The New Christy Minstrels

             “The New Christy Minstrels,” a folk group started by front man Randy Sparks, made their debut on the Andy Williams Show in the fall of 1962. The group became very popular and had several hits, such as: Green Green, This Land Is Your Land, Saturday Night, Chim Chim Cher-ee, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and Today. 

            In 1964, Randy Sparks sold his interest in The New Christy Minstrels for two and a half million dollars to George Greif and Sid Garris of Greif-Garris Management in Beverly Hills. Not long after in 1965, Barry McGuire left the group for a solo career and soon had a number one hit with his song “Eve of Destruction”. By the end of 1965, all the remaining original Christy’s had left the group.

            For the next 10 years “The New Christy Minstrels” continued as a concert draw, while countless young performers passed through the group. Some of these performers went on to far greater successes. Some notable Christy’s were; Kenny Rogers and the First Edition, Kim Carnes, Gene Clark of the Byrds and John Denver to name a few.

            I joined and toured with the New Christy Minstrels for the summer of 1973. The New Christy Minstrels lineup at that time was from left to right in the picture below:

Jonathon Johnson, Minako Kobayashi, Christopher Parks, Vivian Wesson, John Pulsipher, Valorie Haggins, and Drew Daniels.

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