I think it might be more interesting and perhaps more informative to continue this discussion by focussing on actual influence. My point about Banua, Tom Dooley, etc. is that almost everyone ALREADY knew those songs, from camp, from school, etc. and most importantly from the singing of other performers, like Pete, Burl, Weavers, etc. You say Kingston Trio influenced the most people. While I agree they did sell a lot of albums, what do you mean by influence? How were all these people influenced, and to do what? I don't see any real influence at all. Did they affect or alter the world of folk music, or change the development of folk music? I don't think so, I think they just capitalized on a popular form of presentation of traditional, or folk, song. The folk trio was/is no more a development or change than the folk quartet or duo or solo perfomer model. Harmony was nothing new, their guitar styles were not at all innovative. They just sang the songs many of us already new, familiar songs, in a not too offensive way as far as the public was concerned, absolutely useless, worthless, as far as I was concerned, though an ice breaker at a party, or good for a sing along at the bar, which is how they began. I didn't like them then, and have not been interested in hearing them again in later years. Does anyone know how their reissue cd sales are going? I'd be surprised if the numbers are anywhere near the Tom Dooley figures. ANd those millions of albums languish in library sale bins at 25 cents each. That one song, Tom Dooley, was responsible for the album sale. They were at the right place at the right time, just when albums were becoming a more popular format. Prior to that the single 78 or 45 was the norm, people didn't warm up to lps until the late 50s, when more people bought better turntables, the price differential between singles and albums made them attractive, more disposable income was available, radio airplay, transistor radios and payola, all of these factors influenced the record buying public to say, 'I could by the single for a dollar, or the album for 4 dollars, I know the other songs on the album, why not buy it?'. The influence was not the other way around. I don't think KT influenced folk music, but they did cross- over into the POP music charts. Cross-over does not mean influence, it just means more sales. They were an easy listening alternative to rock and roll and rhythym and blues, and 'Folk Songs Sing Along' with Mitch, Limeliters, etc. all jumped on the cash cow the KT were milking. But to be an influence there has to be measurable change, and the KT did not affect any real change in American folk music in my opinion. If you were into folk music you were into folk music, and listening to field recordings, Frank Proffit, etc. If you enjoyed an art song you listened to JJ Niles or Richard Dyer-Bennett, Harry Belafonte, etc. People bought the KT album because they knew and liked the songs already, and it was an easy listening experience, I don't think it was teenagers who bought that recording, but parents. I don't recall, but I might be wrong, them WRITING any song that has come into the 'tradition'. The Beatles influenced american music, changed american music. The Kingston Trio did not. Bob Dylan did. The Limeliters did not. Pete Seeger did. Peter Paul and Mary did not. Johnny Cash did. Elvis did. Judy Collins, Joan Baez did not. This is not to say they didn't influence individuals. They did, but they didn't alter or change or modify the music. They just added their interpretation to the tradition. So I would say this is stilll an open question, though perhaps not an answerable one. I would vote for the Weavers, who did get americans singing together, and maybe more importantly Pete's banjo instruction album. The banjo might have not persisted in american music without that album. That is influence. volume of sales is not by definition influence, it is popularity, which implies acceptance, not change, but something familiar. Change is slow and usually resisted at first. Pete's banjo album was bought by people who would learn to play well enough to pick along at a hootenanny (yes there were such things!) and people got to like the sound. Fingerpicking guitar was picked up by a few and people liked the sound. The 3 chord pop song meant anyone could pick up an electric or acoustic guitar and play well enough to sing along with. These all influenced the music and the culture. KT were just doing it and were promoted well, rode the wave, put out way too many albums that were just re-issues of the same songs, or live, and then were replaced by the next new big thing. No influence. Just popularity.