Paul Stookey facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Paul Stookey
Stookey in 1970
Background information
Birth name	Noel Paul Stookey
Born	(1937-12-30) December 30, 1937 (age 87) Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
Genres	Folk
Occupation(s)	Singer-songwriter
Instruments	Vocals guitar
Years active	1950s–present
Labels	Warner Brothers-Neworld Multimedia
Associated acts	Peter, Paul and Mary Peter and Noel Paul

Noel Paul Stookey (born December 30, 1937) is an American singer and songwriter. He is best known as a member of the famous 1960s folk group Peter, Paul and Mary. The trio also included Peter Yarrow and Mary Travers. Stookey was known by his first name, Noel, for most of his life.

He is the last living member of the group. Mary Travers passed away in 2009, and Peter Yarrow passed away in 2025. Paul Stookey continues to make music and work as an activist today.

Paul Stookey's Early Life

Stookey was born in Baltimore, Maryland. When he was 12 years old, his family moved to Birmingham, Michigan. He finished high school there in 1955.

He later attended Michigan State University (MSU) in East Lansing, Michigan. He did not finish his degree there. Stookey has shared that he found a strong spiritual connection later in his life, around age 30.

Paul Stookey's Family Life

Paul Stookey married Elizabeth "Betty" Bannard in 1963. They have three daughters together. They raised their family in Blue Hill, Maine.

For some years, they lived in Massachusetts while Betty worked as a chaplain at a school. In 2005, they moved back to Maine. Stookey records his solo music in his own studio, which is a converted four-story chicken coop! This unique studio is called "The Henhouse."

Paul Stookey's Music Career

Peter, Paul and Mary: A Folk Music Trio

Paul Stookey was known as Paul in the Peter, Paul and Mary trio. This group was one of the most famous bands during the 1960s American folk music revival. They often included some of Stookey's solo songs and funny stories in their shows.

In 1963, Stookey talked about how Peter, Paul and Mary formed on a radio show called Folk Music Worldwide. One of his songs, "Norman Normal," even inspired a cartoon in 1968. Stookey helped write the cartoon's story and voiced some of the characters.

Besides his work with the trio, he has released many solo albums. He also made music with a group called Bodyworks. Stookey was an important artist in the early "Jesus music" movement, which later became the Christian music industry. However, his political views are often more liberal than many artists in that genre.

In 2000, Paul Stookey received the Kate Wolf Memorial Award for his contributions to folk music.

Paul Stookey's Solo Journey

After Peter, Paul and Mary took a break, each member released a solo album. Stookey's first solo album, Paul and, came out in 1971. It was the most popular of the three solo albums, reaching number 42 on the Billboard music chart.

In 1973, Stookey performed a concert at Carnegie Hall. He released this concert as his second solo album, called One Night Stand. Around this time, he started using the name Paul Stookey instead of Noel Paul Stookey.

Stookey's most famous song is "The Wedding Song (There Is Love)". This song was on his first solo album. He wrote it as a wedding gift for Peter Yarrow. Stookey decided not to perform it publicly until Peter asked him to at a concert. He gave the copyright for this song to a non-profit organization called the Public Domain Foundation. This means the money earned from the song goes to charity.

After Peter, Paul and Mary Reunited

Paul Stookey continued to perform with Peter, Paul and Mary until Mary Travers passed away in September 2009. After the trio, his music and work have focused on his faith, family, and social issues. He is still active in music, performing by himself and sometimes with Peter Yarrow.

In 1986, Stookey joined with others to create a company called Kidlinks. This company uses original songs as music therapy to help children with special needs. Kidlinks has produced award-winning CDs that are used in hospitals and homes.

In 2000, Noel and his daughter, Elizabeth Stookey Sunde, started a non-profit called Music to Life. This organization uses music to help educate and inspire social movements, just like music has done throughout history.

In January 2011, Stookey took part in events at Dartmouth College that celebrated the life of Martin Luther King Jr.. These events included "Music for Social Change with Noel Paul Stookey and Company."

Paul Stookey as a Producer

Paul Stookey has also helped produce albums for many other artists. These include jazz musician Paul Winter and comedian Tim Sample. He also produced music for singer-songwriters like Dave Mallett and Gordon Bok. He founded his own record label called Neworld Multimedia.

Paul Stookey's Albums

Paul Stookey's Singles