Legendary Mary Travers, 72, of Peter Paul & Mary passes.
Mary died in a Connecticut hospital after battling leukemia for the past few years, her pub confirmed.
Mary Travers, a Louisville native moved to Greenwich Village during its wild bohemian beatnik era and quickly became part of the fledgling folk scene, performing with Pete Seeger and The SongSwappers, backing him at two shows at Carnegie Hall.
Mary soon teamed with Peter Yarrow and Noel "Paul" Stookey as the drop-dead blonde of the impassioned trio known to the world as Peter, Paul & Mary releasing their debut LP in 1962 to critical and popular acclaim.
The folk titans merged politics with music performing Bob Dylan‘s "Blowing In the Wind" at the historic March for Civil Rights on Washington in 1963 accompanying Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.
No less than three of their LPs charted in the top Billboard 100 that same year.
PP&M’s many hits included "If I had a Hammer" "Lemon Tree," "Leaving on a Jet Plane" and "Puff (The Magic Dragon.)"
The trio disbanded officially in 1971 but reunited over the years for special events and causes.
"I am deadened and heartsick beyond words to consider a life without Mary Travers and honored beyond my wildest dreams to have shared her spirit and her career," bandmate Paul Stookey said.
Peter Yarrow said that Mary’s accepted her final days with "great dignity and without restraint.
"Mary always was honest and completely authentic.
"That’s the way she sang, too; honestly and with complete authenticity."
