Mary Travers | Never-Say-Die

I suppose I toss around the word "hero" more than most might. I suspect that it is in my genes to be on a never-ending quest to tally a list of people who I offer that title to - people who have had such a profound impact on my life that I can't help but look up to them, can't help but cherish their work and gifts to the world, and can't help but want to emulate that in my own work as an artist. The world lost one of my heroes this week when Mary Travers passed on.

Peter Paul and Mary's PBS specials were a favorite thing to watch over and over again as a kid; I was delighted when the station used them to gather resources because I knew that it meant repeat plays for days on end. The middle-aged Mary I came to know seemed alive, spirited, and always draped in fabulous lengths of colorful fabric, crowned with her perfectly straight blond hair with never-say-die square-cut bangs.

When I grew older and learned about the group's history and legacy, I came to know of young Mary - the Mary of the early days of the group - whose style was supreme and came from a camp of musicians that embodied an energy, style, passion, power, sense of concern and love that I crave and thrive on.





Her gifts to the world are many, and her name is firmly engraved on my list of heroes.