The Mamas & the Papas The Mamas & the Papas The Mamas & the Papas were an American folk rock vocal group who recorded and performed from 1965 to 1968. The group was a defining force in the music scene of the counterculture of the 1960s. The group was composed of John Phillips, Denny Doherty, Cass Elliot, and Michelle Phillips "née" Gilliam. Their sound was based on vocal harmonies arranged by John Phillips, the songwriter, musician, and leader of the group who adapted folk to the new beat style of the early sixties. The Mamas & the Papas released a total of five studio albums
The Mamas & the Papas critical favor. "Rolling Stone" gave it four stars when it was reissued in 2006, calling it "a genuine lost treasure". Denny Doherty said that if the Mamas & the Papas had recorded the album, it might have been their best. Phillips wrote songs for the soundtrack to "Brewster McCloud" (Robert Altman, 1970) and original music for the soundtracks to "Myra Breckinridge" (Michael Sarne, 1970) and "The Man Who Fell to Earth" (Nicolas Roeg, 1976). He also wrote the ill-fated stage musical "Man on the Moon" (1975) and songs with and for other artists, including most of the tracks on the