Chad Mitchell
| The Chad Mitchell Trio | |
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| Background information | |
| Origin | Spokane, Washington, United States |
| Genres | Folk |
| Years active | 1959–1967, 1987, 2005–2014 |
| Labels | Colpix, Kapp, Mercury, Reprise |
| Website | chadmitchelltrio |
| Past members | Chad Mitchell Mike Kobluk Mike Pugh Joe Frazier John Denver David Boise Michael Johnson |
The Chad Mitchell Trio – later known as The Mitchell Trio – were a North American vocal group who became known during the 1960s. They performed traditional folk songs and some of their own compositions. They were particularly notable for performing satirical songs that criticized current events during the time of the cold war, the civil rights movement, and the Vietnam War, in a less subtle way than the typical folk music and singer-songwriter musicians of their time.
The original group was formed by William Chadbourne “Chad” Mitchell (from Portland, Oregon, born Dec 5, 1936), Mike Kobluk (from Trail, British Columbia, Canada, born Dec 10, 1937), and Mike Pugh (from Pasco, Washington) when they were students and glee club members at Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington. They were encouraged by Spokane Catholic priest Reinard W. Beaver, who invited the three to travel with him to New York City in the summer of 1959 and to try performing in the burgeoning folk-music scene.
The key people who helped the trio get going were musical arranger Milton Okun and star performer/singer Harry Belafonte. Okun provided a professional polish to their performing skills, which helped them gain both a key booking at New York City's Blue Angel club and radio appearances with Arthur Godfrey and television appearances with Pat Boone. Belafonte had them appear as back-up singers, with a small featured spotlight, in his May 1960 Carnegie Hall concert and signed them to his Belafonte Enterprises management firm.
In the summer of 1960, Pugh left the group to return to college. After auditioning over 150 singers, the group chose Joe Frazier (born in Lebanon, Pennsylvania on January 14, 1937) to replace Pugh.
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