Rhino Media

American music has lost one of its strongest, truest voices with the passing today of Mary Travers. As part of Peter, Paul And Mary, she was at the forefront of the '60s folk renaissance, inspiring millions of people to greater activism on behalf of racial equality, peace, and opportunity for the oppressed.

Surely the most successful folk trio of all time, Peter, Paul And Mary have been a loved member of the Warner Music Group family for nearly 50 years. Their 1962 debut album brought folk music of consciousness to the top of the charts and was monumental in launching the fledgling Warner Bros. Records label. Their unprecedented string of gold and platinum albums, hit singles, and Grammy® Awards was truly astonishing -- at one point in 1963, three of their albums were in the top six of the Billboard albums chart. In 2004, the trio performed in our WMG offices in support of their final album, In These Times, and both the joy they felt for their music and the responsibility they felt toward their audiences remained as clear as when they began nearly half a century ago.

Mary was always a champion for human rights. Along with Peter and Noel Paul, she performed at the March on Washington in 1963 where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his legendary "I Have a Dream" speech. They also performed in support of Cesar Chavez and the UFW at Carnegie Hall in the late 1960s and for strawberry pickers in California in the 1990s. They performed at national marches for women's choice in Washington and demonstrated in support of the Anti-Apartheid Movement, committing an act of civil disobedience that led to the trio's arrest in front of the South African Embassy.

Although the challenges have changed since the legendary day "If I Had A Hammer" rang out at our nation's Capitol, the need to engage in the process of improving our world remains just as great, and Mary's music and life will continue to inspire generations to come to improve the world in which we live.

Our condolences go out to Mary's husband Ethan, her daughters Alicia and Erika, and to Peter and Noel Paul.

Statement From Peter, Paul & Mary's Family And Friends And Loving Associates

Mary Travers fought cancer and its consequent illnesses with an inspiring strength and determination, maintaining a positive outlook and uncomplaining spirit throughout. Mary's life and legacy remain a great American treasure. She was a passionate singer of songs, songs that have enlightened us and moved us to action as citizens of America and the world. She never failed to champion those most in need, those most deprived of their rights as citizens and human beings, and those targeted by racism and discrimination; the powerless, the infirm, the poor. Mary never shrank before a threat to her person if it got in the way of pursuing her deeply held convictions, and she was as loyal on behalf of her friends as she was to her principles. Mary helped awaken mainstream America to the humanizing message of folk music. She reached millions of people in the struggle to guarantee social justice for all and has left a profound and lasting impact on all of us. Each of us, many in profoundly personal ways, will deeply miss her and the gifts she has given us -- as an artist, as a triumphant role model, and as a dear, beloved friend. Well done, Mary Travers. We shall miss you beyond telling.

Statement From Peter Yarrow

In her final months, Mary handled her declining health in the bravest, most generous way imaginable. She never complained. She avoided expressing her emotional and physical distress, trying not to burden those of us who loved her, especially her wonderfully caring and attentive husband, Ethan. Mary hid whatever pain or fear she might have felt from everyone, clearly so as not to be a burden. Her love for me and Noel Paul, and for Ethan, poured out with great dignity and without restraint. It was, as Mary always was, honest and completely authentic. That's the way she sang, too; honestly and with complete authenticity. I believe that, in the most profound of ways, Mary was incapable of lying, as a person, and as an artist. That took great courage, and Mary was always equal to the task.

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. 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. The trio's growth, our creativity, our ability to emerge over the years completely accepting of one another, warts and all, was a miracle. This gift existed, I believe, because of the music itself, which elicited from each of us the best of who we were. When we performed together, we gave our best to each other and to the audiences who came to hear us.

I have no idea what it will be like to have no Mary in my world, in my life, or on stage to sing with. But I do know there will be a hole in my heart, a place where she will always exist that will never be filled by any other person. However painful her passing is, I am forever grateful for Mary and her place in my life.

Statement From Noel "Paul" Stookey

As a partner...she could be vexing and vulnerable in the same breath. As a friend she shared her concerns freely and without reservation. As an activist, she was brave, outspoken and inspiring -- especially in her defense of the defenseless. And, as a performer, her charisma was a barely contained nervous energy -- occasionally (and then only privately) revealed as stage fright.

Sometimes frustratingly dismissive, I seldom heard her say she was sorry, yet she often displayed an immense generosity that would surprise even herself. Witty, politically savvy, she was the master/mistress of the cutting exit line. Once I was attempting to defend Ronald Reagan's educational policy. She interrupted me with "Oh, for heaven's sake, do your homework!," turned on her heel and walked away. Need I say it turned out she was right?

As the relationships in the trio continued to shift and grow, Mary's insights and evolving comfort onstage drew her into the role of societal commentator and satirist; her genius revealed especially poking fun at the tumbling chaotic communications technology expanding around us.

Her illness softened her outlook considerably. Her work, her life and friends became more and more precious. And friends, especially women friends, closed ranks in the later years, returning in kindnesses so much of that which Mary, their powerful feminine matriarch, had given them.

I am deadened and heartsick beyond words to consider a life without Mary Travers and honored beyond my wildest dreams to have shared her spirit and her career.

Statement From Tom Whalley, Chairman and CEO Warner Bros. Records

Mary Travers, a member of one of the most successful folk trios of our time, Peter, Paul and Mary, passed away yesterday after a long fight with Leukemia. For more than 50 years, Peter, Paul and Mary has been a part of the Warner family, producing an impressive catalog of memorable songs that entertained countless numbers of fans around the world and left an indelible mark on the industry and on global pop culture.

Mary was not only a musical icon, but a model of sophistication and social awareness who quickly became one of the most inspiring figures of her generation. Outspoken about protecting the rights of others in the civil rights and anti-war movements of the 1960s, Mary's passion for justice found musical expression in songs that touched all of our lives and continue to inspire today, including the 1960s anthems "If I Had A Hammer," "Where Have All The Flowers Gone" and Bob Dylan's "Blowin' In The Wind," as well as the beloved "Puff the Magic Dragon."

Our heartfelt thoughts go out to Mary's family and her former bandmates, Noel and Peter.

Statement From Mo Ostin, Chairman Emeritus, Warner Bros. Records

When Mary Travers and her two band members Peter Yarrow and Noel Paul Stookey signed with Warner Bros. Records, the young label was struggling to survive. Peter, Paul and Mary changed that. With their first album, Peter, Paul and Mary, they helped turn Warner Bros. Records into a credible label, a profitable business and a home for some of the most creative musical talents in the industry. Mary, of course, was an integral part of their success. She was an influential pop culture figure who helped define the "look and sound" of the group and had a deep and lasting influence on many female artists who followed her. She was also a leading inspiration to a generation for her role as an activist who spoke out forcefully on issues that changed our society, including civil rights, the Vietnam War and the rights of women.

Our hearts go out to her family, Peter and Noel.

Statement from Joe Smith, Former President of Warner Bros. Records

When we signed Peter, Paul And Mary in the early '60s, we knew they had great taste in material and a distinctive sound, but the clincher was the visual impact of this gorgeous blond woman with these two bearded guys. The woman of course was Mary Travers and her talent was huge. The three argued a lot but, when the music started, they were very much together and Mary was the difference maker. Super bright, super talented, and a pleasure to know and work with.

Statement from David Altschul, Former Vice Chairman and General Counsel, Warner Bros. Records

The influence that Mary Travers had upon American society, as well as on my own political and social consciousness, is immeasurable. Her voice and spirit always was and will continue to be vital and active in the struggle for peace and economic and social justice. Warner Bros. Records was a company that Mary (along with Peter & Noel) helped to build. Their success during a critical and tenuous period in the companyÌs early history truly helped Warner Bros. Records survive. Mary, you were one of the greats, and you will be deeply missed and forever cherished.

Statement From Jimmy Edwards, Senior Vice President, Rhino Entertainment

Musicians perform their music. When Mary performed SHE WAS THE MUSIC. Her voice is a reflection of what is the love, hope and humanity in all of us and that voice will never be silenced.

Mary Travers was an iconic folk singer, a dedicated activist, a writer and a poet, a mother, and, along with Peter Yarrow and Noel (Paul) Stookey, a member of perhaps the most influential folk music trio in American history.

Peter, Paul & Mary became famous for their ability to convey powerful personal and political messages through a repertoire of songs that became, for millions of Americans, an introduction to political awareness and activism in the movements born in the '60s; movements for freedom, justice and social equity. For many, Peter, Paul & Mary became the soundtrack of their participation in an ongoing commitment to a progressive American vision of social equity, justice and freedom.

Mary Travers was born in November 1936, in Louisville, KY, but spent the majority of her childhood and teen years in New York City's Greenwich Village, a crucible of creativity and progressive thought. She was an early member of the Village folk scene of the '50s, singing weekly at the Sunday afternoon folk music gatherings in Washington Square Park where the great folk artists of the day would congregate. Mary recorded with a gifted group of teenagers, dubbed "The Song Swappers," who released two memorable albums, and appeared twice at Carnegie Hall with Pete Seeger. Among Mary's other musical influences were Paul Robeson, Josh White, Jo Mapes, Bob Gibson and Ronnie Gilbert of the Weavers. While still in her teens, Mary sang in a Broadway review starring Mort Sahl, a highly successful comedian and political satirist.

The folk group, Peter, Paul & Mary, began with Mary and "the boys," as she called them, in Noel Paul's East Village apartment singing "Mary Had A Little Lamb" which launched what was to become an almost 50 year career arc.

With her stature, long, flowing blonde hair and signature bangs, and her arresting and passionate vocal delivery, Mary Travers became an irresistible force in Peter, Paul and Mary's performances. These performances helped bring the folk scene to the broad American public, ushering in the Folk Renaissance of the 1960s.

The trio first performed in Greenwich Village's "The Bitter End" coffee house, but soon grew from a village phenomenon to become the dominant force on radio's music programming as the subject matter of songs changed from relatively benign pop lyrics to messages of content and conscience that stirred the nation as it came to embrace the Civil Rights Movement and, later, the Anti-War Movement of the late sixties and early seventies.

Along with Noel Paul Stookey and Peter Yarrow, Mary, beyond the music that she recorded and sang, became a spokesperson for the movements that were to change the direction of America for decades to come. Championing the rights of the disenfranchised and the legitimacy of those who advocated for greater fairness at home, Mary, along with her partners in the trio, advocated for dedication to principle, rather than simple dominance, in America's policies abroad.

Peter, Paul & Mary's self-titled debut album, released in 1962, rose rapidly to the top of the "charts," and remained in the Top Ten for ten months, and the Top 20 for two years. Their first hit single, "Lemon Tree" was swiftly followed by "If I Had a Hammer" which became an anthem of the Civil Rights movement and was performed by the trio at the 1963 March on Washington where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his legendary "I Have a Dream" speech.

Peter, Paul And Mary touched the lives and hearts of tens of millions of people with their songs -- a message they lived in their personal and public lives as much as they sang it in concerts and memorialized it on records. With the exception of one multi-year break in their touring, the trio traveled throughout America, Europe, Asia and Australia, spreading the message they inherited, and carried forward, from Pete Seeger, The Weavers, Woody Guthrie and innumerable, nameless, creators of the folk legacy.

They sang together over a span of almost 50 years during their career. They won five Grammy's, produced 13 Top 40 hits, of which 6 ascended into the Top 10 -- as well as eight gold and five platinum albums, including songs such as "Blowing' In The Wind," "If I Had A Hammer," "Leaving On A Jet Plane," "Where Have All The Flowers Gone," "500 Miles" and, of course, "Puff, The Magic Dragon."

At the end of almost a decade of intense togetherness, the trio gave themselves seven years in which to pursue individual interests. Mary found her own interests and pursuits to be wide ranging. Along with recording solo albums, Mary (1971), Morning Glory (1972), All My Choices (1973), and Circles (1974), Travers performed with symphonies, hosted a syndicated radio show, lectured at colleges on "Society and its Effect on Music," and wrote newspaper editorials and commentary. She also produced, wrote, and starred in the BBC series Rhymes & Reasons, which dealt with societal mores and changes in recent times.

In this period, Mary continued her activism on behalf of human rights. Her commitments included an active role in the Washington based Center for the Development of International Policy, a non-profit that sends fact-finding missions to countries where American foreign policy has a particularly meaningful impact. Travers participated in missions to El Salvador and Nicaragua. In 1983, through the UAHC (Union for American Hebrew Congregations) she visited the Soviet Union to learn first-hand about the challenges facing Russian Jews. While there, she gave intimate concerts in the homes of "Refusnik" Jews, those Jews denied application for release and emigration from the Soviet Union.

During the '80s, after their rejuvenating years of personal re-definition, Mary and her longtime performing partners became deeply involved in efforts to raise the consciousness of Americans about US support of a repressive regime in El Salvador, as well as the refusal of the American government to grant sanctuary status to those targeted by El Salvadorian government sponsored "death squads." The trio also became highly vocal in opposing America's funding of a mercenary army in Nicaragua that was committed to destabilizing and crushing a legitimately, albeit Socialist, elected government.

Later years brought about many advocacies shared by the trio. They joined and performed at national marches for women's choice in the nation's capital, demonstrated in support of the Anti-Apartheid Movement committing an act of civil disobedience that led to the trio's arrest in front of the South African Embassy, including Mary, Mary's mother and daughter. They mounted a campaign to alert New Yorkers to the reality of homelessness as more a phenomenon involving women and children in dire straights than the conventional view of the homeless as irresponsible drunks and vagrants. And, they reprised their support of Cesar Chavez in the 1960s, making an appearance to support the migrant strawberry workers in California.

Many other efforts thread their way through the lives and performances of the trio, and continued virtually until their last concert performed in New Brunswick, N.J on May 20, 2009. It was here where Mary received numerous standing ovations that recognized her life and work, her courage and her determination in facing the lingering effects of chemotherapy -- a treatment that allowed her to conquer Leukemia through a bone marrow/stem cell transplant. At this final performance, Mary and her two friends of almost 50 years were by her side, supporting and protecting Mary with great love, pride and compassion, singing the iconic songs that always ended their concerts, "Blowing In The Wind" and "If I Had A Hammer" followed by their encore, "This Land is Your Land." This was a testament to their relentless optimism about, and love for, America, and the pursuit of freedom, equality and justice it represents.

"We've learned that it will take more than one generation to bring about change," Mary once said. "The fight for civil rights has developed into a broader concern for human rights, and that encompasses a great many people and countries. Those of us who live in a democracy have a responsibility to be the voice for those whose voices are stilled."

Mary is survived by her beloved husband Ethan Robbins, her daughters Alicia and Erika, her sister Annie, and her granddaughters Wylie and Virginia.