In early 1980, with the availability of portable studio-quality recording equipment, Peter, Paul and Mary began to record and archive their concerts. The opportunity to critique the performances and tweak the arrangements while on the road was invaluable — and in most cases, the songs they sang onstage appeared on their albums.

Some, however, never made the transition to the recording studio. They were highly deserving, but just didn’t fit into the sound and flow of the studio album the trio was working on at the time. Thought to be better suited for a live performance record, these songs were set aside, waiting for the next "in-concert" album to be released.

In the decades since these live recordings were created, the tapes were carefully stored in a safe, temperature-controlled environment, but were, for all intents and purposes, forgotten. However, in 2004, while searching for an in-performance song to supplement those already chosen for the group’s boxed set, Carry It On, the trio was delightfully surprised with the recording quality and onstage energy of these performances, and began to consider the possibility of creating an "in-concert" album from these "discovered" tapes.

The live mixes were amazing, due to the remarkable skill and artistry of the sound designer/engineer, Dave Tkachuk, who, since 1978, had traveled with the group. Further encouragement and hands-on help was provided by two long-standing fans, Paul Kehoe and David LaPlante (coincidently the luthier of Noel Paul’s guitars), who suggested particular titles and contributed considerable time to the initial listening and cataloging required to sort through the myriad of original digital audio tapes.

What was wonderful and unusual, considering today’s technological world of multi-track recording, was that these songs stood up as whole, uninterrupted performances that needed no additional sounds or instrumentation, or re-do’s on the vocals. Like the "good old days" in the studio when a performance was  what you had, take it or leave it, the immediate chemistry of the moment was authentic, real and unadorned by later frills or fixes. And so the spirit of Peter, Paul and Mary — the fun, the silliness, their love and respect for each other, and their mutually held convictions — are immediately recognizable as the heart of this new album, Discovered.

As a celebration of shared history, this year, 2014, the trio is releasing several legacy pieces. One is a book entitled Peter, Paul And Mary: Fifty Years In Music And Life that, through images and a narrative that combines all of their voices, highlights their personal stories as well as their creative moments and social/political advocacies. Also, this holiday season, 2014, a new PBS special called 50 Years With Peter, Paul And Mary will be released that focuses on their early years together, including their meeting in Greenwich Village; performances videotaped (in stunning black and white) by BBC TV in England; their advocacy trips from El Salvador/Nicaragua to the strawberry fields of California; excerpts from Mary Travers’ uplifting memorial service at Riverside Church in Manhattan following her passing in 2009; and the continuing legacy of activism carried on in the work of Noel, Peter and their families.

In addition and presented here, are thirteen new songs and an album, appropriately named Discovered. Only "Mi Caballo Blanco" has appeared on any of the trio’s previous offerings, and that one, only on the boxed set. Song titles such as "Midnight Special," "Give Yourself To Love" and "You Can Tell The World" might be remembered by audiences who attended the group’s concerts in the ’80s and ’90s. A veritable who’s who of songwriting talent — Buddy Mondlock, David Wilcox and Steve Seskin, to name a few — are among the authors contributing to this collection of songs. The lighter side of PP&M’s onstage persona is represented in the zany performances of "Parallel Universe" and "Little Ship."

In many ways, the performing life of Peter, Paul and Mary has been like a long love letter, written with affection and expressing shared hopes with their audiences, many of whom have become life-long friends. Perhaps then, this collection is a "postscript" of sorts: an ongoing wish that these "discovered" songs might add to a mutual celebration of a career that lasted nearly 50 years

Cataloging and Archival Assistance: David LaPlante, Paul Kehoe, David Snyder

Art Direction and Cover Design: Maria Villar

Cover Photo: Robert Corwin

Back Photo: Sylvia Plachy

Inside Photos: Sally Farr and Pete Rosen (Arms Race)

Project Assistance: Susanne Savage, Kate Dear, Linda Kalkin-Bermont and Steve Woolard

We’d like to thank our wonderful PPM crew during this period of time — our beloved bass player, Dick Kniss; the incomparable Paul Prestopino on dobro, lead guitar, harmonica, banjo and mandolin; Shelley Belusar, our tour manager and lighting designer, who kept us moving in the right direction; and Dave Tkachuk, sound engineer extraordinaire!

Special thanks also go to: Kris Ahrend, Tony Arancio, Michael Buchanan, Jason Elzy, Sally Farr, Kevin Gore, John Hughes, Rachel Jackson, Peter Laird, Hugh McIntyre, Mark Pinkus and Doran Tyson.

PPM Management: Walkstreet Management, Martha Hertzberg