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Denny Doherty (1940-2007)

With the death of Denny Doherty, on January 19th, 2007, Michelle Phillips is now the only remaining original member of The Mamas & The Papas.

Denny Doherty was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, on November 29th, 1940, and was already a fairly well known 'folkie' before joining the legendary The Mamas & The Papas in 1965. After the break-up of the band, Doherty concentrated on a solo musical career and dabbled in TV work. He had been in ill health for some time, and died of kidney failure in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.

Mamas and the Papas - Golden Greats
Golden Greats (Amazon.co.uk)
~Mamas & The Papas

The Mamas & The Papas

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The 1960s were a great decade for harmony groups, of which The Mamas & The Papas were numero uno.

John Phillips was the leader of the group, writing a number of their most memorable songs, including 'Monday Monday', 'Go Where You Wanna Go', 'Safe In My Garden', and, with the love of his life, and fellow Mama & Papa, Michelle Phillips, 'California Dreamin'', and 'Creeque Alley'. The soaring vocals, of Denny Doherty and Mama Cass Elliot, also blended in perfect harmony with John and Michelle.

One of countless folk musicians to come out of Greenwich Village, John Phillips was to be one of the most important figures of '60s music, not only as a songwriter (he also wrote Scott McKenzie's 1967 flower power anthem, 'San Francisco'), leader of an important group such as The Mamas & The Papas, but his complex and intricate arrangements for his group were groundbreaking, and he was also heavily involved in the, again, groundbreaking Monterey International Pop Festival of 1967, which was the template for every pop and rock festival since.

The great voice of Mama Cass was lost to the world prematurely, Michelle Phillips became an actress in the American TV soap 'Knots Landing' and films, Denny Doherty quit music for a time, and John Phillips went into film production. John died in 2001, but not before he had seen The Mamas & The Papas inducted into the 'The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame' in 1998, with Cass Elliot's daughter Owen representing her late mother. There had been attempts to relaunch The Mamas & The Papas, most notably with John Phillips, Denny Doherty, John's daughter Mackenzie, and '60s veteran, Elaine 'Spanky' McFarlane.

- Paul Rance/booksmusicfilmstv.com.


20th Century Masters [ORIGINAL RECORDING REMASTERED] (Amazon.co.uk)
~Mamas & The Papas

The Mamas & Papas Main Albums

If You Can Believe Your Eyes And Ears (1966)
The Mamas & The Papas (1966)
Deliver (1967)
The Papas & The Mamas (1968)
People Like Us (1971)

THE MAMAS & THE PAPAS CDs available from booksmusicfilmstv.com - in association with Amazon.co.uk
'The Best Of The Mamas And The Papas' The Best Of The Mamas And The Papas
~Mamas & Papas
Spectrum (Audio CD) - October 23, 2000
Beautiful Thing [SOUNDTRACK]
~Mamas & Papas, et al
Mca (Audio CD) - June 24, 1996
The Singles Plus
~Mamas & The Papas
Br (Audio CD) - February 25, 2002
Mamas And The Papas - 'If You Can Believe Your Eyes' If You Can Believe Your Eyes [ORIGINAL RECORDING REMASTERED] [IMPORT]
~Mamas & The Papas
Mca (Audio CD) - March 3, 2003
People Like Us [Us Import]
~The Mamas & the Papas (Artist)
Universal Special Products (Audio CD) - July 9, 2004
Complete Anthology [BOX SET]
~Mamas & The Papas
Island (Audio CD) - September 27, 2004
THE MAMAS & THE PAPAS CDs available from booksmusicfilmstv.com - in association with Amazon.com
Product photo California Dreamin' [Universal]
Product photo If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears
Product photo Anthology
Product photo The Mamas & the Papas - Greatest Hits
Product photo Gold
Product photo Deliver/Papas & Mamas
Product photo The Singles+
Product photo California Dreamin/Monday Monday
Product photo Best of the Mamas & the Papas [Import]

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