I'm not really a fan of early 1960s folk music - it all seemed so earnest and, at its worst, it was very whitebread. But I enjoyed this a bit more than some songs in this genre.
The Journeymen were a trio consisting of John Phillips, Scott McKenzie, and Dick Weissman. All of them went on to bigger and better things:
"Kumbaya" ("Come By Here") is an African-American spiritual that was first recorded in 1926. I recall singing it when I was in grade school, but then I am of a certain age; I'm not sure whether school children do this now. The Journeymen's version of this song doesn't appear to have charted anywhere other than Toronto and possibly some other local markets - it was released twice as a B-side of a single but didn't make any national charts.
The Journeymen released a total of five singles without any noticeable success. They split up in early 1964. Phillips then founded The New Journeymen with his wife, Michelle Phillips, and banjo player Marshall Brickman, who went on to become the head writer for The Tonight Show. Brickman was replaced by Denny Doherty; they later added Cass Elliot to become The Mamas and The Papas.
Created April 21, 2026.