Mary Travers, the "Mary" of Peter, Paul and Mary, has died at 72 after a lengthy struggle with leukemia. Haven't seen mention here yet, so I thought I'd offer a brief obit.
UPDATE: I see from a comment below that I missed last night's great post and comments. I think I'll let this one stay up and run its course so that those of us East Coasters who went to bed early last night have a chance to post reflections and appreciations.
While I am too young to remember when they helped introduce Bob Dylan to a wider audience with Grammy Award winning recordings of his early music, I do recall falling asleep to Puff, the Magic Dragon when I was a child in the 60s.
I literally put my head on the old record player and drifted off trying to figure out how they got into that little box to make music.
Though for most younger Kossacks P,P & M are probably known either as a nostalgia act or a PBS fundraiser, their early incredibly successful recordings helped the careers of a number of young singer-songwriters ranging from Dylan to Laura Nyro. Their version of If I Had a Hammer also helped reintroduce Pete Seeger after his Weavers had been blacklisted in the McCarthy era.
They maintained a consistent and outspoken commitment to liberal causes, performing Blowing in the Wind at the 1963 March on Washington, walking with King on the Selma to Montgomery march in 1965, and singing at numerous anti-Vietnam War protests and marches.
Their music serves as a reminder that artists can be outspoken consistent with their visions and commitments and also enjoy remarkable commercial success.
Rest in peace.