R.I.P. Mary Travers

Even if we knew Mary Travers was failing, the news of her passing came really hard.  Peter Paul & Mary have been part of the soundtrack of our lives for nearly 50 years, so it was like losing a member of the family. She was a loving daughter, mother, and grandmother, who nurtured a passion for music in several generations of fans.

Speaking of family, being around PP&M in the studio was like watching two brothers and a sister.  Sometimes there would be tension when irritating old habits would arise, but there was genuine love among the three of them, along with a shared sense of social justice and humor. And though they were famous for their harmonic blend, Mary’s voice and visual presence were central to their success.

You had to appreciate that even if she was recruited for her sex appeal back in 1961, her voice was strong, not just as a singer, but as an activist.  A blonde to the end, she remained thoughtful and outspoken. And her battle against leukemia (and the after effects of her bone marrow transplant) was very brave.

Peter Yarrow shared this after her death:

Surrounded by love with a spirit of quiet, grateful, celebration amongst many friends who had gathered to be with her, Mary chose to leave us a few minutes before 7:30 pm, this evening. She was in no pain and was able to understand and respond to spoken words even up to some time late in the afternoon, just a few hours before her passing.

I was able to convey the thoughts, messages of appreciation and love, from many of you who contacted me. It was an honor and a blessing to have been with Mary in this last, powerful chapter in her life. She was Mary to a “T” until the end, nodding yesterday when asked if she wanted to go shopping with the girls at the Mall, gently (but clearly) slapping away the arm of a nurse who didn’t stop doing something to Mary when she asked her not to (all this with her eyes

unopened). I could sense her delight when I came to sit with her, massage her fingers as I always did on tour, and tell her all the things worth saying to express my love, for quite a long period of time during the day.

She was a giant of a person, in spirit and heart, till the end. Missing her has only just begun.