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John Stewart (musician)

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John Stewart (September 5, 1939 – January 19, 2008) was an American songwriter and singer, best-known for his contributions to the American folk music movement of the early and mid 1960s while a member of The Kingston Trio (1961–1967).

Early life

Stewart was the son of horse trainer, John S. Stewart, and his wife. He spent his childhood and adolescence growing up in southern California, living mostly in the cities of Pasadena and Claremont with his parents. He graduated from Pomona Catholic High School, which at the time was a coeducational school[1], in 1957. He demonstrated an early talent for music, learning the guitar and banjo, and composing his first song, "Shrunken Head Boogie," when he was just ten years old.

Musical evolution and career

Stewart's first venture into popular music was with a high school garage band known as "Johnny Stewart and the Furies." Influenced by the reigning icons of the day, Elvis Presley and Buddy Holly, the Furies toured southern California colleges and coffee houses, releasing one single, "Rockin' Anna," which was a minor, regional hit.

Following the breakup of the Furies and a short period of time as a member of The Woodsmen, Stewart teamed up with Gil Robbins (father of actor Tim Robbins) and John Montgomery to form The Cumberland Three, a group patterned after and heavily-influenced by the increasingly popular Kingston Trio. The major accomplishment of The Cumberland Three was a two LP album set of Songs from the Civil War, with each album containing a compilation of songs from the Confederacy and the Union, respectively. In all, the Cumberland Three released three albums, after which Stewart left the group to join the Kingston Trio, replacing Trio founder Dave Guard, in 1961.

The Kingston Trio years

The Kingston Trio, one of the best-known and best-selling acts on the folk music scene, was enjoying a lucrative recording and touring contract with Capitol Records, with ten albums under their collective belts, when Stewart joined them in 1961. They had emerged from the relatively crowded San Francisco folk music culture in 1957, using a mixture of calypso, pop, and folk styles, along with several forms of comedy, in their act. Relying on new arrangements of folk music classics as well as some original compositions, the Trio simultaneously earned their first gold record with "Tom Dooley", while launching a major revival in folk music that would lead to and influence the careers of Bob Dylan, Peter, Paul, & Mary, and John Denver, among others.

When Dave Guard left the group to explore other musical directions, Stewart was selected by remaining members Nick Reynolds and Bob Shane as his successor, bringing with him his respected skills as a musician, composer, and performer. The trio of Reynolds, Shane, and Stewart would record a dozen albums together, taking the music of the Trio into new directions, including more original material, and performing covers of songs by relative newcomers Tom Paxton, Mason Williams, and Gordon Lightfoot.

The folk era began to wane and the music of groups such as the Beatles and the Rolling Stones dominated the charts, and the members of the Kingston Trio decided to disband the group in 1967.

Solo career, the post-Trio years

Stewart continued to write songs and record for Capitol, while touring as a solo act. It was during this time that he composed the hit "Daydream Believer" for The Monkees, a hit for Anne Murray as well, and the closest Stewart came to writing a "standard". He later toured with Robert F. Kennedy's ill-fated 1968 presidential campaign and met and married fellow folk singer Buffy Ford (with whom he remained until his death), and began recording a remarkable string of albums. These include his signature album, California Bloodlines, as well as Willard, Cannons In The Rain, and Wingless Angels [1].

Though usually successful with critics and a core group of fans, Stewart's albums were not considered commercial successes. He left Capitol after only two solo releases and was signed by Warner Bros. Records, with whom he also recorded just two albums before moving on to RCA Records, where he recorded three LPs (including a live performance album, The Phoenix Concerts). Stewart followed his release from RCA with a contract at the Robert Stigwood organization, the same organization that serviced the recording contracts for the Bee Gees, as well as several other disco performers. It was at RSO Records that Stewart enjoyed his most commercially successful years as a solo artist. Teaming with Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham (of Buckingham Nicks and, later, Fleetwood Mac), Stewart recorded and released Bombs Away Dream Babies, which included the #5 hit, "Gold," in 1979. Two other tracks from the album, "Midnight Wind" and "Lost Her in the Sun", would also hit the top 40. The follow-up album, Dream Babies Go Hollywood, proved to be a commercial disappointment, and shortly thereafter Stewart dropped from the pop charts, never to return as a performer.

Later years

Stewart's later and most significant success was as a songwriter. Several of his songs were recorded by a number of popular acts, including Nanci Griffith, Rosanne Cash, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Joan Baez. He also continued to record new material, producing CDs on his own "Neon Dreams" label in between commercial releases. Many fans believe that these recordings are among Stewart's best. They usually coincided with one of his tours. His last album was The Day the River Sang in 2006.

Stewart had a passion for painting, doing art shows and covers for his recordings and books. He continued to be a prolific songwriter and toured the United States and Europe regularly. He resided in California with his wife, Buffy Ford Stewart. Stewart's brother Mike, who died in 2002, founded the folk-rock group We Five in the mid 1960s.

Over his last years, Stewart teamed up with former Kingston Trio member, Nick Reynolds, to offer fans the ultimate Trio Fantasy: performing for and with Stewart and Reynolds.

In 2005 and 2006 Bob Shane attended and performed a few songs with Stewart and Reynolds at the Trio Fantasy Camp, which is held annually in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Death

According to a close friend, Stewart suffered a massive stroke or brain aneurysm late in the previous day and died January 19, 2008 at a San Diego hospital, the band announced on its official Web site.[2]. Doctors had determined that any difficult surgical remedies that might have been employed to save his life — even if successful — would have left him immobile and unable to speak. It wasn't generally known, but doctors had told Stewart in recent years that he had apparently experienced various minor strokes, likely in his sleep.

Stewart's wife, Buffy, and children were at his side when he died.

Discography

The Kingston Trio

See The Kingston Trio discography

Solo

References

  1. ^ Rosales, Luis. History of Damien High School, accessed 20 September 2007
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