Tom Dooley – The Kingston Trio

“Tom Dooley” is a folk song that gained widespread popularity in the 1950s, particularly through the rendition by The Kingston Trio. The song tells the true story of Tom Dula (pronounced “Dooley”), a Confederate veteran from North Carolina who was convicted and hanged for the murder of his fiancée Laura Foster in the 1860s. The murder trial and execution became infamous in American folklore.

The Kingston Trio, a prominent folk group consisting of Dave Guard, Bob Shane, and Nick Reynolds, recorded “Tom Dooley” in 1958. Their version features a distinctive three-part harmony and acoustic instrumentation, contributing to the folk revival movement of the time. The song was a massive commercial success, reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1958.

The popularity of “Tom Dooley” not only helped establish The Kingston Trio as leading figures in the folk music revival but also contributed to a renewed interest in traditional folk songs. The success of this single propelled The Kingston Trio to fame, and they went on to release several more albums, becoming one of the best-selling and influential folk groups of the era. The song remains a classic example of the folk revival movement in the late 1950s and early 1960s.

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