Peter, Paul and Mary
American folk trio that popularized the 1960s folk revival.
Peter, Paul and Mary were an American folk trio that came together in New York City in 1961, at the height of the folk music revival. The group was made up of Peter Yarrow on guitar and tenor vocals, Paul Stookey on guitar and baritone vocals, and Mary Travers singing contralto. Their music drew from traditional songs, original material by Yarrow and Stookey, early Bob Dylan compositions, and works by other revival figures like Pete Seeger.
The group found major success in the early and mid-1960s. Their first album spent weeks at number one on the charts and helped bring folk music to a wider audience. After Mary Travers died in 2009, Yarrow and Stookey carried on as a duo. Yarrow passed away in 2025, leaving Stookey as the only surviving member.
Travers credited Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, and the Weavers as her influences. In May 1963, Stookey discussed how the group formed and worked together on the international radio show *Folk Music Worldwide*. A 2004 documentary, *Peter, Paul & Mary: Carry It On – A Musical Legacy*, featured members of the Weavers saying that the trio carried forward folk music’s tradition of social commentary in the 1960s. The group was inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 1999 and received the Sammy Cahn Lifetime Achievement Award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2006.
The group was put together in 1961 by manager Albert Grossman, who auditioned singers in the New York folk scene—rejecting Dave Van Ronk as too quirky and uncommercial, as well as Carolyn Hester. After rehearsing Yarrow, Stookey, and Travers in Boston and Miami, Grossman booked them at The Bitter End, a coffeehouse and folk venue in Greenwich Village. Their debut album, *Peter, Paul and Mary*, came out on Warner Bros. in 1962. It included “Lemon Tree,” “500 Miles,” and Pete Seeger’s “If I Had a Hammer” and “Where Have All the Flowers Gone?” The album stayed in the Billboard Top Ten for ten months, seven of them at number one, and eventually sold over two million copies in the U.S. alone, earning double platinum certification.
In 1963, they released “Puff, the Magic Dragon,” with music by Yarrow and lyrics based on a poem by Cornell classmate Leonard Lipton. Despite drug rumors, the song is about childhood innocence. That same year, they appeared as the mystery guest on *What’s My Line?*, where Dorothy Kilgallen correctly guessed them.
Quick Facts
- Background
- group_or_band
- Origin
- New York City, U.S.
- Genre
- Folk · pop
- Discography
- Peter, Paul and Mary discography
- Years Active
- –1970 · 1972 · · 1981–2009
- Label
- Warner Bros.
- Past Members
- Peter Yarrow · Paul Stookey · Mary Travers
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Manager Albert Grossman created Peter, Paul and Mary in 1961 after auditioning several singers in the New York folk scene. After rehearsing in Boston and Miami, Grossman booked them into The Bitter End in Greenwich Village. Their debut album, released in 1962, included 'Lemon Tree', '500 Miles', and Pete Seeger hits, and spent seven weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard chart. In 1963 they released 'Puff, the Magic Dragon', based on a poem by Leonard Lipton, and performed at the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, singing 'If I Had a Hammer' and 'Blowin' in the Wind'.
The trio officially disbanded in 1971 to pursue solo careers. Yarrow was convicted of molesting a 14-year-old girl that year; he received a presidential pardon from Jimmy Carter in 1981.
Reader's Guide
Peter, Paul and Mary were central to the American folk music revival of the 1960s, bringing traditional songs and socially conscious material to a wide audience. Their debut album's chart-topping success and their performances at historic events like the March on Washington helped popularize folk music and amplify the voices of songwriters such as Bob Dylan and Pete Seeger. The group's repertoire included songs of social commentary, and members of the Weavers noted that Peter, Paul and Mary took over the torch of that tradition in the 1960s. Their influence extended beyond music: they supported political causes, including Eugene McCarthy's presidential campaign, and their song 'Puff, the Magic Dragon' became a cultural touchstone. After Travers's death, Yarrow and Stookey continued as a duo, and the group's legacy is preserved through their recordings, Hall of Fame inductions, and the ongoing work of Stookey as the last surviving member.
Did You Know?
- The group's debut album spent seven weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard chart and earned double platinum certification.
- Their only No. 1 single was 'Leaving on a Jet Plane', written by John Denver, released in 1969.
- In 1963, they appeared as the 'mystery guest' on the CBS game show What's My Line? and were correctly identified by Dorothy Kilgallen.
- Peter Yarrow received a presidential pardon from Jimmy Carter in 1981 after a 1970 conviction for molesting a 14-year-old girl.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Peter, Paul and Mary?
Peter, Paul and Mary is an American folk trio formed in New York City in 1961. The group was made up of Peter Yarrow, Paul Stookey, and Mary Travers, and they became one of the most recognizable voices of the 1960s folk revival.
What roles do the members play in Peter, Paul and Mary?
Peter Yarrow handles guitar and tenor vocals, Paul Stookey plays guitar and sings baritone, while Mary Travers provides the contralto voice. Yarrow and Stookey also contributed original songwriting to the group's catalog.
What kind of music did Peter, Paul and Mary perform?
Their repertoire blended traditional folk songs, original compositions by Yarrow and Stookey, early Bob Dylan tunes, and works by revival-era artists like Pete Seeger. This mix helped introduce folk and protest music to mainstream American audiences.
How long was Peter, Paul and Mary active?
The trio was active from 1961 through 1971, reunited briefly in 1978 and again in 1981, and continued performing until 2009. Their original run in the early-to-mid 1960s is when they achieved their greatest commercial success.
Why is Peter, Paul and Mary important to music history?
They helped bring the folk revival to a mass audience in the early 1960s, with their debut album spending multiple weeks at number one on the charts. Their harmonies and socially conscious songwriting made folk music a mainstream force in American popular culture.
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