Peter Yarrow facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Peter Yarrow
|
|
|---|---|
_2.JPG)
Yarrow in 1970
|
|
| Background information | |
| Born | May 31, 1938 New York City, U.S. |
| Died | January 7, 2025 (aged 86) New York City, U.S. |
| Genres | Folk |
| Occupation(s) |
|
| Instruments |
|
| Years active | 1950s–2024 |
| Signature | |
 |
|
Peter Yarrow (born May 31, 1938 – died January 7, 2025) was an American singer and songwriter. He became famous as part of the folk music group Peter, Paul and Mary in the 1960s. He sang with Paul Stookey and Mary Travers. Peter helped write one of their most famous songs, "Puff, the Magic Dragon" (1963). He was also a strong supporter of many important causes. These included speaking out against the Vietnam War. He also supported programs to stop bullying in schools.
Contents
Early Life and Family Background
Peter Yarrow was born in Manhattan, New York, on May 31, 1938. His parents were Vera Wisebrode and Bernard Yarrow. They were Ukrainian Jewish immigrants. Their families had settled in Providence, Rhode Island.
Bernard Yarrow (1899–1973) studied at universities in Poland and Ukraine. He moved to the United States in 1922. He changed his last name from Yaroshevitz to Yarrow. He earned degrees from Columbia University in 1925 and Columbia Law School in 1928. He worked as a lawyer in New York City. In 1944, he joined the Office of Strategic Services (OSS). This was an American intelligence agency during World War II.
After the war, Bernard worked for a law firm. He also helped start the National Committee for a Free Europe. This group was against Communism. He became a senior leader at Radio Free Europe. This organization was supported by the CIA.
Peter's mother, Vera (1904–1991), came to the U.S. when she was three. She became a speech and drama teacher. She taught at the Julia Richman Education Complex in New York City. Peter's parents divorced in 1943 when he was five.
Peter spent summers at a music camp called Interlochen. He graduated from New York City's High School of Music and Art. He studied painting and won a physics award. He then went to Cornell University. He first studied physics but changed to psychology. He earned his degree in 1959.
Peter's Music Journey
Peter Yarrow started singing publicly during his last year at Cornell. He was in a popular class about American folk literature. This class was known for singing and guitar playing. Peter helped lead students in songs. These included traditional folk songs and songs about the civil rights movement.
Starting a Folk Group
After college, Peter performed in folk clubs in New York City. He also appeared on TV and at the Newport Folk Festival. There, he met music manager Albert Grossman. Grossman wanted to create a new folk group. He wanted it to be like the Weavers but for a new generation. Peter saw a picture of Mary Travers and asked about her. Grossman said she would be good if she would sing professionally.
Mary Travers was well-known in the Greenwich Village folk scene. She had sung with Pete Seeger and performed at Carnegie Hall. However, she was shy about singing professionally. Peter went to her apartment to convince her. They sang together and found their voices blended well.
Mary suggested Noel Stookey, who was a friend and comedian. They chose the name "Peter, Paul and Mary" for their group. They practiced for six months. In 1961, they debuted at The Bitter End nightclub in Greenwich Village. They quickly became popular and signed with Warner Bros..
Early Success and Famous Songs
Warner Bros. released their first single, "Lemon Tree", in 1962. Then came "If I Had a Hammer". This song was written by Pete Seeger and Lee Hays in 1949. It won two Grammy Awards in 1962. The trio's first album, Peter, Paul & Mary, was very successful. It stayed in the Top 10 for ten months and sold over two million copies. The group toured a lot and recorded many albums.
In 1963, Peter, Paul and Mary released "Blowin' in the Wind". This song was written by the then-new artist Bob Dylan. It sold 300,000 copies in its first week. By August, it was number two on the Billboard pop chart. On August 28, 1963, Peter, Paul and Mary performed this song at the historic March on Washington. They were on stage with Martin Luther King Jr.. Their performance made "Blowin' in the Wind" an anthem for civil rights.
Peter's songwriting created some of the group's most famous songs. These include "Puff, the Magic Dragon", "Day Is Done", "Light One Candle", and "The Great Mandala". The group was nominated for an Emmy award in 1996. This was for their TV special LifeLines Live, which celebrated folk music.
Peter helped start the New Folks Concert series. This happened at both the Newport Folk Festival and the Kerrville Folk Festival. His work at Kerrville is considered very important.
Peter also helped write and produce "Torn Between Two Lovers". This song was a number one hit for Mary MacGregor. He also produced three TV specials based on "Puff the Magic Dragon". These specials earned him an Emmy nomination. In 1978, Peter organized Survival Sunday, a benefit concert against nuclear weapons. After a time apart, he reunited with Paul Stookey and Mary Travers.
Peter often performed with his daughter, Bethany Yarrow. They formed a trio called Peter, Bethany, and Rufus with cellist Rufus Cappadocia. They released a CD called Puff & Other Family Classics. In 2008, a TV special featuring their live performance aired on public television.
Peter Yarrow also appeared in films. He played a character in the 2015 movie While We're Young. In the 2024 Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown, Peter Yarrow was played by Nick Pupo.
Social Activism and Helping Others
Peter Yarrow was a lifelong activist for social and political causes. He believed in using his voice to make a difference.
Fighting Bullying with Operation Respect
In 2000, Peter helped start Operation Respect. This is a nonprofit organization that works to stop school bullying. It teaches children in schools and camps to be tolerant and respect differences. The idea for the project came after Peter and his children heard the song "Don't Laugh at Me".
In 2008, Peter explained his work with Operation Respect. He said that bullying and humiliation in schools can lead to sadness in young people. He believed it was important to teach respect.
Other Important Causes
Peter Yarrow was a leader in the movement to help Soviet Jews. These were Jewish people in the Soviet Union who wanted to leave. His song "Light One Candle" became very important for this cause. Rabbi Allison Bergman Vann said the song inspired her generation to become activists. She learned about the importance of "tikkun olam," which means "repairing our broken world."
In 2005, Peter performed in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The concert helped victims of Agent Orange. He asked the Vietnamese for forgiveness from the United States.
Peter also served on the board of directors for the Connecticut Hospice. He performed for volunteers working for Barack Obama's presidential campaign in 2008. In 2011, he joined the Occupy Wall Street protests. He played songs like "We Shall Not Be Moved". Peter was also a member of Braver Angels, a group that works to bring people with different political views together.
Personal Life
Peter Yarrow believed his Jewish faith influenced his views on justice. He felt that being Jewish meant living by strong moral values.
In 1969, Peter married Mary Beth McCarthy. She was the niece of presidential candidate Eugene McCarthy. They were married in October 1969. Paul Stookey wrote the song "Wedding Song (There Is Love)" as a gift for their wedding. Peter and Mary Beth had two children, Bethany and Christopher. They divorced in 1981 but remarried in 2022. They were together until his death in 2025.
In 2000, Peter's acoustic guitar was stolen from an airplane. Fans found the guitar for sale online in 2005. The FBI recovered it and returned it to Peter.
Peter lived in New York City for a long time. He also had a vacation home in Telluride, Colorado. His son Christopher is an artist.
Illness and Passing
Peter Yarrow passed away from bladder cancer on January 7, 2025. He was 86 years old. He had been diagnosed with the illness four years earlier.
Awards and Recognitions
Peter Yarrow received the Allard K. Lowenstein Award in 1982. This was for his work in human rights, peace, and freedom. In 1995, he received the Tikkun olam Award. This award recognized his efforts to "repair the world."
The World Folk Music Association gave Peter the Kate Wolf Memorial Award in 1993. In 2003, a special resolution recognized Peter's achievements. It also honored the work of Operation Respect.
Music Recordings
With Peter, Paul and Mary
Solo Albums
- 1972: Peter
- 1973: That's Enough for Me
- 1975: Hard Times
- 1975: Love Songs
- 2010: The Peter Yarrow Sing-Along Special
With Peter, Bethany and Rufus
- 2008: Puff & Other Family Classics
Other Music Contributions
- 1971: Lazarus – produced for the band Lazarus
- 1973: A Fool's Paradise – produced for Lazarus
- 1984: Here With Me – wrote the song "Cherry Blossom" for Kamifusen
- 2020: Color Outside the Lines – sang on songs "Home" and "Arkansas" with Bethany Yarrow for Jim Stanard
See also
- List of peace activists
