| Remember
the Cumberland Trio?
Those of you who
were on the Knoxville campus in the early 60's have no doubt
heard of the Cumberland Trio. The popular folk-singing team
of UT students made quite a splash during its brief three-year
career.
They played their
first gig in 1963 in the small-group competition at UT's
annual Carnicus. Shortly after, they won first place at
the 1963 National Collegiate Folk Festival. It wasn't long
before they were performing on Hootenanny, the ABC-TV series
that spotlighted folk music.
"Hootenanny would
film shows at college campuses," says Jerre Haskew ('64),
a member of the Trio. "In January 1964 the show was filmed
at the UT Animal Sciences Exhibit Arena."
Three performances
on that show garnered them a large following. They were
onstage with such music greats as a young Paul Simon (later
of Simon and Garfunkel), Carly Simon (then with the Simon
Sisters), Bill Monroe, Doc Watson, Glen Campbell, Kenny
Rogers, and others.
"Hootenanny got
us a lot of exposure. That's why RCA wanted to sign us,"
Haskew says. Although they billed themselves as a trio,
the band actually had four members. "Jim Shuptrine was our
bass player, comedian, and arranger. Only three of us sang."
Other members were Andy Garverick, a baritone who played
the banjo and lead guitar; and Tom Kilpatrick, a vocal soloist
and tenor who played rhythm guitar and banjo.
In April 1964,
the group recorded 15 songs in Nashville under legendary
guitarist and record producer Chet Atkins. However, a new
company, R.I.C., lured them to their label with a better
offer. Unfortunately, this new record deal didn't pan out,
and the album was never released. Disillusioned with the
recording industry, the band dissolved in 1965.
One of the Trio's
most popular songs was written by Haskew and his wife, Barbara
Short Haskew ('62, '69) A Lion Named
Sam, penned in 1963, is a whimsical children's song
about a boy and his imaginary lion.
Barbara Haskew,
now provost and vice president of Academic Affairs at Middle
Tennessee State University, wanted to preserve her husband's
memories for posterity. As a 37th wedding anniversary
present, she revived the song as a storybook for their children,
grandchildren, and friends. Illustrated by New York artist
Patricia Mayes, the book contains the lyrics to the song.
"It was the greatest
gift of love anyone could have given," Haskew says, "I was
blown away."
Shortly after,
the Haskews, who live in Chattanooga, digitally remastered
A Lion Named Sam to CD to accompany
the book, as well as the entire 1964 RCA session.
"We started sending
Sam out as a love gift without any idea of making
it commercial."
Reception of
the song and book has been great. Haskew says a 20-song
CD of The Cumberland Trio will be released in March. An
interactive CD-ROM of the book and music is also in the
works.
To see and hear
the Cumberland Trio, visit their web site at www.cumberlandtrio.com.
The Cumberland
Trio is expected to return to UT for a reunion concert during
2001 Homecoming, Haskew says.
-Tennessee
Alumnus, Spring 2001
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