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The Cobblestones sang folk music at Michigan State University in 1967. |
| The Cobblestones performed "Sing Hallelujah" in a talent show at Michigan State University. | |
The Cobblestones, left to right: Glen Newton, Carmen Apelgren,and Mike Mottl.
The Cobblestones were students at Michigan State University in the mid-1960's. Near the end of 1966, Mike Mottl auditioned for a possible spot as the tenor vocalist in the Honeyman Trio. This introduced him to Glen Newton, and the two began working on a few folk songs in the practice rooms in Wonders Hall. Mike played four-string tenor guitar, tuned C-G-D-A, and Glen played 12-string guitar and 5-string banjo. While they practiced, freshman Carmen Apelgren heard them, came in to express her enjoyment of the music, and the trio was born.
On most of the group's numbers, Carmen sang lead, with Mike and Glen singing two harmony parts, alternating between tight chords and open voicings. That, together with their unorthodox pair of accompanying instruments, gave the group a unique sound.
The trio's repertoire included popular folk songs of the era, especially those recorded by Peter, Paul, and Mary, such as these:
| 500 Miles | All My Trials |
| Don't Think Twice, It's All Right | Hurry Sundown |
| If I Had a Hammer | Leaving on a Jet Plane |
| This Land is Your Land | Well, Well, Well |
They also performed lesser-known works, including "The Coming of the Roads," "Sing Hallelujah," and "Lizzie Borden."