OAN Staff Brooke Mallory
4:43 PM – Tuesday, January 7, 2025
Peter Yarrow, one of the three musicians in the American folk band Peter, Paul and Mary, who gained musical fame in the 1960s, has reportedly passed away. He was 86-years-old.
Advertisement
Yarrow’s publicist confirmed to the Guardian outlet that he died on Tuesday following a four-year struggle with bladder cancer.
“Our fearless dragon is tired and has entered the last chapter of his magnificent life. The world knows Peter Yarrow the iconic folk activist, but the human being behind the legend is every bit as generous, creative, passionate, playful, and wise as his lyrics suggest,” Yarrow’s daughter, Britney, said in a statement.
Yarrow’s children created a “living tribute” webpage for the musician prior to his passing. They requested that friends and admirers send in videos, pictures, or statements in their father’s memory.
The website also features updates that Yarrow’s family shared prior to his death. On January 3rd, Bethany posted the most recent message regarding the family’s joint Hanukkah celebration.
“Peter is very weak physically, but his spirit is strong and his light is growing brighter every day,” Bethany said. “We won’t let the light go out! We love you Peter!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
Mary Travers, Paul Stookey, and Yarrow were part of one of the most well-known folk bands in music history.
Yarrow co-wrote the group’s most well-known song “Puff, the Magic Dragon,” which was released in 1963, with Lenny Lipton. Between 1962 and 2004, Peter, Paul and Mary put out thirteen albums. Out of 16 Grammy nominations, they took home five.
Yarrow and Stookey continued to perform as a duo when Travers passed away in 2009.
During the March on Washington in August 1963, which attracted American protesters who were against the Vietnam War; Peter, Paul and Mary sang a rendition of Bob Dylan’s song “Blowin’ in the Wind” on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.
However, Yarrow’s arguably most shameful moment was when he was forced to served a three-month jail sentence for an incident in 1969. Yarrow had answered the door naked after a 14-year-old girl and her 17-year-old sister knocked on his hotel room in order to ask for an autograph. The girls reported him and his reputation was instantly tarnished as soon as media headlines picked up the story. He later apologized for his actions, saying: “It was an era of real indiscretion and mistakes by categorically male performers. I was one of them. I got nailed. I was wrong. I’m sorry for it,” according to AP News.
Yarrow was pardoned by former Democrat President Jimmy Carter in 1981. Carter also passed away recently on December 29th, 2024.
Stay informed! Receive breaking news blasts directly to your inbox for free. Subscribe here. https://www.oann.com/alerts
Advertisements below
Be the first to comment