I, too, grew up on the Kingston Trio--and does anybody remember the Highwaymen, a four-man version of the same? They were the ones who did "Michael, Row the Boat Ashore," which probably most of us would be embarassed to sing now, but at the time it was the coolest thing on the radio. What finally pushed me over the edge to tradionalism was a barbershop festival I went to with my aunt, featuring four guys in black slacks, white shirts, black ties and powder-blue blazers, singing, "Hard Travelin'." When they got to the part about workin' in the Pittsbirg steel mills, I realized that they had probably had different life experiences than Woody Guthrie.

I recently played an old KT album for my teenage daughter, who grew up at the Hyde St. Pier chantey sings hearing fairly tradional versions of chanteys. She collaped in hysterics at their version of "Santianno." But ya gotta admit, they started it for us.

Oh, and "The Sloop John B" still sails regularly at Hyde St. Pier.