Peter, Paul and Mary and the cultivation of commercial folk music in the American folk revival

In folk music scholarship, the 1950s and 1960s are referred to as the American Folk Revival, a time in which folk song enjoyed increased frequency of performances and renewed appreciation in urban and mainstream environments. This thesis will seek to identify and analyze the methods by which Peter, Paul and Mary established a successful career as a commercial folk group during the first nine years of its existence (1961-1970).;First, I will begin by tracing the development of folk song scholarship, beginning in the mid- to late-nineteenth century and extending through the middle twentieth century. I will look closely at the ballad collections of important figures of early folk scholarship, including Francis Child and Cecil Sharp, as well as the academic contributions of more recent scholars. A critical element of this chapter will be the consideration of several issues. First, the definition of folk music and the nature of its origin and transmission must be discussed. Additionally, matters of authenticity and commercial popularity stem from the earliest folk song scholarship, yet become all the more pertinent when examining the transformations taking place in the music of the Folk Revival.;In the next chapter, I will survey the American Folk Revival: the environment in which Peter, Paul and Mary emerged in the early 1960s. In the immediately preceding decades, American folk music emerged more frequently into urban environments for a number of reasons. As a result of the Works Progress Administration during the Great Depression, the United States government and citizens began to take renewed interest in preserving folk traditions. Through his involvement with the Library of Congress Archive of Folk Song and his role in bringing Leadbelly (Huddie Ledbetter) north, Alan Lomax introduced urban and elite populations to American folk music. Additionally, the release of the Anthology of American Folk Music in 1952 (edited by Harry Smith) made a broad variety of traditional American songs available to a large purchasing public; for a time, it became the standard collection of folk song known to the urban American public.;In the third chapter, I will describe the formation of Peter, Paul and Mary and their early position within the Greenwich Village folk scene. The trio was formed in 1961 with the intention of capitalizing on the successes of folk ensembles of the preceding decade. Largely responsible for the trio's formation was Albert Grossman, owner of the Gate of Horn club in Chicago and manager to many of the club's performers. Grossman modeled the trio after other successful folk groups. Under the management of Albert Grossman and the musical guidance of Milt Okun, Peter, Paul and Mary soon launched a commercially successful and popular performing and recording career that lasted until 1970.;In the fourth chapter I will propose a general stylistic approach to describe Peter, Paul and Mary's treatment of folk repertoire. I will describe Peter, Paul and Mary's typical approach to vocal harmony and instrumental accompaniment. At this point, Peter, Paul and Mary's repertory will be divided into four categories for further discussion: traditional folk songs, Revivalist compositions, original compositions, and parodies. Following the fourth chapter will be a discography of Peter, Paul and Mary's album recordings from 1961-1970; here a category will be assigned to each song for the purpose of later analysis. The fifth chapter will give an overview of Peter, Paul and Mary's first twelve albums in preparation for more in-depth analysis.;The sixth chapter will be devoted to a study of Peter, Paul and Mary's recordings of traditional folk material, which encompasses a large portion of their early recordings. I will examine Peter, Paul and Mary's treatments of these songs both in the context of their own style and recordings of the same songs made by other folk singers in the immediately preceding years. The seventh chapter will then describe Peter, Paul and Mary's treatment of Revivalist compositions, with respect to their treatment of traditional folk material.;In the eighth chapter, I will compare Peter, Paul and Mary's treatment of pre-existing material to their approach in their own compositions. Through a detailed study of the trio's original works, I will consider whether Yarrow and Stookey aim specifically for a folk style and sound or intentionally create an amalgamation of folk and popular styles. I will also be observing any growth or significant changes that occur in their compositional approach during the 1960s. Next, the ninth chapter will concern Peter, Paul and Mary's parodies, "Blue" and "I Dig Rock 'n' Roll Music," and the way in which their deliberate imitation of popular music styles informs our understanding of their more typical incorporation of popular elements. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)...