Grammy-winning folk legend Peter Yarrow of Peter, Paul and Mary dies at 86 after battling bladder cancer

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Peter Yarrow, the Grammy-winning musician celebrated for his work with the iconic folk trio Peter, Paul, and Mary, died on Tuesday, January 7, at the age of 86.

The singer-songwriter died of bladder cancer at his New York City home, as confirmed by People.

Peter Yarrow's family invited fans to leave him tribute in December

Peter Yarrow's children, Christopher and Bethany wrote, “He has kept his doctors in awe at his resilience as he continued to perform and live life in his own generous and cause-driven way," after inviting fans to leave living tributes for their father on December 2024.

The musician was revered for his musical talent and his profound compassion and dedication to social causes.

In 1996, he founded the Save One Child fund to provide lifesaving medical treatment to children and, in 1999, launched the anti-bullying nonprofit Operation Respect.

“There is Peter Yarrow the folk activist legend, and then there is the man, a deeply compassionate individual who changed the lives of so many people in very personal ways,” his family noted.

Rise of Peter, Paul, and Mary and their chart-topping success

Peter, Paul, and Mary emerged from the vibrant Greenwich Village folk scene of the 1960s, captivating audiences with timeless hits like 'Puff, the Magic Dragon', 'If I Had a Hammer', and their rendition of John Denver’s 'Leaving on a Jet Plane'.

Their 1963 performance of Bob Dylan’s 'Blowin’ in the Wind' at the March on Washington led by Martin Luther King Jr cemented their role as musical voices of the civil rights movement.

After graduating from Cornell University with a degree in psychology, Yarrow gravitated toward the folk scene in New York City, where he met his future bandmates, Noel Paul Stookey and Mary Travers.

The trio’s debut album in 1962, featuring hits like 'Lemon Tree,' took them to fame and earned them five Grammy Awards and six Top 10 hits over the years.

Peter Yarrow's resilience in adversity

Peter Yarrow’s career faced setbacks after a personal scandal in 1969, for which he served a brief prison sentence and later received a pardon from President Jimmy Carter in 1981.

Despite these obstacles, Yarrow continued to perform and advocate for social causes.

Following the death of Mary Travers in 2009, Yarrow and Stookey carried forward the legacy of Peter, Paul, and Mary through their performances.

“Peter is a patient and meticulous worker, and his commitment to excellence is what yielded the best possible environment in which to be creative,” Travers once remarked.

Yarrow is survived by his wife, Marybeth McCarthy, whom he remarried in 2022, their children Christopher and Bethany, and a granddaughter.