"Sloop John B" - Al Jardine (The Beach Boys) & The Kingston Trio - Director: Chip Miller

This live version of the classic hit song, "Sloop John B" is a music video excerpt from the PBS TV Pledge Special all-star concert, "The Kingston Trio Celebration," featuring surprise guest, Al Jardine of The Beach Boys. The full concert aired from 2016 through 2020 and is now available on ALL major video streaming platforms from MVD Distributors.
Taped in LA at the Avalon Hollywood (formerly the iconic Hollywood Palace Theater), this song features the Trio's Bill Zorn, George Grove, and Rick Dougherty on vocals, guitars, and banjo, with their very special guest, Al Jardine, singing lead vocal on the smash hit he made famous with The Beach Boys. Longtime Trio bassist, Paul Gabrielson handles upright bass. This Trio line-up was the longest in the band's 61 years on the road, together from 2003 to 2018. The original Trio of Bob Shane, Dave Guard, Nick Reynolds, and later John Stewart - all combined were together ten years. Other guests in the concert special were: Timothy B. Schmit (The Eagles); Barry "Eve of Destruction" McGuire (New Christy Minstrels); Trini Lopez; Henry Diltz (Modern Folk Quartet); Sana Christian; Shari Belafonte; The Limeliters, and more.
This music video and the full PBS TV concert special was directed by award-winning filmmaker, Chip Miller, who also co-produced with Terrel Cass. Bryan Greenberg was DP, and Head Camera Operators included MTV pioneer film director, William Dear, and Cameron Cannon. Travis Miller Line Produced and co-edited with director Miller.
"Sloop John B" is a music video presentation of Desert C.A.M. Studios.

[@tliette58]

Al Jardine never got the credit that he deserves....

[@ChipMiller]

Ditto that.

[@tompastian3447]

I just went through the youtube videos of Sloop John B being recorded in the studio, and the Wikipedia write up on the Beach Boys version. Ironically, I don't think Al Jardine even sang harmony on the record, and did not sing the lead vocal. It was Jardine's idea to to do the song, going back to 1916. He played it on piano for Brian Wilson, who didn't want to do the song until Al played it and modified it to match the Beach Boys genre. While Brain produced the song, not one of the Beach Boys played instruments on the record; it was all studio musicians. 2 bass guitars were used. Same goes for several other songs, like "Wouldn't It Be Nice", all studio musicians. As to the vocals on Sloop John B, Brain and Mike Love shared in lead vocals, while Dennis, Carl, and Captain from Captain and Tennille sang harmonies.

[@friendly76]

Al Jardine is truly a living musical treasure

[@ChipMiller]

And a hell of a nice guy.

[@friendly76]

@@ChipMiller absolutely! I've met him in person several times and he is a great guy!

[@mreckes9967]

A pack of old buggers still enjoying themselves after all this time, does my soul good to see.

[@3847CAK]

Waaay better than any young buggers for sure.

[@michaelproctor4102]

The Beach Boys, Frank Valli, Dave Clarke Five and The Searchers will live for ever and never grow old, like the rest of us.

[@honestarthur000]

Hello how are you doing…?

[@Flapperdame16]

Al has found the secret to aging slowly and gracefully- his voice sounds great for being 79 (at the time of this gig).

[@wandellpassah8086]

Nostalgic the best of times

[@kathleenferguson3296]

Hey! Some of us still have our pipes! ....70 year old Judy Collins sound alike champion.

[@shaykatz5648]

The Kingston Trio's music predated the Beach Boys so gonna assume they're older than Al!

[@Truckerruud1967]

Still impressed by Al Jardine's voice.

[@ChipMiller]

Ditto that. Cheers, Chip

[@danerd8978]

Amazing how a simple folk tune can be transformed by Al and Brian Wilson into a masterpiece.

[@susankeffer8551]

Al Jardine is ageless. Great voice and the nicest man you would ever want to meet.

[@honestarthur000]

Hello how are you doing..?

[@christineleblond7777]

He turned 80 now. Sounding good Kingston Trio and AL Jardine! Love Al's voice!

[@honestarthur000]

Hey how are you doing..?

[@andrewdouris6035]

Al's my favorite beach boy, saw them in '75

[@rezasoekotjo5082]

What an amazing talent is Al Jardine. The Beach boys brought so much Joy to my generation and those to follow. Thanks to the Trio for welcoming and honouring this legend and the music of the beach boys ❤

[@mrpeterpotts5106]

Wow A Rickenbaker! Al Jardine has always had class.

[@ChipMiller]

The Rickenbaker belonged to Carl Wilson who played it on the original Beach Boys track. Al thought it would be a nice touch to bring it to our concert taping.

[@ellencoulter9279]

Al sounds great.

[@cricketbat09]

Proper music from proper musicians. Wonderful.

[@figmo397]

This was wonderful! Knowing that Al deep down is a folkie and that The Beach Boys originally modeled their outfits after the Kingston Trio's outfits made it that much more poignant.

[@kengurovich4416]

That Rickenbacker 360 that Al is playing is the most beautiful guitar ever made .

[@ChipMiller]

Yes, and it belonged to Carl Wilson, so Al brought it as a tribute. Cheers, Chip

[@Slickgoodlin]

Rickenbacker Fanatic here. I agree, unfortunately, you can't hear one dang jingle jangle note he's playing on it. Also, I'm not sure this particular Rick was connected with Carl Wilson as it has the high gain pickups. Rickenbacker's Carl Wilson Signature Model has classic, "toaster," pick ups.

[@ChipMiller]

It was absolutely Carl's guitar. That is why Al brought it. @@Slickgoodlin

[@jimmymullen7825]

@@Slickgoodlin Is he using the regular tuning??????

[@johnvizzi2553]

I agree👍👍👏👏

[@user-xb8ud7hu3w]

Still as amazing as ever.

[@tonybonnici5920]

All of them are still in such fine voice... So wonderful to see and hear

[@bigteddy66]

This is simply pure and wonderful. Al never gets old.

[@tomf429]

Known as a Beachboys song, Sloop John B is actually a very old Bahamian folk song known as “John B Sails”. Brian Wilson, as usual, did this arrangement and it was recorded using studio musicians with the Beachboys doing the singing and harmonies.

[@ChipMiller]

In between the Bahamian folk version and The Beach Boys version, there was the version by The Kingston Trio, which Al Jardine said was the main influence to him and Brian. That's why he was guest on the concert special, to tie in the two generations.

[@jimspies2775]

Al Jardine is a living legend, and deservedly gets all the accolades he gets. I can't help but think that every time I see him, if you told me he was a full-time dentist moonlighting as a musician, I'd say "that sounds right".

[@user-uc1lf6wo8i]

So cambuleck!

[@user-uc1lf6wo8i]

What is saying oooooowoooo?

[@michaelanderson3212]

in the 1980s went to 3 beach boys concerts and al jardine was fantastic , greatly underrated

[@honestarthur000]

Hey how are you doing..?

[@shaykatz5648]

I saw them twice, late 1960's & again early 1970's

[@michaelanderson3212]

@@shaykatz5648 loved the late 60s i can hear music and cottonfields

[@PirateRadioPodcasts]

LOVE how, at the start, AL immediately gestures for the banjo player to PICK UP the tempo, lol! Total pro .....

[@ChipMiller]

All planned, including the line, "It goes like this". Al had a lot of fun, as did we all.

[@markramlucken8502]

I just love the beach boys

[@dona66dou22]

wow fantastic .... Al Jardine

[@gabeschedarden3863]

how cool is this . love it.

[@ws_odysseus]

Ode to America: Sloop John B, by great ones

[@gritsngranola]

What an honor to play with these guys.

[@beharford]

Absolute magic...

[@bobbender2922]

The Kingston Trio and Mr Al Jardine love this when great musicians get together

[@ChipMiller]

The outtakes are wonderful. Al was so inspired sharing the stage with his heroes, whom he admits The Beach Boys got their striped shirts thing from The Trio, as well as redoing their hit, "Sloop John B ...", that in rehearsal he couldn't understand why his guitar sounded like shit. He kept telling the sound guy something was wrong with the amps. Then a few visitors stopped in to see the run-throughs, and took seats in the front row. After Al and the sound tech guy were baffled about his guitar issue, one of the teen kids (who was a young guitarist) of the visitors, shouted out, "Your guitar pick is still wedged on the fret under the strings." Al turned beet red from embarrassment, but one of the Trio guys shouted back to the teen, "He knows. He just wanted to make sure you were paying attention. Learn from the greats." Everybody, including Al, cracked up. We will someday do a blooper video from those two days of concerts. Cheers, Chip

[@scottabelli3406]

Al Jardine is sure a great artist-with the Beach boys-But these other guys are NOT the Kingston trio==they are tribute artists and they are good, I sure respect those who do the great music. I have seen Bob Shane and other members performing in various venues I sure hope to see these Artists if they are in S Cal- sometime

[@shaykatz5648]

​@@scottabelli3406 Thanks was was wondering why they didnt appear older than Al as The Trio predated Beach Boys

[@RegisWilkins]

@@scottabelli3406 They are not as good as the final Kingston Trio group of the 2010's which included George Grove, and other former members of the Trio.

[@danieljackson6427]

The most desirable beautiful guitar i'll never get to own.😢 to old now. 75

[@davidday8417]

I never understood why Al wasn’t the lead on some other songs his voice is awesome. Help me Rhonda is great with him singing the lead but this song Sloop John B is 1 of my all time favorites that and Fun,Fun,Fun but I have loved The Beach Boys music all my life. Me and my friend went to the ocean for Labor weekend we both had good jobs so we were oceanfront We had my friends stereo I took my Beach Boys Albums we would have the music cranked up until finally the desk clerk called our room at like 3:30 in the morning asking us to please turn The Beach Boys music down or off !! What’s funny is at like 5:00 o’clock they called again because we ignored them the first time they said the next time we were out so we’re turned it down because we had each meet a cool gal and we were having to much fun !! That was in 1978 my point I was all most willing to get kicked out over great beach music !! What better way to celebrate then to be down a beach listening to Beach Boys music partying with this real cool girl,Thank You Darlene I had a great time !!

[@rebelsnappingturtle]

Loved it. Al and the Trio.

[@philip8624]

Gotta love the Al!!

[@ParkerPlaza]

This is just great!

[@dougminger]

Love me some Al Jardine

[@g8ymw]

Al, the overlooked Beach Boy. Surprising how big a contribution he made to the Beach Boys

[@bobhallinan4407]

Their second number one song, Help Me Rhonda, with Al singing lead vocals!

[@michaelslavin1601]

Al was never an overlooked beach boy. I can’t agree with your statement. I’ve been listening to them since 1962.

[@liannebedard5521]

So how come so many of their intros never mentioned him? You’d assume he was a backup singer if you only listened to the intros in their heyday,,,

[@christopherblau9178]

Great voice!!!

[@jimmymullen7825]

Love that Rickenbacker

[@user-zn3rs5po3d]

Huge shout out to that banjo line.

[@colinallen4760]

Great to hear we play that one but it is good to hear some one else play.

[@lestorhaslam7635]

Al, I realised just now, bears a remarkable resemblance to Ron Howard. What an amazing supergroup, Al and The Kingston Trio.

[@user-xx4op5kf3o]

What an honour ..❤

[@ChipMiller]

It was indeed. Cheers, Chip

[@oldhippypeace]

Big thanks to You Tube for all the brilliant music and memories for this eighty year old hippy.(you would never guess) the wealth of music, comedy and such like so taken for granted by the younger generation. I'm off to listen to maybe Jethro (try him for laughter) or Lightning Hopkins great blues. Kingston Trio from the past with Al Jardine, what a pairing. Right top up Jamesons and roll another folks.

[@ChipMiller]

From one old hippy to another, all the best. Peace, Chip

[@ewardnolan6062]

Awesome

[@paulhall170]

Truly magical!

[@geckoproductions4128]

Go AL!

[@harmsworthcharles3261]

Magnifique !!!! Thanks for sharing .

[@anthonydimeglio4747]

Awesome version!

[@loniloni7493]

Sehr schön echt super ❤❤❤

[@ChipMiller]

Danke schön. Ich freue mich sehr, dass es dir gefallen hat. Auf das neue Jahr 2024! Chip

[@robertvose7310]

sweet! lol- great version...Love me Kingston trio too

[@alazarkebede1699]

Yes

[@lindacramm1212]

♥️♥️♥️mis the music from them ❤️❤️❤️🇳🇱🌹🌹🌹

[@honestarthur000]

Hey how are you doing..?

[@vicentecastaneda9356]

Al congratulations you voice sounds like the same way like you are young I listen you music thanks for sharing this part of your life

[@countrymusic5884]

Feckin legend

[@ChipMiller]

My Irish sentiments indeed, mate.

[@11leidenrd]

THat was AWESOME

[@arikreed7931]

JUST LOVE

[@DoctorOboogie]

Awesome !

[@kevind1931]

5 or 6 years ago and Al sounds great

[@musicmatty67]

Al immortalize this song playing it live with the beach boys even though Brian Wilson sang the original lead on the record.

[@joluttringer4450]

Thanks for this upload : this "young...but now old" are -for me- one nice hope in my own lead guitar playing since 1959 ! Best wishes from France. JO

[@garysnow1475]

Oh hell yes!!

[@TommyT.]

My class of '66 song @ TR M

[@brucep9729]

One of my all-time favorite Beach Boys songs! Saw them several times especially in the 80s. They always played this song second after opening with California Girls, always great, never disappointed! 3:42

[@tinasattler1]

Good job

[@mcfcguvnors]

wow this was ace

[@brucemaceachern299]

Al can carry the show....

[@corvairkid63]

At the beginning of the song Al is asking them to pick up the tempo, God Bless Al.

[@ChipMiller]

That was actually all pre-planned, because the Trio is where The Beach Boys got the tune from. The early Beach Boys also emulated their heroes by sporting their stripe shirts, a Trio mainstay.

[@corvairkid63]

If I remember Al took the song to Brian. Brian said he would see if he could do something with it. Makes sense that it Was planned. @@ChipMiller

[@ChipMiller]

You're correct, my friend. Chip @@corvairkid63

[@NPasch-fd1tj]

Sehr schöne Interpretation, gefällt mir. Respekt!! NOTI PASCH

[@ChipMiller]

Schön, dass es Ihnen gefallen hat. Und danke für deine netten Kommentare. Chip

[@jumperstartful]

My god, I'm the same age as all these old guys! lol I could never figure out why the Beach Boys were singing a Kingston Trio song!

[@michaelslavin1601]

It’s not actually a Kingston trio song. Yes they did sing it 1958, but it was sung by the weavers in 1950 and I believe there was an earlier version too

[@sergiosonlinework-sranjovi4304]

💥💥💜💜💜💜💥💥💥💥

[@steveskouson9620]

Alan still has it! Matt? steve

[@TUCBER]

Hello. En France when is nice we use this. I mean "C'est pas beau ça" = It is very nice..And JOLIE is for girl. Regards? Berni.

[@davidjenson4512]

'Hilarious!

[@FilmThePoliceFTP]

Al with a different guitar for once!

[@beachbumtrivia1838]

You mean instead of the white one?

[@MarcoZucchi81]

He sings like he did in '65! PS: was his Rickenbacker plugged? I can't hear it!

[@ChipMiller]

He had issues with it, so we had to tamp it down in the mix. He had never played it before as it belonged to Carl Wilson.

[@MarcoZucchi81]

@@ChipMiller Is that Carl's guitar? WOW!!!

[@ChipMiller]

@@MarcoZucchi81 Yes. Carl played it on the original Beach Boy's recording, so Al felt it appropriate to bring it to this concert as a tribute.

[@MarcoZucchi81]

@@ChipMiller Fantastic. I hope to see it again in Al's hands. Thank you!

[@ChipMiller]

@@MarcoZucchi81 Pleasure is mine, Marco. By the way, you can now see the full all-star PBS TV concert on Tubi TV, and see both of Al's appearances as well. Go to: tubitv.com/movies/566668/the-kingston-trio-celebration

[@vanceox]

George, Bill & Rick were FIRED in Sept ‘17 when a couple of crooks conned Bob Shane in selling the KT name to them. IMO, when these 3 were let go, the real KT ended after 60 years of entertaining many generations of folk music lovers.

[@steveskouson9620]

Sounds like what happened to the Wilson brothers, by their HATEFUL cousin Mikey! Great to see Alan. Saw him earlier this year, with the Brian Wilson Band, 7 June 2022. Alan, your history is amazing! I'm also glad your son Matt is part of the band! He is no Carl, but his voice is close! steve

[@g8ymw]

@@steveskouson9620 Al's lad does a good falsetto, alot like Brian before his problems

[@tompastian3447]

KZbin, STOP RUNNING ADS IN FOREIGN LANGUAGES ON ENGLISH VIDEOS!!!

[@ChipMiller]

We have no control over ads that Facebook runs on monetized videos, though I agree with you.

[@catou50]

Any thing Beach Boys and Kingston Trio is OK by Me. Lost my husband today, so anything you want to play is wonderful

[@ChipMiller]

I am so sorry to hear that, Cathy. Please accept my heartfelt condolences. Here's another song just for you with Al Jardine, The Kingston Trio, and Timothy B. Schmit of The Eagles. In your husband's honor. God bless. Chip kzbin.info/www/bejne/gXS7lqdng7yCmqM

[@terryroseberry9034]

Don’t think there are any original Kingston Trio members here.

[@ChipMiller]

No, though the late Bob Shane, who founded the original Trio, performs three songs in the concert including "Scarlett Ribbons" with Al Jardine and Timothy B. Schmit of The Eagles. This would be Shane's final concert and last on camera. Though this line-up was produced by Shane and they were together over 20 years, 10 more then the original group. Cheers, Chip

[@honeybeebadger]

Love AL but it’s not the same without Brian Carl and yes even Mike 🩵💙

[@youneedhelp6902]

Put a little Brian Willson tough on the song

[@jaroslavplacek439]

V tom věku si zabrnkat, zazpívat

[@hansvanalphen5370]

Alleen de originele uitvoering vind ik mooi, dit is het nou weer net niet.

[@wallacegrommet3479]

Must get bored playing the same song for 100 years…

[@ChipMiller]

Actually 60 years. It might get boring but it keeps one young at heart. Music is always life.

[@cool8775]

Time for the boys to pack it in. Soon they'll be out there in diapers!

[@ChipMiller]

As long as they are having fun making music and filling 1000-1500 seat theaters, I say, like Jagger, keep rocking .

[@cool8775]

@@ChipMiller 😅

[@sharonw2475]

No comparison to that era (60's and 70's) music to the sh*tty azz music of today.

[@TUCBER]

c'est pas beau ça ?

[@ChipMiller]

vous n'êtes pas très jolie vous-même.

[@pettibonnotginn]

Jardine had to revisit white-ass Volk-Folk influences Kingston (N) Trio for the S Afrikaans classic. Great White withouyt the fire.

[@jordankaiser2717]

Racist comment!

[@user-ut9ln6co1v]

잘듣고갑니다😊

[@ChipMiller]

あなたは私を悩ませていません。なぜそうなったと思いますか?

[@Alecb217]

Too many adverts/

[@ChipMiller]

Well, though the last three generations from Millennials to Gen X and Gen Z, love getting their art and music for free, it doesn't cut it for us artists. We have no choice but to use ads and monetization for income flow. I hate ads too. In fact, I oppose that all music, films, and art today are now referred to as "content." I worked in the ad biz on Madison Ave creating commercials and the like, and left because I despised crass commercialization. Till this day, from 1976 to current day, I won't watch network TV because all the writing and shows are formulaically designed around commercial breaks. But that's just it. I don't watch it. If you don't like putting up with ads on videos people work hard at creating and producing, then don't watch rather than criticize the artists or creative people who make a living entertaining you and the rest of the public. I am sure that whatever you do for a living, you are paid for it. Negative criticism should be kept to yourself. Peace, Chip Miller and Al Jardine.