Freedom Lost a Champion and Friend

Mary Travers, sexy symbol of folk music and tireless conscience of civil and human rights finally lost her heroic battle against cancer. The outspoken, harmonic champion of justice, freedom and love between our brothers and sisters died at the age of 72. Never flagging in her zeal for righteous causes, she had sung against Apartheid in Africa, the War in Vietnam, worker exploitation from coal mines to tomato fields and hatred around the globe.
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Mary joined Peter and Paul at the dawn of the 60’s. “Blowin’ In the Wind”, “If I had a Hammer” and “Where Have All the Flowers Gone” engraved their permanent spot in the American folk tradition as early as 1962/63. Forty years later they were still on the cutting edge with “Have You Been to Jail for Justice”, “Jesus on the Wire” and “Don’t Laugh at Me.” Perhaps their best know song, “Puff the Magic Dragon” that was a classic triple entendre which told of a little boy and a dragon, innocent imagination or smoking a ‘doobie.’ (Take your pick.)
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The group’s artistic genius was displayed by the immense variety in their musical message. Humor, folktales, moral stories, funny sing-a-longs, seasonal classics and themes of protest were all within their 20 album repertoire. Few groups have had had the ability to elicit rapt attention, anger, motivation, laughter and tears – sometimes all within a single album.
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Mary Travers, who spoke the least of the three on stage, was still sharp with her wit, and definitely the one who took center stage in the eye of the camera and audience. (She was even the role model for Jim Henson’s blond singer in his Muppet’s Band.) Personally close to each other, PP&M’s chemistry permeated the stage, their public protests and most of all, their music.
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I shall never forget the concert I attended in Tulsa’s Brady Theatre. Packed with hippies, used-to-be-hippies, three piece suits, moms, dads, grandparents and the curious we recalled dreams of the past and were rekindled in our commitment that that dream must never die. We stood with tear-streaked faces and raised our hands in honor as we joined in a spiritual pledge that we would remain true to “the hammer of justice, the bell of freedom and song of love between our brothers and sisters – all over this land!”
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God bless you Mary Travers. I celebrate your life. I weep at your passing. I laugh at your smiles. I promise I will never let the dream die!