January 1962: Peter, Paul & Mary Sign to Warner Bros. Records

In many ways, the story of Peter, Paul and Mary is the story of the group's legendary manager, Albert Grossman. He was the Greenwich Village folk music power player savvy enough to fashion artists Peter Yarrow, Noel Paul Stookey and Mary Travers into the band Peter, Paul and Mary. Grossman was also responsible for the clandestine moves that found the freshly minted outfit that sent shock waves through the music industry by signing to Warner Bros. Records on January 29, 1962.

The trio had been all set to join Atlantic Records when Grossman was able to secure a meeting with WB label exec Hermann Starr. The results of the meeting were huge for recording artists in general. As part of the deal, Peter, Paul & Mary were given a $30,000 advance, as well as complete creative control over their music and how it was presented to the world.

The group used that control to launch a career that still thrives to this day. At their commercial peak, Peter, Paul and Mary scored six top 10 hits, as well as one #1 single on the Hot 100: the band's take on Bob Dylan's "Blowin' in the Wind." Not coincidentally, Dylan was also an Albert Grossman client.