John Phillips

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

John Phillips, also called Papa John, was born on Parris Island in South Carolina in 1935 and grew up in Alexandria, Virginia. At school he sang doo-wop with friends. He went to naval academy, but left in his first year, and later also dropped out of Hampden-Sydney College. In the early 1960s he moved to New York. There he played in The Journeymen, a folk trio with Scott McKenzie and Dick Weissman. They made three albums. In Greenwich Village he met Denny Doherty and Cass Elliot, the later members of his next group.

Music and breakthrough

That was The Mamas & the Papas. Phillips wrote most of the songs and devised the arrangements, with two-part harmonies that move in opposite directions. At Dunhill the group had six top 10 hits, including California Dreamin', Monday, Monday, Creeque Alley and Dedicated to the One I Love. They split up in 1968. Phillips also wrote San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair) for his old friend Scott McKenzie in 1967 and Me and My Uncle, a staple of the Grateful Dead. As a solo artist he released John, the Wolf King of L.A. in 1970.

Influence

His best-known deed outside the songs is the Monterey International Pop Music Festival of June 1967. He helped organise it and performed there himself. It was meant to give rock music the same status as jazz and folk and is regarded as the first big pop festival ever. Together with Lou Adler he made the film Monterey Pop.

Listening

Discography

Studio albums

• 1970John, the Wolf King of L.A.
• 2001Pay Pack & Follow
• 2001Phillips 66
• 2008Pussycat