Peter Yarrow, a renowned singer-songwriter and member of the iconic folk-music trio Peter, Paul and Mary, has died at the age of 86. Yarrow, best known for his impassioned harmonies and advocacy for civil rights and peace, passed away in New York after battling bladder cancer for four years.
Yarrow, along with Noel Paul Stookey and Mary Travers, achieved significant success in the 1960s, releasing six Billboard Top 10 singles, two No. 1 albums, and winning five Grammy Awards. The trio played a pivotal role in popularizing folk music and bringing attention to the works of artists like Bob Dylan.
Their performance of Dylan's songs, 'Don't Think Twice, It's All Right' and 'Blowin' in the Wind,' at the 1963 March on Washington, where Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his historic 'I Have a Dream' speech, further solidified their legacy as influential musicians.
After a hiatus, the trio reunited in 1978 for an anti-nuclear-power concert organized by Yarrow. Following Travers' passing in 2009, Yarrow and Stookey continued to perform both individually and together.
Born in New York in 1938, Yarrow was raised in a family that valued art and scholarship. He discovered his passion for folk music while studying at Cornell University, where he worked as a teaching assistant for a class in American folklore.
Yarrow's collaboration with Stookey and Travers led to the formation of Peter, Paul and Mary, which quickly rose to fame with their self-titled debut album reaching No. 1 on the Billboard chart. The trio's music addressed social issues and promoted messages of peace and justice.
Yarrow's enduring legacy includes co-writing the beloved song 'Puff the Magic Dragon' and his commitment to using music as a tool for social change. He is survived by his wife, Marybeth, daughter Bethany, son Christopher, and granddaughter Valentina.
