Troubadors Three - Railrider b/w Hard Ground

Tracks

Side 1

		Track Name	Length
	1	Railrider	02:28

Side 2

		Track Name	Length
	1	Hard Ground	02:57

Photos

Videos

No Video

Information/Write-up

The Troubadors Three emerged in the early 1960s as one of Saskatchewan’s strongest harmony groups, a trio whose clean vocals and Western-folk sensibility made them a favourite on CBC regional broadcasts and provincial concert stages. Their distinctive three-part blend was built around the voices and guitars of Terry Mooney, Boyce Neufeldt, and Vic (Victor) Zelinski, each drawn from a different Saskatchewan town but united through Saskatoon’s campus and community music circles.

The group formed after Terry Mooney, a Prince Albert–born singer with strong CBC folk influences and formal vocal training, met Vic Zelinski of Wynyard at a Newman Club gathering at St. Thomas More College. Zelinski had been performing folk material with friend Alfred Kuros, and Mooney — already developing harmonies with Boyce Neufeldt, a Rosthern tenor whom he knew from their days working at the Bank of Nova Scotia — invited him to join. By 1963–64 the three had locked into a polished harmonic style: Mooney on lead, Neufeldt’s high tenor (“Boyce the voice”), and Zelinski’s warm baritone and guitar work filling out the sound.

From Winnipeg to Calgary, the Troubadors Three became a fixture at concerts, CBC radio and television spots, and campus and community events. Press of the time praised their “new sound,” a blend of Western, folk, and light classical influences. Their original material — especially the train-themed “Rail Rider” and “Hard Ground” — demonstrated a sophistication uncommon among Prairie folk groups of the period. Both songs were featured on the Stars From a Gala Night Saskatchewan Diamond Jubilee LP in 1965, tying them to one of the province’s largest cultural events of the decade.

The trio recorded two 45s for Saskatoon’s Barb Records, both cut at Hi-Fi Recording Services:

Rail Rider / Hard Ground
Barb L6506, 1965 — folk / western harmony

Every Night / She Belongs To You
Barb 6601, Feb. 1966 — tagged in collector circles as “rockabilly,” but not confirmed.

Although their recorded output was small, the Troubadors Three left a lasting impression on Saskatchewan’s mid-60s music scene, their disciplined harmonies and warm stage presence briefly making them one of the province’s most beloved folk-pop groups.
-Robert Williston

Terry Mooney: lead vocals, guitar
Boyce Neufeldt: tenor vocals, guitar
Vic (Victor) Zelinski: baritone vocals, guitar

Written by Terry Mooney and Victor Zelinski (Railrider); and Victor Zelinski (Hard Ground)
Produced at Hi-Fi House, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

Related recording: https://citizenfreak.com/titles/315675-compilation-saskatchewan-jubilee-stars-from-a-gala-night

Comments