Famous rock musician Peter Yarrow, whom Jimmy Carter pardoned for sexual harassment on the last day of his presidency, has died

The legendary American musician Peter Yarrow, who gained fame with Peter, Paul and Mary and at some point went down in US history after being pardoned by then-President Jimmy Carter, passed away at the age of 86. The artist's life was cut short due to a serious illness - bladder cancer.

According to People magazine, the performer's heart stopped when he was in his home in New York. Shortly before the celebrity's death, his family took to social media and noted that their father's condition was constantly deteriorating.

"As you may know, our beloved father Peter Yarrow has been battling cancer for some time. He has kept his doctors in awe at his resilience as he has continued to perform and live life in his own generous and cause-driven way. It has been a long road and he has been a strong dragon, but right now he is v ery weak and, at 86, his dragon days are numbered. There is Peter Yarrow the folk activist legend, and then there is the man, a deeply compassionate man, who changed the lives of so many people in very personal ways," the artist's relatives wrote.

Peter Yarrow was born in Manhattan on May 31, 1938. His parents were educated Ukrainian Jews who immigrated to the United States. The musician received his higher education in two institutions: Jagiellonian University (Poland) and I. I. Mechnykov National University (Odesa).

The performer showed first interest in music at school. He was inspired by the work of The Weavers, and eventually came up with the idea of creating his own band. The artist's dreams became a reality when he met his future colleagues Noel Paul Stookey and Mary Travers during a solo performance in a coffee shop. Then they formed their own folk trio, Peter, Paul and Mary.

The musicians have created many recognizable hits, including "Lemon Tree", "If I Had a Hammer", "Puff, the Magic Dragon", "Day is Done" and many others. Their music has captured the hearts of not only ordinary listeners but also critics, as the band boasts five Grammy Awards.

However, despite their great success, the band broke up in 1970. This was partly due to the fact that Peter Yarrow spent three months in prison after being accused of sexual harassment of an underage girl. Trying to justifying himself, the musician said, "It was an era of real indiscretion and mistakes by categorically male performers. I was one of them. I got nailed. I was wrong. I’m sorry for it." Peter Yarrow was supposed to spend about three years in prison, but this term was reduced to three months. On the last day of his presidency, Jimmy Carter pardoned the celebrity. Over time, US newspapers reported that such a decision by the then head of state was roughly a single one in the history of the United States.

Peter Yarrow was also an activist. He took part in demonstrations against the Vietnam War, and, together with the trio Peter, Paul and Mary, he participated in "peace concerts". In 1996, he founded the Save One Child Foundation, which specializes in neurosurgical treatment of children.

Only verified information is available on OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!