On the first post in this thread: very enlightening. The idea that they were a "corporate Folk group" makes a lot of sense.

I encountered the Kingston Trio when my brother came home from Stanford with an album. I loved their sound. They had great harmony. I was 7 or 8.

Now, listening, It seems clear to me that someone familiar with choir music, maybe barbershop, planned their numbers and they actually practiced.

It is an odd concept today, a small group of clean shaven, happy young guys who make excellent music and have no agenda or pharmaceutical entanglements.

When the Monkees appeared, I learned that they weren't a garage band or a few friends that somewho got together and did gigs. They were a corporate project: the Directors (during a game of golf I imagine) realized that with the Beatles there was this hearty gold mine and decided to direct some lackeys to go find some teenagers who could carry a tune and hold a guitar and sign 'em up. The concept was ~revolting~ to me.

But on reflection, the Kingston Trio could be thought of as a small choir. There's nothing wrong with somebody organizing a choir/orchestra and putting on concerts, charging for tickets, giving value for value, getting their peeps to learn numbers and attend practices. The peeps aren't the owners of the choir, and from my experience in choirs, have ~zero~ creative control. Still we love their music.