‘Two Beards And Blonde'

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30445, 20 May 1964, Page 10

‘Two Beards And Blonde'

Peter, Paul and Mary, an American folk-singing trio who have made a big impact on the pop music audience, will give, one concert in Christchurch on June 4. Peter usually plays the guitar, as does Paul, and Mary sings. There is a fourth member, Mr Peter McGurk, who supplies bass accompaniment.

The three met in Greenwich Village in 1961 and were drawn together by an interest in folk music. Al Grossman, manager of many other American singers, soon had them working together as a successful trio.

They spent seven months working up an initial repertoire and then began an extensive tour of the United States and Canada, specialising in one-night stands, and often averaging six shows in one week. At one campus con-

i cert the trio had an audience i of 9800. Their first two L.P.’s Won , them gold records and were i included in America’s 10 best sellers for 1963. : They toured Britain and ' Europe last year and after ■ their short Australasian tour i will go to concerts in Japan. Mary Travers grew up in

New York and spent her leisure time in Greenwich Village. She married young and has a small daughter, Erica. She will be accompanied on the trip by her husband, Mr Barry Bernstein. Peter Yarrow graduated in psychology from Cornell University. When about to join a television research firm he decided to follow his real love—folk music. “At the last moment I decided it wouldn’t work,” he says. He has never

regretted his decision to become a professional folk singer. “Folk music is a satisfying field,” Peter believes. “There’s a wealth of material available and there’s a timely demand for it.” Paul Stookey has a background of country and Western music. In his teens he played an electric guitar with rock’n’roll groups. After coming to New York a friend took him to a classical guitar recital. “My mouth hung open" he recalls. “The next day I went to a music store with ray sequined electric guitar; my picks and amplifier and gold trousers, and I traded it all for a good classical guitar. Then I started to work.” Two of the songs on the trio’s repertoire, “Rain, Rain,” and “Early in the Morning," are Paul’s work.