Life

Peter, Paul and Mary tribute opens June 12

Alison Lory performs as Mary Travers in tribute to Peter, Paul and Mary

By News release, Published: June 3, 2013

Flat Rock Playhouse is proud to announce the next 'Music on the Rock" series concert: "A Tribute to Peter, Paul and Mary" opening on June 12.

Few American folk groups lasted longer or amassed a more loyal following than Peter, Paul and Mary. During a now legendary career, the trio won five Grammy's, produced 13 Top 40 hits, of which 6 ascended into the Top 10, as well as eight gold and five platinum albums.
"A Tribute to Peter, Paul & Mary" will feature Michael Lanning, Sam Sherwood and Alison Lory.

Sam Sherwood returns to Playhouse Downtown after appearing in the cast of "Cotton Patch Gospel" where he showcased his numerous talents as a singer, actor, dancer and multi-instrumentalist.

Michael Lanning's distinctive yet versatile style made him a top session vocalist for national television and radio commercials for over a decade. Commercial jingles include the national spot "Heartbeat Of America, Chevy Truck." Michael starred in both the Tony-nominated Broadway and national tour productions of composer Frank Wildhorn's The Civil War. He was also a featured vocalist for six years with The Trans-Siberian Orchestra.
Alison Lory was in the original cast of The Scarlet Pimpernel on Broadway and has been in numerous off-Broadway and regional productions around the country. She began her career at the McCarter Theater in New Jersey.
That Peter, Paul and Mary achieved such a rarefied commercial success without compromise and while continuing a centuries-old tradition of people raising their voices in song for the sake of freedom, is simply further evidence of their extraordinarily successful career.
In 2006, Peter, Paul and Mary received the latest in a long line of honors bestowed on the group: The Songwriters Hall Of Fame's Lifetime Achievement Award (also known as the Sammy Cahn Award). It's well-earned recognition that the group had mastered the art of topical songs-which can be overly directive, one-sided and preachy in less-seasoned hands.
Peter Yarrow, Paul Stookey and Mary Travers spent their years together communicating personal, political and social imperatives by way of their impeccably chosen songs, personally crafted harmonies and unmitigated passion. Through the years, that message has been expressed through traditional ballads like "The Three Ravens" and "Take Off Your Old Coat," the work of such latter-day poets as Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Bob Dylan, Laura Nyro, Gordon Lightfoot, Tom Paxton, Phil Ochs and John Denver, and in songs penned by the group itself. It's a canon of classics-indelible, important songs like "Blowin' in the Wind," "If I Had a Hammer," "Cruel War," "Leaving on a Jet Plane," "Where Have All the Flowers Gone," "500 Miles," "Lemon Tree," "In the Early Morning Rain," "All My Trials," and "Puff (The Magic Dragon)," among others.
Shows run June 12-15 and June 19-22 Wednesday through Saturday at 8 p.m. Tickets are $24 and can be purchased by calling the Playhouse box office at 828-693-0731, toll-free at 866-732 8008 or online at www.flatrockplayhouse.org. Playhouse Downtown is located at 125 S. Main Street in Hendersonville.