Folk Music Legend, Convicted Sex Offender Passes Away at 86

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Peter Yarrow — the singer-songwriter who’s best known for his work with the iconic folk music trio Peter, Paul and Mary — has passed away.

He was 86 years old.

Yarrow leaves behind a complicated legacy.

Peter Yarrow, founding member of the legendary folk group Peter, Paul and Mary, speaks about the 1967 March on the Pentagon during a vigil marking the 50th anniversary of the protest outside the Pentagon October 20, 2017 in Arlington, Virginia.
Peter Yarrow, founding member of the legendary folk group Peter, Paul and Mary, speaks about the 1967 March on the Pentagon during a vigil marking the 50th anniversary of the protest outside the Pentagon October 20, 2017 in Arlington, Virginia. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Along with his collaborators Paul Stookey and Mary Travers, Yarrow helped to shape the musical tastes of an entire generation.

The group’s 1962 debut album went double platinum and won two Grammys.

Peter, Paul and Mary proceeded to use their platform to boost the careers of lesser-known artists such as Bob Dylan.

The group’s cover of Dylan’s “Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright” is often credited with generating mainstream interest in his 1963 album The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan.

A Tarnished Legacy

Peter Yarrow attends the "While We're Young" New York Premiere at Paris Theater on March 23, 2015 in New York City. Peter Yarrow attends the "While We're Young" New York Premiere at Paris Theater on March 23, 2015 in New York City.
Peter Yarrow attends the “While We’re Young” New York Premiere at Paris Theater on March 23, 2015 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

But there was a dark side to Yarrow’s success. Just as he was prepared to embark on a solo career in 1970, he pled guilty to sexually molesting a 14-year-old fan one year prior.

As Vulture reports, after reaching a deal with prosecutors, Yarrow served three months of a one-to-three-year sentence.

In 1981, he was pardoned by President Jimmy Carter. In 2021, the fan, Barbara Winter, confirmed that Yarrow had abused her on multiple occasions.

Peter Yarrow, founding member of the legendary folk group Peter, Paul and Mary, sings and speaks about the 1967 March on the Pentagon during a vigil marking the 50th anniversary of the protest outside the Pentagon October 20, 2017 in Arlington, Virginia. Peter Yarrow, founding member of the legendary folk group Peter, Paul and Mary, sings and speaks about the 1967 March on the Pentagon during a vigil marking the 50th anniversary of the protest outside the Pentagon October 20, 2017 in Arlington, Virginia.
Peter Yarrow, founding member of the legendary folk group Peter, Paul and Mary, sings and speaks about the 1967 March on the Pentagon during a vigil marking the 50th anniversary of the protest outside the Pentagon October 20, 2017 in Arlington, Virginia. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

That same year, a second woman sued Yarrow for allegedly raping her in 1969, when she was still a minor.

Peter Yarrow’s Cause of Death

The New York Times has confirmed that Yarrow passed away following a four-year battle with bladder cancer.

Travers passed away in 2009, leaving Stookie as the only surviving member of one of the ’60s most influential groups.

Ben Stiller and Peter Yarrow attend the "While We're Young" New York Premiere at Paris Theater on March 23, 2015 in New York City. Ben Stiller and Peter Yarrow attend the "While We're Young" New York Premiere at Paris Theater on March 23, 2015 in New York City.
Ben Stiller and Peter Yarrow attend the “While We’re Young” New York Premiere at Paris Theater on March 23, 2015 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

Yarrow is survived by his two children and his wife, Mary Beth McCarthy, the neice of 1968 presidential candidate Eugene McCarthy.

Our thoughts go out to Yarrow’s loved ones at this difficult time.

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