I was really saddened when I read this news item. Denny Doherty of the Mamas and the Papas passed away today at the age of 66. His sister Frances said he died after a short illness.
The Mamas and the Papas came unto the music scene in 1966 when I was only 3. Of course, the band disbanded in 1968, so I cannot even say for sure if I remember them from that period of time or not. I did, however, grow up loving their music. They had many hits including “California Dreamin’,” “Monday, Monday,” “I Saw Her Again Last Night,” “Creeque Alley,” and “Go Where You Wanna Go.” At the time they started out, most bands were either comprised of men or women, but rarely both. Their music was a combination of folk and pop and the blending of the voices of John Phillips, Michelle Phillips, “Mama” Cass Elliott, and Denny Doherty was unparalleled by any other group.
As much as I love the music of the Mamas and the Papas, I also love the scandal behind the band. Having read group leader John Phillips’ 1986 bio “Papa John,” I found it hard to believe that four people could produce such a microcosm of what was going on in the country at that time.
If you are interested in it, you really should read the book (available at Amazon.com), but basically, it goes like this:
John Phillips married Michelle Phillips before forming the band. He had divorced his first wife Susan (mother of television star Mackenzie Phillips) to marry the much younger, much blonder Michelle. But, early on in the band’s history, Denny and Michelle began having an affair. They were able to keep it from John, but during a trip to Mexico, Denny revealed the affair to Cass Elliott. The bad news was Cass was in love with Denny, so she was furious. John eventually caught Michelle and Denny together. The good news for us is this incident inspired John to write the song “I Saw Her Again Last Night.”
Eventually, the bed swapping, jealousy, and drug and alcohol use brought an end to the band. John Phillips and Michelle Phillips finally divorced in 1970. They had one child, Chynna Phillips, who became known for the pop group Wilson Phillips.
In 1971, the band reformed to make another album, but by that time, Mama Cass was concentrating on her thriving solo career. She continued to carry a torch for Denny, even asking him to marry her. Although he declined, the two remained friends until her death. Unfortunately, her constant battle with weight and drugs had taken its toll on her body and she died of heart failure in 1974 at the age of 30. She did not choke on a ham sandwich as the urban legend goes.
Drugs and alcohol also took their toll on John Phillips. He received a liver transplant in 1992, but died in 2001 at the age of 65 from heart failure as well. In 1998, the Mamas and the Papas were inducted in to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.