The Heartbreaking Story of The Mamas And The Papas

The classic ‘60s folk group frequently made headlines for more than just their music. Their personal lives were often tabloid fodder and some of the stories that have been revealed about the members of this famous group are stranger than fiction.

It wasn’t always as easy as “California Dreaming’” for the band, as they would often butt heads and disagree with each other on everything from music to relationships. And these feuds ultimately caused a rift in the band.

The Unlikely Group

John Phillips, Michelle Phillips, Denny Doherty and Cass Elliot made up the group The Mamas and the Papas, who toured the world in the ‘60s with their inspired blend of folk and pop sounds.

The group released five albums and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998, but some people remember the band most for the stories that surrounded them.

The Journeymen Didn’t Last Long

Songwriter John Phillips assembled a folk group called The Journeymen in 1961. And by the time that the band split up in 1964 due to failed friendships, Phillips attempted to revive it by assembling a new band called The New Journeymen.

But, he would soon find out that he would never have success with this group.

Then His Wife Joined the Band

When The Journeymen broke up, Phillips grouped together his wife and banjoist Marshall Brickman to create The New Journeyman. Soon, Brickman left the band and he was replaced by Denny Doherty.

Doherty had worked with Cass Eliot in his last band, the Mugwumps, and recommended that she join the group too, but John Phillips was reluctant to accept her…

The New York Folk Scene Was Hot

In the ‘60s, there were lots of folk acts fighting for a place in the spotlight. Both John Phillips and Denny Doherty had already seen their bands come and go, but they both saw something special in Cass Eliot that inspired them to give recording another go.