Folk Music Groups of the 60’s You Need to Know About
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The 60’s was a time of great music. Many folk music groups were formed during this time. Here are some of the best that you should know about.
The Weavers
The Weavers were a folk music group who gained popularity in the 1950s and continued performing until the early 1960s. The group was founded by Pete Seeger, Lee Hays, and Ronnie Gilbert. The Weavers’s repertoire included folk standards, songs written by members of the group, and contemporary pop songs. The group’s sound was a blend of Seeger’s banjo and Hays’s guitar, with the voices of all four members harmonizing.
Formed in the late 1940’s
Folk music groups were very popular in the 1960s. The Weavers were one of the most popular and successful of these groups. Formed in the late 1940’s, the group’s original members were Lee Hays, Fred Hellerman, Ronnie Gilbert, and Pete Seeger. The Weavers became known for their renditions of traditional folk songs, as well as for their left-wing political views. They were blacklisted during the McCarthy era, but continued to perform and record together until 1963. The group was influential in reviving interest in folk music, and their music is still enjoyed by many today.
Known for their anti-folk songs
The Weavers were an American folk music quartet based in the Greenwich Village area of New York City. They are known for their traditional pop hits “On Top of Old Smokey” and “Glow Worm”, as well as for their left-leaning political views. The group was formed in 1948 by Ronnie Gilbert, Lee Hays, Fred Hellerman, and Pete Seeger.
Peter, Paul, and Mary
Peter, Paul, and Mary were an American folk music group formed in New York City in 1961. The group was composed of singer-songwriters Peter Yarrow, Paul Stookey, and Mary Travers. The group’s recordings include their debut album, Peter, Paul and Mary (1962), which included the singles “If I Had a Hammer” and “Lemon Tree”. The group won several Grammy Awards throughout their career, including Best Folk Performance and Best Folk Album.
Formed in the early 1960’s
Peter, Paul, and Mary was an American folk music group formed in the early 1960’s. The trio consisted of Peter Yarrow, Paul Stookey, and Mary Travers. The group’s debut album, Peter, Paul and Mary, was released in 1962.
The group was very successful during the 1960’s and 1970’s, releasing a number of best-selling albums and singles. Some of their most popular songs include “Blowin’ in the Wind”, “The Times They Are a-Changin'”, “Puff the Magic Dragon”, “Leaving on a Jet Plane”, and “If I Had a Hammer (The Hammer Song)”.
In addition to their musical success, Peter, Paul, and Mary were also known for their political activism. They were outspoken supporters of the Civil Rights movement and protesters against the Vietnam War. In 1963, they performed at the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, where Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech.
In 1970, the group was awarded the Grammy Award for Best Folk Performance for their album Together. They were also inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999 and the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2006.
Known for their protest songs
Peter, Paul and Mary was an American folk music group formed in New York City in 1961, during the American folk music revival phenomenon. The trio was composed of tenor Peter Yarrow, baritone Noel “Paul” Stookey and contralto Mary Travers. The group’s recording of Don McLean’s “The Times They Are a-Changin'” reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart in 1964 and was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Performance by a Vocal Group. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in October 1997.
The Kingston Trio
The Kingston Trio was a folk music group of the 60’s that rose to popularity with their self-titled debut album, released in 1958. The album included such hits as “Tom Dooley” and “M.T.A.”, which helped the group become one of the most popular folk music groups of their time.
Formed in the late 1950’s
The Kingston Trio was one of the most popular folk music groups of the late 1950’s and early 1960’s. The group was formed in 1957 by Bob Shane, Nick Reynolds, and Dave Guard, who were all students at Menlo-Atherton High School in Atherton, California. The trio first gained popularity with their live performances at The Purple Onion, a club in San Francisco.
The group’s signature sound was a mix of Shane’s lead vocals and acoustic guitar, Reynolds’ harmony vocals and electric guitar, and Guard’s baritone vocals and bass. The trio were adept at performing a wide range of music, including traditional folk songs, contemporary pop songs, and even humorous novelty songs.
The Kingston Trio released their self-titled debut album in 1958, which included their signature song “Tom Dooley.” The album was a massive commercial success, reaching #2 on the Billboard 200 chart. The group went on to release several more successful albums throughout the late 1950’s and early 1960’s, cementing their status as one of the most popular folk music groups of the era.
Known for their covers of popular songs
The Kingston Trio was one of the most successful and influential folk music groups of the 1960s. The trio was composed of Nick Reynolds, Bob Shane, and Dave Guard. They were known for their close harmonies and their covers of popular songs.
The Kingston Trio rose to prominence in the late 1950s with their debut album, Here We Go Again. The album featured covers of popular songs such as “Tom Dooley” and “MTA.” The trio’s popularity continued to grow in the early 1960s with the release of albums such as Folk Songs fromtheongs fromthe Mountainand At Large. The group’s popularity began to wane in the mid-1960s, but they remained a successful touring act until Guard’s retirement in 1967.
The Kingston Trio was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999 and the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2000.
The Byrds
The Byrds were a folk rock band that formed in Los Angeles, California in 1964. The band is considered one of the most influential groups of the 1960s. They released a total of 12 albums, with their most famous being The Byrds (1965). The band members were Roger McGuinn, Chris Hillman, David Crosby, Michael Clarke, and Gram Parsons.
Formed in the early 1960’s
The Byrds were one of the most influential folk music groups of the 60’s. Formed in the early 1960’s, the group was made up of Roger McGuinn, Gene Clark, David Crosby, and Chris Hillman. The Byrds are best known for their hit single “Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is a Season),” which was released in 1965. The song peaked at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and helped to launch the folk rock genre.
Known for their country-rock sound
The Byrds were one of the most popular folk rock groups of the 1960s. The band was formed in Los Angeles, California in 1964 by Roger McGuinn, Gene Clark, David Crosby, and Chris Hillman. They are best known for their signature sound which blended country and rock music. The Byrds released their debut album Mr. Tambourine Man in 1965 and it quickly became a hit, reaching #1 on the Billboard charts. The album included the title track as well as the singles “All I Really Want to Do” and “I’ll Feel a Whole Lot Better”.
The group continued to release successful albums throughout the 1960s including Younger Than Yesterday (1967) and The Notorious Byrd Brothers (1968). The Byrds were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1991.
