Peter Yarrow obituary

Singer and songwriter with the American folk trio Peter, Paul and Mary who found fame in the 1960s

Peter Yarrow, who has died aged 86 of bladder cancer, was a member of the highly successful American folk song trio Peter, Paul and Mary. With their fine harmony singing, polished stage performances and social and political commitment, they crossed over from the New York City folk revival in Greenwich Village to international pop music success.

Yarrow wrote some of the group’s tracks, including their best known song, Puff, the Magic Dragon, based on a poem by Leonard Lipton. The trio also popularised Bob Dylan’s early songs, in particular Blowin’ in the Wind; their 1963 recording reached No 2 in the US charts and entered the UK Top 20.