The Folksay Trio with Erik Darling, Bob Carey and Roger Sprung on Asch/Stinson was the first group to popularize Tom Dooley. The KT appropriated the song from them although they either denied that they did or didn't know that they did.

Erik Darling was responsible for a lot of the folk pop group sounds that you heard in those days. No one knew about it though which is typical.

I think the Folksay Trio may have easilly been one of the first aside from the Weavers and the Priority Ramblers or the Almanac Singers to bring the folk group from out of obscurity.

The Gateway Singers were another. Jerry Walter, Elmer Lee Thomas and others including Travis Edmonsen.