MISSISSAUGA, Ontario (AP) — Denny Doherty, one-quarter of the 1960s folk-rock group the Mamas and the Papas, known for their soaring harmony on hits like “California Dreamin’ ” and “Monday, Monday,” died Friday at 66.

His sister, Frances Arnold, said the singer-songwriter died at his home in Mississauga, a city just west of Toronto, after a short illness.

In 1998, the Mamas and the Papas were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

John Phillips died in 2001 at 65.

And in case you didn’t know…

Doherty made a solo album in 1974 and achieved a bit of immortality by both playing the Harbormaster and voicing all the characters for the children’s TV series “Theodore Tugboat.”



  1. Drew says:

    No offense, but… so what?

  2. KB says:

    Well #1, the way I look at it is this. If it had been Britney Spears, you wouldn’t be asking “so what,” but I would….

  3. Josh says:

    I grew up on the somgs of these 4 amazing musicians, as well as the Beatles. Now there are only 2 Beatles left, and 1 Mama left. At least we have those amazing records.

    Rest in Peace.

  4. ChrisMac says:

    I wonder if Tommy Lee will make it to 66

  5. Gary Marks says:

    I usually have one of the M&P’s mp3s in my car player collection at any given time. At the moment, it’s “I Saw Her Again.” I still love their great harmonies. Some groups seem to forget that harmony, not volume, is the biggest advantage of having more than one singer.

    I’ll never admit to being an old fuddy-duddy, even under threat of torture 😉

  6. Drew says:

    No KB, if it had been Britney Spears (who unlike the Mama’s and the Papa’s has no talent) I would still be saying “who cares”. I enjoy reading DU, but every time I see a story like this come along, or even worse, the inane Britney Spears stories (sorry John) I just bang my head against my desk over and over and over.

    But other than that… keep up the great work fellas!

  7. Greg Allen says:

    Died at 65? John Entwistle died at 60. Tom Fogerty was 50. — all of “natural” causes.

    I have to wonder if we’re seeing the long-term health effects of serious drug abuse.

    Look at “heart attack” on this list:
    http://www.av1611.org/rockdead.html

    Doesn’t that seem a lot higher rate for heart attacks for 50-60 year olds than the people you know?

  8. joshua says:

    My parents are really sad to hear this. The MAMA’S and the PAPA’S were one of their favorite groups.

  9. KB says:

    Drew (#6), I do think you’ve got a point. I just don’t agree about this post. 😉


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