The Mamas and The Papas

In the mid-60s, in the heyday of the musical group, The Mamas and The Papas, I was privileged to see and hear them in concert in Atlanta.

Yesterday, Denny Doherty, who had shared lead singer duties with the astounding Cass Elliott, passed away at age 66.

In recent years, PBS aired a program on the trials, tribulations, romantic triangles, and history of this comet-in-the-sky singing group, and I would like to take this opportunity to add my two cents to the musical praise they have so rightfully deserved.

Just a mid-teen when I saw and heard them--and with no lip-sync'ing to be found anywhere onstage or behind-the-curtain--this group of voices had for my young ears precisely the angelic sound the PBS program and others have always asserted--some alchemy, some magic would invariably occur as their voices blended in song and lifted all hearers to the rafters!

They themselves have admitted that this was the case in the recording studio, and I here concur that the evening in Atlanta that I spent surrounded by this heavenly-sounding choir was one of the smoothest sounding performances I had and have since heard with my somewhat concert-jaded ears.

Mr. Doherty's demise has put the group in the news and put soundbites of their songs on my radio today and it is with no small measure of nostalgia and gratitude that I record my happy memory of one of the best rock groups I've been honored to encounter.

RIP, Mr. Doherty--you were a true musical talent.