Peter Yarrow, Folk Icon of Peter, Paul and Mary, Dies at 86

Peter Yarrow, Folk Icon of Peter, Paul and Mary, Dies at 86 \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ Peter Yarrow, the legendary folk musician of Peter, Paul and Mary, has died at 86 after battling bladder cancer. Known for co-writing “Puff the Magic Dragon” and championing civil rights through music, Yarrow’s influence spanned decades. His impassioned harmonies and activism left a lasting mark on the folk movement and social justice.

Peter Yarrow: Quick Looks

• Folk Music Icon: Yarrow was part of the legendary trio Peter, Paul, and Mary, known for harmonizing protest and hope.
• Enduring Hits: Co-wrote “Puff the Magic Dragon” and adapted Bob Dylan’s classics into chart-topping songs.
• Activism Legacy: Played at the 1963 March on Washington and organized events like “Survival Sunday.”
• Controversial Past: Served jail time for an indecent liberties charge but continued his career post-apology.
• Later Life: Authored civil rights anthems, remarried in 2022, and remained active in social causes.

Deep Look

Peter Yarrow, the renowned singer-songwriter and founding member of the influential folk music trio Peter, Paul, and Mary, passed away on January 2, 2025, in New York at the age of 86. His death marks the end of a remarkable life dedicated to music, activism, and storytelling that inspired millions across generations. Yarrow, who had been battling bladder cancer for four years, leaves behind a legacy of timeless songs and a commitment to civil rights and social justice.

Yarrow’s role in the trio Peter, Paul, and Mary was pivotal to the 1960s folk music revival. Alongside Mary Travers and Noel Paul Stookey, Yarrow achieved immense success, releasing six Billboard Top 10 singles, two No. 1 albums, and winning five Grammy Awards. Their repertoire included stirring renditions of protest songs such as Bob Dylan’s “Blowin’ in the Wind” and Pete Seeger’s “If I Had a Hammer.” These anthems became synonymous with the era’s push for social change, underscoring movements for civil rights and anti-war advocacy.

One of the group’s most iconic performances took place at the 1963 March on Washington, where they sang “Blowin’ in the Wind” just before Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his legendary “I Have a Dream” speech. The trio’s music not only defined a generation but also mobilized it, serving as a unifying force during tumultuous times.

Yarrow’s creative prowess extended beyond performance. He co-wrote one of the group’s most enduring songs, “Puff the Magic Dragon,” while still a student at Cornell University. The song, co-authored with college friend Leonard Lipton, tells a poignant tale of childhood innocence and its inevitable loss, symbolized by the magical dragon Puff. Despite unfounded rumors that the song contained drug references, Yarrow maintained that its true essence lay in its wistful reflection on growing up. “A dragon lives forever, but not so little boys,” he famously explained.

The trio’s early success was groundbreaking. Their debut album, Peter, Paul and Mary (1962), climbed to No. 1 on the Billboard charts, followed by Moving and In the Wind, which solidified their place in American music history. Songs like “If I Had a Hammer,” “Where Have All the Flowers Gone,” and “When the Ship Comes In” echoed the sentiments of an America grappling with war, inequality, and the fight for civil rights.

Yarrow was also a central figure during one of folk music’s most controversial moments: Bob Dylan’s electrified set at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival. As a member of the festival board and its emcee, Yarrow implored Dylan to return for an acoustic encore after the audience’s mixed reaction to his electric set. The moment, immortalized in the biopic A Complete Unknown, cemented Yarrow’s role as a bridge between folk’s purists and its evolving future.

In 1970, the trio disbanded to pursue solo careers. However, Yarrow organized the 1978 “Survival Sunday” anti-nuclear concert in Los Angeles, which marked their reunion. The group continued performing until Mary Travers’ passing in 2009, after which Yarrow and Stookey carried on their musical legacy through solo and joint performances.

Yarrow’s life was not without controversy. In 1970, he pleaded guilty to taking indecent liberties with a 14-year-old girl who sought his autograph. After serving three months in jail, he was pardoned by President Jimmy Carter in 1981. Yarrow repeatedly expressed deep regret for the incident, aligning himself with movements demanding accountability and justice. “With great sorrow, I acknowledge my past failings and support the current fight against abuses of power,” he said in 2019 when a festival rescinded his invitation over the conviction.

Despite the shadows cast by his past, Yarrow’s contributions to music and activism remained undeniable. He co-wrote the 1976 hit “Torn Between Two Lovers” for Mary MacGregor, collaborated on civil rights anthems like “No Easy Walk to Freedom,” and wrote “Light One Candle,” a plea for peace during the Lebanese Civil War. Yarrow’s artistic output often reflected his unwavering belief in music as a tool for change.

Offstage, Yarrow’s personal life was equally eventful. Born on May 31, 1938, in New York, he was raised in an upper-middle-class household that valued scholarship and art. He initially studied psychology at Cornell University, where his passion for folk music took root as he worked as a teaching assistant for a folklore class. Returning to New York after graduation, Yarrow honed his craft in Greenwich Village, where he met impresario Albert Grossman. Grossman assembled Peter, Paul, and Mary, blending Yarrow’s musical talent, Travers’ contralto, and Stookey’s humor and baritone to rival popular folk acts like the Kingston Trio.

In his personal life, Yarrow married Mary Beth McCarthy, niece of Senator Eugene McCarthy, in 1969. The couple had two children but later divorced, only to reunite in 2022. In addition to his wife, Yarrow is survived by his daughter, Bethany, his son, Christopher, and his granddaughter, Valentina.

Yarrow’s enduring influence on music and activism reflects a career defined by passion, artistry, and an unyielding commitment to social justice. From his timeless songs to his role in pivotal historical moments, his legacy remains a cornerstone of American folk music and a testament to its power to inspire change.

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