Mamas And The Papas singer dies, aged 66

Denny Doherty, one-quarter of the 1960s folk-rock group the Mamas And The Papas, known for their soaring harmony on hits like California Dreamin' and Monday, Monday, has died in Canada at the age of 66.

His sister, Frances Arnold, said the singer-songwriter died at his home in Mississauga, a city just west of Toronto, after a short illness.

The group burst on the national scene in 1966 with the top 10 smash California Dreamin'. They broke new ground by having women and men in one group at a time when most singing groups were unisex. The other members were John Phillips, the group's chief songwriter, his wife, Michelle, and another female vocalist, Cass Elliot.

Monday, Monday hit number one in the charts and won the band a Grammy for best contemporary group performance.

Among their other songs were I Saw Her Again Last Night, Go Where You Wanna Go, Dancing Bear, and versions of I Call Your Name and Dedicated To The One I Love.

"What made the group special was their haunting and sumptuous harmony singing," according to The Rolling Stone Illustrated History of Rock & Roll.

In 1998, the Mamas And The Papas were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.

The group's catchy sound was a blend of '60s upbeat pop and the folk music that had surged in popularity early in the decade.

The song Creeque Alley told the story of their formation amid the musical ferment of the folk scene - among the other stars-to-be mentioned in its lyrics were members of the Lovin' Spoonful and the Byrds.

But the group's heyday was brief and it disbanded in 1968 following John and Michelle Phillips' divorce.

The members re-formed in 1971 for the album People Like Us, but all hope for a reunion ended in 1974 when the 30-year-old Elliot choked and suffered a fatal heart attack while eating a sandwich in London.