The New Christy Minstrels

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The New Christy Minstrels is an American folk music group that came to prominence in the 1960s.

Formed by Randy Sparks in 1961, the group had several Top 40 folk music hits, including "Green, Green", "Today" and "Ramblin'". Current (March 2007) members of the group include Randy Sparks, Barry McGuire, Clarence Treat, Jackie Miller, Art Podell, Dolan Ellis, Becky Jo Benson and Bill Boycott. Some of the group's most famous alumni include, John Denver, Kenny Rogers, The Byrds' Gene Clark, Kim Carnes and The Association's Larry Ramos, as well as Terry Williams, Mike Settle and Thelma Camacho (the original founders of The First Edition along with Kenny Rogers).

The name deliberately evoked Christy's Minstrels, an enormously popular 19th century blackface minstrel group founded by Edwin Pearce Christy.

The New Christy Minstrels' film score for the 1964 comedy Advance to the Rear, featuring Glenn Ford and Stella Stevens, was the only complete soundtrack ever made in the folk music style. The score is notable for the hit standard "Today" and several others, including "This Old Riverboat" and "Company of Cowards" (the original title). The soundtrack album has been re-released on CD as Today.

[edit] Partial discography

  • Presenting The New Christy Minstrels
  • The New Christy Minstrels in Person
  • Ramblin'
  • The New Christy Minstrels Tell Tall Tales!
  • Merry Christmas
  • Today

[edit] External links

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