "Little Jimmy Brown," which coincidentally was the same name as the male singer of the Browns, Jim Ed Brown. He and sisters Maxine and Bonnie were from Pine Bluff, Arkansas. The Whites, who were active in the '80s, were composed of Buck White and daughters Sharon and Sheryl.

The Carter Family recorded from 1927 to 1956 and were originally composed of A.P. Delaney Carter, his wife Sara, and his sister-in-law Maybelle Addington Carter. Maybelle also sang later with her daughters Anita, June (who married Johnny Cash), and Helen. Lonestar is a male quartet who began singing together in 1992.

Answer: Chad Mitchell Trio

The original Chad Mitchell Trio was formed in 1959 by Chad Mitchell, Mike Kobluk, and Mike Pugh. Mitchell was from Portland, Oregon, Kobluk was from Trail, BC, Canada, and Pugh was from Pasco, Washington. After two albums, Joe Frazier, from Lebanon, Pennsylvania, replaced Pugh, and the group recorded eight albums between 1961 and 1965.

Answer: M.T.A.

The song was related to fare increases on Boston's Metropolitan Transit Authority of the Forties and Fifties. In those days fare increases were applied as passengers left the train, rather than when they boarded. Poor Charlie was unable to pay such a fare increase and thus could not get off the train.

The song was written in 1949 in support of the candidacy for mayor of Boston on the part of Progressive Party candidate Walter A. O'Brien.

Answer: The John Birch Society

"The John Birch Society" as recorded by the Chad Mitchell Trio, was written by Michael Brown. Another song on the same subject was written and recorded by Bob Dylan the same year. That song is called "Talkin' John Birch Paranoid Blues", and was the first Dylan song to be published.

Answer: Blowin' in the Wind

"Blowin' in the Wind" was written by Dylan in 1962 and released in 1963 on an album called "The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan." Thus the Chad Mitchell Trio had recorded the song before Dylan. Also in Dylan's "Freewheelin'" recording session was "Talkin' John Birch Paranoia Blues," which did not make it on the released album, along with 23 other songs, including two other "talking blues" and "The Death of Emmit Till".