Peter, Paul, & Mary (PP&M) came together in Greenwich Village in 1961. Noel Paul Stookey (1937—) was working as a stand-up comic when he met Mary Travers (1937—). They formed a folksinging duo, but soon they were approached by Albert Grossman, producer for the Kingston Trio. He united them with Peter Yarrow (1938—), who had played at the 1960 Newport Folk Festival. Grossman debuted PP&M at the Bitter End coffeehouse, where the magic of their beautiful harmonies and the skillful, subtle interaction of their two guitars captivated audiences. Soon PP&M were touring across the country, bringing their positive vibes to young, hip audiences.

Peter, Paul, and Mary

PP&M embraced many strains of folk music: political songs, love songs, traditional ballads, spirituals, humor, and children's songs. All these elements were featured on their first album, Peter, Paul and Mary (1962), which occupied the Billboard Top Ten...