Tennessee’s own Cumberland Trio is set to give a rare performance at The Chattanooga Theatre Center in Coolidge Park on Saturday Night.

One member of the group, Jerre Haskew, told the Hamilton Place Rotary Club on Wednesday that they were eager to support the driver’s awareness program started by Chattanoogan Judy Appleby.

“MAKUS has taken off, not only here, but all around the country. They are doing important work and we want to help them raise awareness and raise money,” Mr. Haskew said.

The singer/songwriter/guitarist also shared with the Rotarians the path that led his folk trio to fame.

Four frat boys (only three sing in the group, thus the “trio”) at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville organized the group in the early 1960’s. After playing several school events and local venues, the Cumberland Trio entered and won the National Collegiate Folk Festival in Jacksonville, Florida.

“Folk music was by far the biggest selling albums at the time, and every college had 15 or 20 folk groups, so this was a big win for us,” Mr. Haskew said.

In early 1964, ABC televisions “Hootenanny” recorded several shows in Tennessee featuring the trio. The young college students had an opportunity to perform alongside musicians like Kenny Rogers, Glen Campbell, Carly Simon and Art Garfunkel.

“We were rubbing elbows with a lot of people that later became superstars in the music business.”

Legendary musician Chet Atkins of RCA Studios in Nashville called the trio to perform for him. After a successful taping in RCA’s famed Studio B, Atkins offered the Cumberland Trio a recording contract. But a new music company, RIC - who had already signed music icons Bobby Darin and Brenda Lee - also offered the group a contract.

The trio went with RIC, a company that soon went belly-up. All four boys were nearing graduation, and the musical mood of the country was shifting with the arrival of the British invasion, so the group disbanded so that each could pursue individual careers.

But the men remained close, and 37 years later reunited in Knoxville before a sold-out crowd at the Bijou Theatre in November of 2001.

Mr. Haskew said the group is currently enjoying the surging popularity of folk music across the country.

“We’re not in this for the money,” Mr. Haskew said. “We’re just trying to get the music out there.”

For tickets or information on the Cumberland Trio’s benefit concert Saturday, call the Chattanooga Theatre Center box office at 423-267-8534.