One of the first few songs that I learnt when I started playing the guitar was “Blowing In The Wind” and “500 Miles.” Those were the songs that, although haunting and sad in some ways, sounded very nice with just a guitar and vocals. Those were the songs that I could sing and play from memory. That was back in the early 1980s.
It is with great sadness that I read in the news and other blogs today that Mary Travers of the Peter, Paul and Mary trio has passed away. She was 72. Little did I realise until this moment that many of the songs that I liked to play on the guitar were the trio’s songs – Leaving On A Jet Plane, Where Have The Flowers Gone and House Of The Rising Sun.
I must say that it was the songs of Peter, Paul and Mary that made playing the guitar and singing such a joy for me when I was a teenager. Those were the songs that I sang at campfires, when I was alone, when I was sad and when I was happy. Thank you for the memories. RIP Mary. Your songs shall live on.