performing at a concert 2006
NL-Mary Travers of Peter, Paul & Mary passed away today. She watched a great movement toward equal civil rights in this country, and she was a big part of it’s progression.
"Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of my relationship with Mary Travers over the last almost 50 years is how open and honest we were with each other, and I include Noel Paul Stookey in this equation," Peter Yarrow said in a statement. "Such honesty comes with a price, but when you get past the hurt and shock of realizing that you’re faulted and frequently wrong, you also realize that you are really loved and respected for who you are, and you become a better person."
Bummer, I wasnt a big fan, but it was cool to watch little kids and old folks bond over this shit. And I still believe Noel Paul Stookey should be beaten for The Wedding Song.
No matter how lightweight does their music tend to be categorized, P,P&M always carried their political convictions right up front. They were solidly in the middle of the early civil rights movement, shared the stage with Pete Seeger, Bob Dylan, and others of the political-folk community, and took a lot of heat and even death threats for their unflinching convictions. Musicians today, particularly those of a political bent—I’m thinking punk bands like Green Day—could take a cue from these “lightweight” folkies.
P,P&M were more recently immortalized in the film, ‘Meet the Parents’, where Ben Stiller’s character “Greg Foker” comments to his father-in-law, played by Robert De Niro, about the children’s folk song ‘Puff the Magic Dragon’ being about smoking marijuana. Great dialog in that scene!
Go peacefully into the future, Ms. Travers*