BOOK: ‘Peter, Paul and Mary: 50 Years in Music and Life’
Peter, Paul and Mary: 50 Years in Music and Life is a loving celebration of the passion and dedication that helped PP&M become one of the most enduring and well-loved groups of the ’60s folk music revival scene. Featuring striking photos and never-before-seen archival material, this coffee table book is a personal look at their remarkable careers — from their beginnings in the Greenwich Village coffeehouses, to their swift rise to national prominence, to their continued passion for music and activism in the 1980s and beyond.
The book is full of new stories and photos, highlighting encounters with some of the world’s most notable political figures and following the trio as they personally visit the conflict-ridden areas they were so committed to help, such as El Salvador and South Africa. At the same time, it tells a tale of three people who took great joy in their music and in each other, having a huge amount of fun as they toured the world and developed a close partnership.
The book’s authorship is credited as “Peter, Paul and Mary” — an unexpected choice considering Mary Travers had been gone for two years by the time the project began. While it was initially intended to be a collection of Peter Yarrow’s and Noel Paul Stookey’s personal memories, the move to a collective voice was a natural evolution as work progressed. As Stookey remarked in a recent interview, “Somehow the absence of Mary struck both of us as odd, because in many ways she had spoken at many of the events that occurred; she had already articulated her feelings about some of the major experiences that we had shared. So, ultimately, the most truthful way of presenting this story was collaborative, with no single voice being codified.” This is particularly powerful as the story unfolds, underlying the importance of the consensus and unity that epitomized their work.
Another striking feature is the book’s depiction of Travers herself. While her beauty and voice may have been her most recognizable traits, 50 Years delves deep into her character, revealing a true role model: a principled woman determined to follow her own path at a time when such things simply weren’t done. Even when the story inevitably turns to her illness and death in 2009, Travers’ hope and optimism for herself and for the future continues to shine through.
The overarching theme of Peter, Paul and Mary’s story is passion: they performed to support their principles, which meant so much more to them than producing the next album or Top 10 hit (though they had many of those, too). When they didn’t have a reason to perform, they simply didn’t perform. As a result of this and other factors, they ceased to work as a trio for nearly a decade — an aspect of their history that is only lightly touched on here, as the main focus is their collective story.
Late Again
Readers may notice that a book released in 2014 commemorating the trio’s 1961 origins does not technically mark their 50th anniversary. But as both Yarrow and Stookey have explained, they only came to the project in 2011, having taken two years to process Travers’ death. And once they began, they took their time, prioritizing their dedication to getting it right over a need to publish on a specific schedule. The care and dedication shows, and the book is clearly a labor of love that was worth the wait. Additionally, fans may enjoy the inside joke implied here, since the group was notorious for being late. In fact, they were so well-known for it that their 1968 album was called, fittingly, Late Again.
Beyond the Book
Of course, one thing missing from a book about music is…the music. But Peter, Paul and Mary have taken care of that with a companion PBS special. The book and DVD are a perfect pair that both follow the same chronological path and touch on similar events, but the addition of performance clips and video interviews with all three members greatly enhances the experience.
In addition, PP&M’s catalog and legacy continue to grow. They recently released Discovered: Live in Concert, a live album of previously unreleased songs only performed live. And even without Mary, Peter Yarrow and Noel Paul Stookey continue the trio’s mission, collectively and individually supporting the causes dearest to them.
Peter, Paul and Mary: 50 years in Music and Life is a must-have for folk music fans: a lovingly crafted tribute to a force for peace and activism whose legacy will live on for decades to come.
Win a copy of Peter, Paul and Mary: 50 Years in Life and Music!
For your chance to win a copy of this amazing literary retrospective of an iconic trio, simply enter the giveaway below by midnight, Monday, December 22. By entering your email, you’re automatically guaranteed +1 entry. For more chances to win, simply follow us on Twitter (+2 entries), tweet about the giveaway (+2), or head over to our Facebook page (+2)! If you have any questions or issues, simply leave a comment below! Good luck!
Note: This is the same giveaway that appeared on AJOBO earlier this week. If you entered there, there’s no need to enter here!
