Denny Doherty was a Canadian musician who rose to fame as a founding member of the 1960s folk-pop group The Mamas & the Papas. He was known for his distinctive voice and his harmonies with Cass Elliot, John Phillips, and Michelle Phillips. He also had a successful solo career and appeared in various stage and TV shows. But how did he die and what was the cause of his death?
The Early Life and Career of Denny Doherty
Denny Doherty was born on November 29, 1940, in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. He was the youngest of five children in a devout Catholic family. His father was a dockworker and his mother was a housewife and mystic. He started singing in public at the age of 15, on a dare, by performing “Love Letters in the Sand” in a skating rink-turned-dance hall.
He formed his first folk trio, The Colonials, in 1960, along with Pat LaCroix and Richard Byrne. They changed their name to The Halifax Three and signed a recording contract with Columbia Records. They recorded two albums and had a minor hit with “The Man Who Wouldn’t Sing Along With Mitch”, but they broke up in 1965.
The Mamas and the Papas: The Rise and Fall of a Legendary Group
In 1963, Doherty met Cass Elliot, who was with a band called The Big Three. They became friends and joined forces as members of The Mugwumps, which also included Zal Yanovsky and James Hendricks. The Mugwumps were one of the first folk-rock groups, but they did not achieve much success and soon disbanded.
Doherty then joined John Phillips and his wife Michelle Phillips, who were part of The New Journeymen, another folk group. They formed a new band called The Magic Cyrcle, which later became The Mamas & the Papas. They moved to Los Angeles in 1965 and signed a deal with Dunhill Records.
The Mamas & the Papas were an instant sensation, with their catchy songs, rich harmonies, and hippie image. They had several hits, such as “California Dreamin’”, “Monday Monday”, “I Saw Her Again”, “Creeque Alley”, and “Dedicated to the One I Love”. Doherty sang lead vocals on many of their songs, especially with Elliot. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998.
However, the group also had its share of troubles, such as drug abuse, infidelity, jealousy, and creative differences. Doherty had an affair with Michelle Phillips, which caused tension between him and John Phillips. Elliot had unrequited feelings for Doherty, which added to her emotional problems. The group broke up in 1969, after releasing five albums.
The Solo Career and Later Years of Denny Doherty
After the split of The Mamas & the Papas, Doherty pursued a solo career as a singer-songwriter. He recorded two albums, Watcha Gonna Do? in 1971 and Waiting for a Song in 1974. The latter featured Michelle Phillips and Cass Elliot as background vocalists. He also collaborated with other artists, such as John Sebastian, Harry Nilsson, and Emmylou Harris.
Doherty also ventured into acting, both on stage and on screen. He played the lead role in Man on the Moon, a musical written by John Phillips and Andy Warhol, on Broadway in 1975. He also appeared in Juno and the Paycock, Fire, Needfire, The Secret Garden, Pit Pony, Trailer Park Boys, and Theodore Tugboat.
In 1978, he moved back to Canada and hosted a TV show called Denny’s Sho. In the 1980s, he reunited with John Phillips in The New Mamas & the Papas, along with MacKenzie Phillips and Spanky McFarlane. They toured extensively until John Phillips’ death in 2001.
In the 2000s, Doherty wrote and performed Dream a Little Dream: The Nearly True Story of The Mamas & the Papas, a musical theatre show based on his experiences with the group. It ran in Halifax, Toronto, and New York.
The Death of Denny Doherty: What Was the Cause?
Denny Doherty died on January 19, 2007, at his home in Mississauga, Ontario. He was 66 years old. The cause of his death was kidney failure following surgery for an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), according to his sister Frances Arnold. An AAA is a bulging or weakening of the main artery that carries blood from the heart to the lower body. It can rupture and cause internal bleeding, which can be fatal.
Doherty had been suffering from kidney problems for a long time, and had been on dialysis for several months before his surgery. He had also struggled with alcoholism and drug addiction in the past, which may have contributed to his health issues.
Doherty was survived by his three children, Jessica, Emberly, and John, and his four grandchildren. He was buried at Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia, near his birthplace.
The Legacy of Denny Doherty: A Canadian Music Icon
Denny Doherty was one of the most influential and popular Canadian musicians of all time. He was part of The Mamas & the Papas, one of the most successful and iconic groups of the 1960s. He also had a solo career and a diverse artistic portfolio. He was a singer, songwriter, actor, host, and storyteller.
He was honored with several awards and recognitions, such as the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, the Juno Awards, the East Coast Music Awards, and the Gemini Awards. He was also nominated for a Grammy Award and a Tony Award.
He inspired many other artists and fans with his music and his personality. He was known for his humor, his kindness, his generosity, and his passion. He was a proud Canadian who never forgot his roots. He was a legend who left behind a rich legacy of songs and stories that will live on forever.
