The Kingston Trio - Tom Dooley (1958) "Tom Dooley," The Kingston Trio's landmark recording from 1958, is not just a song but a cultural artifact that significantly contributed to the folk revival movement in the United States. This haunting ballad tells the true story of Tom Dula, a Confederate soldier executed for the murder of his lover, Laura Foster, in North Carolina post-Civil War. The Trio's rendition, which modernized the traditional Appalachian folk tune, brought the story of "Tom Dooley