Folk singer/songwriter John Stewart came to prominence with the Kingston Trio in the early '60s, and after leaving the group in 1967, he enjoyed solo songwriting success with "Daydream Believer" (a number one hit forthe Monkees) and other singles. Multi-platinum success as a performer was harder to achieve. His 1969 country-inspired album California Bloodlines, recorded with prominent Nashville players, became a cult classic but achieved only moderate sales in its day. After scoring a Top Ten hit in 1979 with "Gold" (a duet with Stevie Nicks), Stewart subsequently turned from commercial pursuits and resumed a specialist direction with a series of low-key independent recordings.