Peter Yarrow, a Cornell graduate and member of the famous folk trio Peter, Paul, and Mary, passed away on January 7 in Manhattan at age 86. Yarrow earned his psychology degree from Cornell in 1959 and found early inspiration at the university, especially from a popular American Folk Literature course called "Romp-n-Stomp," taught by professor Harold Thompson. Yarrow even served as a student instructor for the class, leading folk songs and spirituals for his classmates.
In 1961, Yarrow teamed up with Mary Travers and Noel Paul
Stookey to form Peter, Paul, and Mary—a group that became one of the most
popular folk acts of the 1960s. Their debut album topped the Billboard charts
and sold over two million copies. Yarrow also co-wrote the well-known song
“Puff the Magic Dragon,” inspired by a poem written by fellow Cornell student
Leonard Lipton '62.
The trio was known for their commitment to social causes,
performing at historic events like the 1963 March on Washington, where they
sang “Blowin' in the Wind” and “If I Had a Hammer.” Their music became closely
tied to the civil rights movement and anti-Vietnam War protests.
After the group split in 1970, Yarrow released a solo album
and continued songwriting. He reunited with Travers and Stookey for benefit
concerts and tours until Travers passed away in 2009. In 2000, Yarrow started
Operation Respect, a nonprofit focused on making schools more safe and
inclusive.
Yarrow kept strong ties to Cornell, performing at his 50th
reunion in 2009 and his 60th reunion in 2019, where he led a Romp-n-Stomp
revival in Bailey Hall. He once described Cornell as “a place where I felt
comfortable.”
Born on May 31, 1938, in Manhattan to Ukrainian Jewish
immigrants, Yarrow attended the High School of Music and Art, where he first
studied painting before discovering his love for music at Cornell. After
graduation, he became a key figure in the Greenwich Village folk music scene,
where he connected with manager Albert Grossman, who introduced him to Travers
and Stookey.
Yarrow’s music continues to be sung in schools, camps, and
places of worship. In a 2014 interview, he said, “These songs are still here.
They’re not going away. They’ll be part of our culture for a long time.”
Yarrow is survived by his wife, Mary Beth McCarthy, their
son, daughter, and granddaughter.
