Clement C. Moore is the author of A Visit from St. Nicholas (now more commonly known as The Night Before Christmas). He was born in 1779, and became a professor of Oriental and Greek literature at what is now Columbia University. The poem was first published in the New York Sentinel on December 23, 1823.
Peter, Paul and Mary became famous for their ability to convey powerful personal and political messages through a repertoire of songs that resonated with millions of Americans in the 1960s. Their debut album, released in 1962, remained in the Top 10 for ten months, and the Top 20 for two years. Their first hit single, "Lemon Tree" was swiftly followed by "If I Had a Hammer," which became an anthem of the Civil Rights movement and was performed by the trio at the 1963 March on Washington where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his legendary "I Have a Dream" speech. Their classic song, "Puff, The Magic Dragon," has been a favorite of children for almost fifty years, and the book version was a number one bestseller. Over a span of more than fifty years, Peter, Paul and Mary touched the lives and hearts of tens of millions of people, won five Grammy Awards, produced thirteen Top 40 hits, and received eight gold and five platinum albums.