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For the member of the Texas House of Representatives, see Ellen Cohen. For the late singer Mama Cass née Ellen Cohen see Cass Elliot.
Cass Elliot
Birth name Ellen Naomi Cohen
Also known as Mama Cass
Born September 19, 1941(1941-09-19)
Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
Died July 29, 1974 (aged 32)
London, England, UK
Genre(s) Pop music
Folk rock
Occupation(s) Singer
Instrument(s) Vocals
Years active 1963-74
Associated acts The Mamas & the Papas

Cass Elliot (September 19, 1941 – July 29, 1974), born Ellen Naomi Cohen, was a noted American singer, best remembered as Mama Cass of the pop quartet The Mamas & the Papas. Events 335 - Dalmatius is raised to the rank of Caesar by his uncle Constantine I. Year 1941 ( MCMXLI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (the link will display 1941 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Events 1014 - Byzantine-Bulgarian Wars: Battle of Kleidion: Byzantine emperor Basil II inflicts a decisive defeat Year 1974 ( MCMLXXIV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the 1974 Gregorian calendar. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located A music genre is a categorical and typological construct that identifies musical sounds as belonging to a particular category and type of music that can be distinguished from other Pop music as a genre features a noticeable rhythmic element catchy melodies and hooks, a mainstream style and conventional structure Folk rock is a musical genre combining elements of Folk music and rock music. A musical instrument is a device constructed or modified for the purpose of making Music. The Mamas & the Papas (credited as The Mama's and the Papa's on the debut album cover were a Vocal group of the 1960s. Events 335 - Dalmatius is raised to the rank of Caesar by his uncle Constantine I. Year 1941 ( MCMXLI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (the link will display 1941 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1014 - Byzantine-Bulgarian Wars: Battle of Kleidion: Byzantine emperor Basil II inflicts a decisive defeat Year 1974 ( MCMLXXIV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the 1974 Gregorian calendar. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The Mamas & the Papas (credited as The Mama's and the Papa's on the debut album cover were a Vocal group of the 1960s. After the group broke up, she had a successful solo career, releasing nine albums. Elliot was found dead in her room in London from an apparent heart attack after two sold-out performances at the Palladium. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. Myocardial infarction ( MI or AMI for acute myocardial infarction) also known as a heart attack, occurs when the blood supply The London Palladium is a 2286 seat West End theatre located off Oxford Street in the City of Westminster.

Contents

Early life and career

Ellen Cohen was born in Baltimore, Maryland, and grew up there and in Alexandria, Virginia (a suburb of Washington, DC), the daughter of a food vendor. Alexandria is an Independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Washington DC ( formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D She adopted the name "Cass" in high school – possibly, as Denny Doherty tells it, borrowing it from the actress Peggy Cass – but in any case, it was just 'Cass,' not 'Cassandra. Dennis Gerrard Stephen Doherty ( November 29 1940 – January 19 2007) was a Canadian Singer and Songwriter. Mary Margaret “Peggy” Cass ( May 21 1924 &ndash March 8 1999) was an American award-winning actress, Comedian, ' She assumed the surname Elliot sometime later, in memory of a friend who had died.

She started her acting career with a part in the play The Boy Friend while she was still in school. After dropping out of George Washington High School shortly before graduation, she went to New York City, where she appeared in The Music Man but lost the part of Miss Marmelstein in I Can Get It for You Wholesale to Barbra Streisand in 1962. George Washington Middle School is located at 1005 Mount Vernon Avenue in the city of Alexandria Virginia. The City of New York The Music Man is a musical with book music and lyrics by Meredith Willson. I Can Get It for You Wholesale is a 1962 Broadway musical that was the Broadway debut of 19-year-old Barbra Streisand, who was nominated Barbra Streisand (ˈstraɪsænd "STRY-sand" born April 24 1942 is an American Singer, Film and Theatre Actress

Cass Elliot with Tim Rose and James Hendricks as part of the Big Three

While working as a hat check girl at "The Showplace" in Greenwich Village, Elliot would sometimes sing, but it wasn't until she returned to the Washington area, to attend American University, that she began to pursue a singing career. For other universities known as American University see American University (disambiguation. As America's folk music scene was on the rise, Elliot met banjoist and singer Tim Rose and singer John Brown, and the three began performing as The Triumvirate. Timothy Alan Patrick Rose ( September 23, 1940 &ndash September 24, 2002) best known professionally as Tim Rose, was an American John Brown may refer to Politicians American (Listed in alphabetical order by state office John Y In 1963, James Hendricks replaced Brown and the trio was renamed The Big Three. Elliot's first recording, Winkin', Blinkin' and Nod, with The Big Three, was released by FM Records in 1963. FM Records was a Record label distributed by Vee-Jay Records from 1963 onwards

When Tim Rose left The Big Three in 1964, Elliot and Hendricks teamed up with Canadians Zal Yanovsky and Denny Doherty as The Mugwumps. Zalman "Zal" Yanovsky ( December 19 1944 &ndash December 13 2002) was a Canadian rock musician Dennis Gerrard Stephen Doherty ( November 29 1940 – January 19 2007) was a Canadian Singer and Songwriter. The Mugwumps were a 1960s Rock band. The Mugwumps made some recordings in the mid-60s but the short-lived New York group formed in 1964 is principally remembered This group lasted eight months, after which Cass performed as a solo act for a while. Yanovsky joined with John Sebastian to co-found The Lovin' Spoonful while Doherty joined The New Journeymen with John Phillips and his wife, Michelle. John Sebastian (born John Benson Sebastian on 17 March 1944, in Greenwich Village, New York City) is an American Songwriter The Lovin' Spoonful is an American Pop rock band of the 1960s named to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000 The Mamas & the Papas (credited as The Mama's and the Papa's on the debut album cover were a Vocal group of the 1960s. John Phillips or John Philips may refer to John Aristotle Phillips (fl Michelle Phillips (born June 4, 1944) is an American Singer, songwriter and actress. In 1965, Doherty finally convinced Phillips that Cass should join the group. She did so, officially, while they were vacationing in the Virgin Islands. See also Culture of the Virgin Islands Music of the Virgin Islands Virgin Islands Creole

A popular legend about Elliot is that her vocal range was improved by three notes after she was hit on the head by some copper tubing shortly before joining the group, while they were in the Virgin Islands. Elliot herself confirmed the story; in an interview with Rolling Stone magazine in 1968 she said,

“ It’s true, I did get hit on the head by a pipe that fell down and my range was increased by three notes. Rolling Stone is a United States -based Magazine devoted to Music, Politics, and Popular culture that is published Year 1968 ( MCMLXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. They were tearing this club apart in the islands, revamping it, putting in a dance floor. Workmen dropped a thin metal plumbing pipe and it hit me on the head and knocked me to the ground. I had a concussion and went to the hospital. I had a bad headache for about two weeks and all of a sudden I was singing higher. It’s true. Honest to God. [1] ”

However, according to people who knew her well, this was not true - Elliot always had a standout singing voice. Her friends said that the pipe story was used as a more politically-correct explanation for why John had kept her out of the group for so long, because the real reason she was not accepted sooner was that John considered her to be too fat. [2]

The Mamas and the Papas

Now that The New Journeymen had two female members, it needed a new name. According to Doherty, Elliot had the inspiration for the band's new name. Doherty writes on his website:

“ We're all just lying around vegging out watching TV and discussing names for the group. The New Journeymen was not a handle that was going to hang on this outfit. John was pushing for The Magic Cyrcle. Eech, but none of us could come up with anything better, then we switch the channel and, hey, it's the Hell's Angels on this talk show. . . And the first thing we hear is: "Now hold on there, Hoss. Some people call our women cheap, but we just call them our Mamas. " Cass jumped up: "Yeah! I want to be a Mama. " And Michelle is going: "We're the Mamas! We're the Mamas!" OK. I look at John. He's looking at me going: "The Papas?" Problem solved. A toast! To The Mamas and the Papas. Well, after many, many toasts, Cass and John are passed out. "[3] ”

Doherty went on to say that the occasion marked the beginning of his affair with Michelle. Elliot was in love with Doherty, so was displeased when he told her about the affair. Doherty has said that Cass once proposed to him, but that he was so stoned at the time, he could not even respond.

Elliot, known for her sense of humor and optimism, was considered by some to be the most charismatic member of the group. Her warm, distinctive voice was a large factor in their success. She is best remembered for her vocals on the group's Billboard hits "California Dreamin'", "Monday Monday", and "Words of Love", and particularly for the solo "Dream a Little Dream of Me", which the group recorded in 1968 after learning about the death of Fabian Andre, one of the men who co-wrote it, whom Michelle Phillips had met years earlier. See Billboard (Turkish magazine Billboard is a weekly American Magazine devoted to the Music industry " California Dreamin' " is a song by The Mamas & the Papas, first released in 1965. " Monday Monday " is a 1966 song (see 1966 in music) written by John Phillips and recorded by The Mamas and the Papas for their 1966 album Dream a Little Dream of Me is a Song, usually credited to Fabian Andre and Wilbur Schwandt, although classical composer Milton Adolphus Fabian Andre ( January 8 1910 - March 30, 1960) was an American Composer, best known for cowriting the music of " Dream a Elliot's version is noteworthy for being a ballad, whereas almost all earlier recordings of "Dream a Little Dream of Me" (including one by Nat King Cole) had been quick, up-tempo versions — the song having actually been written in 1931 as a dance tune for the nightclubs of the day. Nathaniel Adams Coles (March 17 1919 &ndash February 15 1965 known professionally as Nat King Cole, was an American musician Year 1931 ( MCMXXXI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1931 calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

They continued to record to meet the terms of their record contract until their final album was released in 1971.

Solo career

After the breakup of The Mamas & the Papas, Elliot went on to have a successful solo singing career. Her most successful recording during this period was 1968's Dream a Little Dream of Me from her solo album of the same name, released by Dunhill Records though it had originally been recorded for and released on the album The Papas & the Mamas Presented By The Mamas and the Papas earlier that year. Dream a Little Dream of Me is a Song, usually credited to Fabian Andre and Wilbur Schwandt, although classical composer Milton Adolphus Dream A Little Dream was the first solo album by singer Cass Elliot immediately after the break-up of The Mamas & The Papas. Dunhill Records was started by Lou Adler, Al Bennett, Pierre Cossette and Bobby Roberts in 1964 as Dunhill Productions She headlined briefly in Las Vegas at Caesar's Palace for the unusually lucrative pay of USD$40,000 per week, although her performances were not well reviewed. The Las Vegas Strip (also known as The Strip) is an approximately 4 mile (6 The United States dollar ( sign: $; code: USD) is the unit of Currency of the United States; it has also been

She was a regular on TV talk shows and variety shows in the 1970s, including The Julie Andrews Hour, The Mike Douglas Show, The Andy Williams Show, Hollywood Squares, and The Carol Burnett Show. This article is about the Decade 1970-1979 For the Year 1970 see 1970. The Julie Andrews Hour was a television variety series made by ATV and distributed by ITC Entertainment. The Mike Douglas Show was an American daytime Television Talk show hosted by Mike Douglas that ran from 1961 to 1982 The Andy Williams Show was a television Variety show which ran from 1959 to 1971 (alternating during the summer of 1970 with Andy Williams Presents Ray Stevens The Hollywood Squares was an American Television comedy and Game show in which two contestants play Tic-tac-toe to win money The Carol Burnett Show is a Sketch comedy Television show starring Carol Burnett, Tim Conway, Harvey Korman, She guest-hosted for Johnny Carson on The Tonight Show and appeared on that show 13 other times. The Tonight Show with Jay Leno as appropriate --> The Tonight Show is a long-running Elliot also was a guest panelist for a week in late 1973 on the hit game show Match Game '73. Match Game also called The Match Game was an American Television Game show that celebrities and contestants answering She appeared in the 1973 Saga of Sonora, a TV music-comedy-Western special with stars of the day such as Jill St. John, Vince Edwards, Zero Mostel, and Lesley Ann Warren. Jill St John (born August 19, 1940) is an American Film and Television actress. Vince Edwards ( July 9, 1928 - March 11, 1996) was an American actor director and singer best known for the role of TV doctor "Ben Samuel Joel “Zero” Mostel ( February 28 1915 – September 8 1977) was an American Actor of stage and Lesley Ann Warren (born August 16, 1946) is a Golden Globe Award -winning Oscar nominated American stage film and television actress She also sang the jingle "Hurry on down to Hardee's, where the burgers are charco-broiled" for Hardee's fast-food adverts. Hardee's is an American Fast-food restaurant chain located mostly in the Midwest United States and Southeast regions

Throughout the early 1970s, Elliot continued her acting career as well. She had a featured role in the 1970 movie Pufnstuf and made guest-star acting appearances on TV's The New Scooby-Doo Movies, Young Dr. Kildare, Love, American Style, and The Red Skelton Show, among others. HR Pufnstuf is a children's television series produced by Sid and Marty Krofft in the United States. The New Scooby-Doo Movies (sometimes called The New Scooby-Doo Comedy Movies) was the second incarnation of the long-running Hanna-Barbera Young Dr Kildare is a 1938 Film starring Lew Ayres as an idealistic but somewhat immature young Medical doctor, who benefits greatly Love American Style is an hour-long television Anthology which was produced by Paramount Television and originally aired between September The Red Skelton Show was a staple of American Television for almost two decades from the early 1950s through the early 1970s

Family and death

Apart from her time with Denny Doherty, Elliot was married twice. The first marriage, to bandmate Jim Hendricks, began in 1963. Year 1963 ( MCMLXIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. This was reportedly a purely platonic arrangement, however, to assist him in avoiding being drafted into the army during the Vietnam War. The Vietnam War, also known as the Second Indochina War, or the Vietnam Conflict, occurred in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia [4] The marriage reportedly was never consummated and was annulled in 1968. [5] In 1971, Elliot married journalist Baron Donald von Wiedenman[6][7] Von Wiedenman was heir to a Bavarian barony. Year 1971 ( MCMLXXI) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the 1971 Gregorian calendar. Baron is a specific Title of nobility. The word baron comes from Old French baron, itself from Old High German and Latin (liber Bavaria ( German:, with an area of 70553 Km² (27241 square miles and almost 12 A barony is an Administrative division of a country usually of lower rank and importance than a County. That marriage ended in divorce after a few months.

Elliot gave birth to a daughter, Owen Vanessa Elliot, on April 26, 1967. Events 1467 - The miraculous image in Our Lady of Good Counsel appear in Genazzano, Italy. Year 1967 ( MCMLXVII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the 1967 Gregorian calendar. She never publicly identified the father, but many years later, Michelle Phillips helped Owen locate her biological father. [8] Owen grew up to become a singer as well and toured with former Beach Boy Al Jardine. Alan Charles "Al" Jardine (born September 3, 1942 in Lima Ohio) is a founding member of The Beach Boys, their occasional lead vocalist [9]

At the height of her solo career in 1974, Elliot performed two sold-out concerts at the London Palladium. The London Palladium is a 2286 seat West End theatre located off Oxford Street in the City of Westminster. She telephoned Michelle Phillips after the final concert, utterly elated that she had received standing ovations each night. She then retired for the evening, and died in her sleep of a heart attack. Myocardial infarction ( MI or AMI for acute myocardial infarction) also known as a heart attack, occurs when the blood supply [10]

An urban legend arose that Elliot died choking on a ham sandwich. An urban legend or urban myth is a form of modern Folklore consisting of stories thought to be factual by those circulating them Speaking to the press shortly after her body was discovered, the police noted that a partly eaten sandwich had been found in her room and speculated that she may have choked while eating it. When the coroner's autopsy was performed, no food was found in her trachea and the cause of death was determined to have been heart failure and that she had died in her sleep. But by then, the specious Fatal Ham Sandwich story was already making the rounds and the real cause of death was rarely discussed. [11] The New York Times did report on August 6, 1974, that "Dr. Keith Simpson, a British pathologist, and Gavin Thurston, a London coroner, issued a report yesterday that ruled out the theory that 'Mama' Cass Elliot choked to death on a ham sandwich. "[12] In an odd coincidence, Elliot died in the same flat, No. 12 at 9 Curzon Place, Mayfair that The Who drummer Keith Moon would die in, a little over four years later. Mayfair is an area of central London, England, within the City of Westminster. The Who are an English rock band formed in 1964. The primary lineup consisted of guitarist Pete Townshend Keith John Moon ( August 23, 1946 &ndash September 7, 1978) was the Drummer of the rock group The Who. [13]

At Elliot's death, her sister, Leah Kunkel, received custody of Cass' daughter Owen, then just seven years old. Kunkel is also a singer and charted in 1984 as a member of the Coyote Sisters on the single "Straight From The Heart (Into Your Life). Year 1984 ( MCMLXXXIV) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1984 Gregorian calendar) The Coyote Sisters are an American pop-rock female trio formed in 1980 " Kunkel was interviewed by VH1 in 1997 and discussed her famous sister for the "Mamas & Papas" episode of the network's documentary series Behind The Music. VH1 (known as VH-1 Video Hits One from 1985 to 1994 and VH1 Music First until 2003) is an American Cable television Year 1997 ( MCMXCVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1997 Gregorian calendar Behind the Music was a Television series on VH1 that ran from 1997 to 2006, and continues to air sporadically with new episodes

Tributes, barbs and popular culture references

Since her death, Mama Cass in general, and specifically the circumstances surrounding her death, have been the butt of jokes in comedy routines, movies, and songs, by performers such as Frank Zappa, Adam Sandler, Denis Leary, Mike Myers (in the first Austin Powers movie), TISM, Jack Black, "Weird Al" Yankovic, Robin Williams, Foetus and others. Frank Vincent Zappa (December 21 1940 – December 4 1993 was an American Composer, Electric guitarist Record producer and Film director Adam Richard Sandler (born September 9 1966 is an American Comedian, Denis Colin Leary (born August 18, 1957) is a Golden Globe - and Emmy Award -nominated American Actor, Comedian Michael John "Mike" Myers (born May 25, 1963) is a Canadian Actor, Comedian, Screenwriter and Film producer Austin Powers International Man of Mystery, released in 1997, is the first Film of the Austin Powers series. TISM (an Acronym of This Is Serious Mum) is a seven piece anonymous Alternative rock band from Melbourne, Australia Thomas Jack Black Jr (born August 28 1969 is an American Actor, Comedian and Musician. Alfred Matthew "Weird Al" Yankovic (ˈjæŋkəvɪk born October 23 1959 is a Grammy Award winning American singer Musician, actor satirist Robin McLaurim Williams (born July 21 1951 or 1952 is an American television stage and film actor and Comedian who has won an Academy Award for his performance Foetus is the primary musical outlet of Industrial music pioneer J

There also have been tributes to her in the years since her death. The song "Mama, I Remember You Now" by the Swedish artist Marit Bergman is a tribute to Mama Cass. Liv-Marit Bergman (born May 21, 1975) is a Swedish pop musician [14] She was the subject of a 2004 stage production in Dublin,[15] The Songs of Mama Cass, with Kristin Kapelli performing main vocals. The Crosby, Stills & Nash Greatest Hits album released in 2005 was dedicated to Cass Elliot. Crosby Stills & Nash ( CSN) is a Folk rock / rock supergroup made up of David Crosby, Stephen Stills and Graham Nash Greatest Hits is a Crosby Stills & Nash compilation released by Rhino Records in 2005 The British film Beautiful Thing heavily features her recordings, and the memory of Cass plays a role in the life of one character. Beautiful Thing is a play written and first performed in 1993 by Jonathan Harvey.

Reaching a new generation of fans, Elliot's recording of Make Your Own Kind of Music is featured prominently in several episodes of seasons 2 and 3 of Lost. " Make Your Own Kind of Music " is a song most famously performed by "Mama" Cass Elliot on her 1969 album Bubblegum Lemonade and The second season of the American serial Drama television series Lost commenced airing in the United States The third season of the American serial Drama television series Lost commenced airing in the Lost is an Emmy and Golden Globe award-winning American serial drama television series. Her recording of It's Getting Better was also featured in a season 4 episode of Lost. Bubblegum Lemonade and Something for Mama was Cass Elliot 's second studio album " Meet Kevin Johnson " is the eighth episode of the American Broadcasting Company 's fourth season of Lost and seventy-seventh

Solo discography

Albums

Singles

References

  1. ^ Rolling Stone magazine, October 26, 1968, No. Cass Elliot is the 4th studio album released by Cass Elliot and the first album recorded for RCA The Road Is No Place For A Lady was singer Cass Elliot 's fourth solo studio album and also her last Dream a Little Dream of Me is a Song, usually credited to Fabian Andre and Wilbur Schwandt, although classical composer Milton Adolphus Bubblegum Lemonade and Something for Mama was Cass Elliot 's second studio album " Make Your Own Kind of Music " is a song most famously performed by "Mama" Cass Elliot on her 1969 album Bubblegum Lemonade and Events 740 - An Earthquake strikes Constantinople, causing much damage and death Year 1968 ( MCMLXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. 20
  2. ^ "Pipe Dream" Snopes.com debunking of pipe story
  3. ^ "Dream A Little Dream" performance transcript from Denny Doherty's website, DennyDoherty.com
  4. ^ Cass Elliott dies at age 32
  5. ^ Meet the Mugwumps
  6. ^ July 12, 1971 Time Magazine announcement of Elliot's marriage to von Wiedenman
  7. ^ For a photo, see the Official Cass Elliot Website. Snopes (ˈsnoʊps also known as the Urban Legends Reference Pages, is a Web site that is the most widely-known resource for validating or debunking Urban legends
  8. ^ California Dreamgirl, Vanity Fair magazine article quoting Michelle Phillips and Owen Elliot, Dec. 2007.
  9. ^ Beach Boys FAQ
  10. ^ Staff report (July 30, 1974). Cass Elliot, Pop Singer, Dies; Star of the Mamas and Papas; A Hearty Performer.
  11. ^ "Ham and Wheeze", Snopes article debunking "Ham Sandwich" death story
  12. ^ Staff report (August 6, 1974). Snopes (ˈsnoʊps also known as the Urban Legends Reference Pages, is a Web site that is the most widely-known resource for validating or debunking Urban legends Cass Elliot's Death Linked to Heart Attack; Notes on People. The New York Times
  13. ^ Wilkes, R. (2001) "Inside story: 9 Curzon Place", The Telegraph. Accessed 2 January 2008.
  14. ^ http://www.maritbergman.net/?page_id=2
  15. ^ "Pop: Kristin Kapelli", The Sunday Times (London), 2004-01-11. "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " Events 1055 - Theodora is crowned Empress of the Byzantine Empire. Retrieved on 2007-10-30. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 637 - Antioch surrenders to the Muslim forces under Rashidun Caliphate after the Battle of Iron bridge.  

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