Mary Travers
Her powerful, clarion voice gave the 1960s folk revival anthems of protest and hope, defining a generation's sound and conscience.
1936–2009 (age 73)·American folk singer·Birthday: November 9·The Silent Generation
Biography
With her striking blonde hair and commanding stage presence, Mary Travers was the visual and vocal anchor of Peter, Paul and Mary, the trio that brought folk music from Greenwich Village coffeehouses to mainstream America. Growing up in New York City, she absorbed the political and artistic ferment of the folk scene, which shaped her unwavering commitment to social justice. Her rich contralto, blending with Peter Yarrow's tenor and Paul Stookey's bass, turned songs like 'Blowin' in the Wind' and 'If I Had a Hammer' into cultural touchstones. The group's harmonies were meticulously crafted, yet felt effortlessly natural, making complex messages of peace and civil rights accessible to millions. While the trio was her legacy, Travers also carved a path as a solo artist and remained a forthright activist, her voice forever linked to the moral urgency of the era she helped soundtrack.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Mary was born in 1936, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Mary Was Born
The biggest hits of 1936
#1 Movie
San Francisco
Best Picture
The Great Ziegfeld
Mary's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1936Born
Jesse Owens wins four golds at the Berlin Olympics
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"The Way You Look Tonight" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: The Great Ziegfeld
1941Started school
Pearl Harbor attack brings the US into WWII
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,060Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Chattanooga Choo Choo" — Glenn MillerBest Picture: How Green Was My Valley
1949Became a teenager
NATO founded; Mao proclaims the People's Republic of China
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Riders in the Sky" — Vaughn MonroeBest Picture: All the King's Men
1952Could drive
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1954Could vote
Brown v. Board of Education desegregates US schools
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $8,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Little Things Mean a Lot" — Kitty KallenBest Picture: On the Waterfront
1957Turned 21
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1966Turned 30
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1976Turned 40
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1986Turned 50
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1996Turned 60
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2006Turned 70
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2009Died at 73
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
Key Achievements
- As part of Peter, Paul and Mary, won five Grammy Awards and sold millions of records worldwide.
- Performed at the 1963 March on Washington, singing 'If I Had a Hammer' before Martin Luther King Jr.'s 'I Have a Dream' speech.
- The trio's version of 'Leaving on a Jet Plane' became a number-one hit in 1969.
- Released five solo albums, exploring a broader range of musical styles beyond folk.
Did You Know?
She attended the Little Red School House in Greenwich Village, a progressive institution.
Travers was briefly married to actor Barry Feinstein, who photographed album covers for Bob Dylan and Janis Joplin.
She was a vocal opponent of the Vietnam War and participated in numerous anti-war demonstrations.
After the trio disbanded in 1970, she pursued a solo career before they reunited in 1978.
“The thing about Peter, Paul and Mary is, we're not performers, we're participants. We're participating in the evening, and we hope the audience will participate with us.”
