On April 21, 2024, the last surviving founding member of The Limeliters, Alex Hassilev passed away. The Limeliter's current leader Andy Corwin posted on Facebook: "My dear friend and mentor for the past 20 years, he was the last remaining member of the original trio (who took the folk music world by storm 65 years ago). He's the reason The Limeliters live on."
The Limeliters - Then & Now!
The Original Limeliters
The "Hungry-I" in San Francisco was packed that night in 1959 to hear the sensational new folk music trio whose reputation had preceded them from a small club in Aspen called The Limelite. The Limeliters were the most vibrant urban folk group of the early 1960s, second only to the Kingston Trio in popularity at their peak. The Limeliters are still thrilling audiences with their surging vocals and ironic wit over 60 years later!
The group's original lineup was Alex Hassilev, Lou Gottlieb, & Glenn Yarbrough. Steadily evolving over the years, the group's current lineup as of 2021 is: Andy Corwin, Steve Brooks, and C. Daniel Boling. Recently, former Limeliter Rick Dougherty and retired Alex Hassilev has also performed with them on stage.
This website celebrates over 50 years history of this dynamic folk trio.
See below for some of the recent re-configurations and lineup of The Limeliters. Despite the reconfiguratoins, there is a "trademark" Limeliters sound you will hear in all the various incarnations of the group. That is a result of The Limeliters long-standing musical arrangements going back to the Sixties, with their tight harmonies, humor, energy and fun forever retained. See more about the current line-up of the Limeliters at limeliters.com - still performing all the great songs in 2023 and beyond!
You can still buy most of The Limeliters historic albums!
Amazon.com or iTunes
The group's original lineup was Alex Hassilev, Lou Gottlieb, & Glenn Yarbrough. Steadily evolving over the years, the group's current lineup as of 2021 is: Andy Corwin, Steve Brooks, and C. Daniel Boling. Recently, former Limeliter Rick Dougherty and retired Alex Hassilev has also performed with them on stage.
This website celebrates over 50 years history of this dynamic folk trio.
See below for some of the recent re-configurations and lineup of The Limeliters. Despite the reconfiguratoins, there is a "trademark" Limeliters sound you will hear in all the various incarnations of the group. That is a result of The Limeliters long-standing musical arrangements going back to the Sixties, with their tight harmonies, humor, energy and fun forever retained. See more about the current line-up of the Limeliters at limeliters.com - still performing all the great songs in 2023 and beyond!
You can still buy most of The Limeliters historic albums!
Amazon.com or iTunes
Passing on in April 2024, the last surviving original Limeliter Alex hassilev had retired from The Limeliters in 2006, after 47 years performing. Over the years, Alex's uniquely rich baritone voice has been considered the cornerstone of the signature Limeliters® sound. Alex held a very high standard for this sound from its conception in 1959 to the present. He established a long neck banjo style that inspired many folk musicians and crossed ethnic boundaries to perform songs in Russian, Yiddish, Portuguese, Spanish and French. On April 21, 2024, Alex passed away from cancer at the age of 91.
New Book is a Limelieters Biography - Published January, 2024!
Author Richard S. Ginell, who has known and interviewed the trio over a span of more than four decades, has written a biography of the band’s original core trio, “Makin’ a Joyful Noise: The Lives and Times of the (Slightly) Fabulous Limeliters.” https://amzn.to/3w81SQB
The Limeliters Today!
In a January 2019 concert in Austin, Texas, Rich Dougherty (left) performed with Andy Corwin and Steve Brooks as a temporarily re-configured Limeliters group.
The Limeliters 2018 (left to right) Don Marovich - Andy Corwin - Steve Brooks
After Alex's retirement, beginning in mid-2006 through 2013, Andy Corwin, Mack Bailey and Gaylan Taylor, began carrying on the Limeliters® name and tradition that began in 1959. Don Marovich replaced Mack Bailey in 2013. Steve Brooks replaced Gaylan Taylor in August, 2018. On 11 January 2019, Don Marovich announced that he was leaving The Limeliters in order to join The Kingston Trio. The remaining members commented, that they are "extremely happy for him and fully support his decision to pursue this opportunity." The group's former Limeliter, Rick Dougherty was able to pinch-hit, and eventually they found C. Daniel Boling. Rick was a member of the Limeliters from 1990 to 2003 (and then, a member of The Kingston Trio from 2004 to 2017), and now performs with the excellent group, the Folk Legacy Trio, along with former (and long-time member) Kingston Trio George Grove and Jerry Siggins.
Perhaps precise membership is no longer that crucial in a folk group that still retains its signature sound from long ago, despite many changed in "personnel." Future concerts planned by The Limeliters including one with George Grove (Rick's longtime bandmate in The Kingston Trio), and another with The Brothers Four.
With different configurations over the years, the group has preserved their signature vocal sound and continues to earn their name as The Fabulous Limeliters.
Former Limeliters Red Grammer, and Mack Bailey still perform in solo careers. Former Limeliters Rick Dougherty and Bill Zorn until recently performed with the Kingston Trio, and then Rick, George Grove, and Jerry Siggins now perform with a new group (originally "The Folk Legends" - renamed in late 2018 as "The Folk Legacy Trio.") Rick also performs solo, and appears as a guest with The Limeliters from time to time.
Founding member Alex Hassilev died April 21, 2024 at the age of 91, having retired from the group in 2006.
Founding member Lou Gottlieb died in 1996. Founding member Glenn Yarbrough died in 2016.
Explore the tabs and drop-down menus above to learn more about the Fabulous Limeliters!
New.... The various musicians making up The Limeliters, and other folk music groups like The Kingston Trio and the new Folk Legacy Trio nowadays seem to rotate their membership through these various groups. Don't miss finding out how 60's Folk Music Lives On by reading our newest page on that topic!
Perhaps precise membership is no longer that crucial in a folk group that still retains its signature sound from long ago, despite many changed in "personnel." Future concerts planned by The Limeliters including one with George Grove (Rick's longtime bandmate in The Kingston Trio), and another with The Brothers Four.
With different configurations over the years, the group has preserved their signature vocal sound and continues to earn their name as The Fabulous Limeliters.
Former Limeliters Red Grammer, and Mack Bailey still perform in solo careers. Former Limeliters Rick Dougherty and Bill Zorn until recently performed with the Kingston Trio, and then Rick, George Grove, and Jerry Siggins now perform with a new group (originally "The Folk Legends" - renamed in late 2018 as "The Folk Legacy Trio.") Rick also performs solo, and appears as a guest with The Limeliters from time to time.
Founding member Alex Hassilev died April 21, 2024 at the age of 91, having retired from the group in 2006.
Founding member Lou Gottlieb died in 1996. Founding member Glenn Yarbrough died in 2016.
Explore the tabs and drop-down menus above to learn more about the Fabulous Limeliters!
New.... The various musicians making up The Limeliters, and other folk music groups like The Kingston Trio and the new Folk Legacy Trio nowadays seem to rotate their membership through these various groups. Don't miss finding out how 60's Folk Music Lives On by reading our newest page on that topic!
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