Denny Doherty

(Mississauga, Ontario) A founding member of the 1960s music group The Mamas and the Papas, Denny Doherty, died yesterday at his home in Mississauga.

Cause of death has not been disclosed, however, it may be related to complications resulting from recent surgery. He was 66.

For those who live in caves, Denny Doherty sang lead on a number of the Mamas and the Papas enduring hits with California Dreamin' likely the most familiar. Along with the sounds of the Beach Boys, Jefferson Airplane and others, the 1965 release of California Dreamin' by the Mamas and the Papas helped set the tone for the migration of many young people to the beautiful opportunities of California, reaching its high point in the 1967 "Summer of Love" in San Francisco.

Sadly, Doherty, along with John Phillips, Michelle Phillips and Cass Elliot, disbanded the Mamas and the Papas in 1968 after less than three years together. Their music, however, lives on.

John Phillips died in 2001 and Cass Elliot died in 1974. Only Michelle Phillips survives.

Denny Doherty, rest in peace. When the leaves are brown and the sky is gray, we'll be thinking of you.