John Phillips is a legendary musician who shaped the sound and culture of the 1960s with his folk-rock band, the Mamas and the Papas.
He was also a prolific songwriter, producer and organizer of the historic Monterey Pop Festival, which brought together some of the most iconic artists of the time.
His life was marked by musical success, personal turmoil, drug addiction and legal troubles, and he left behind a legacy of timeless songs and a complicated family history.
contour
- Full name: John Edmund Andrew Phillips
- Nickname: Papa John
- Date of birth: August 30, 1935
- Age: 65 (at the time of death)
- Gender: Male
- Birthplace: Parris Island, South Carolina, U.S.
- Country: United States
- Occupation: Musician, songwriter, producer
- Height: 6 feet 5 inches (196 cm)
- Parents: Edna Gertrude (née Gaines) and Claude Andrew Phillips
- Siblings: Rosie, Barbara, Bill and Ann
- Spouses: Susan Adams (1957-1962), Michelle Gilliam (1962-1970), Genevieve Waite (1972-1985), Farnaz Alastor (1995-2001)
- Children: Tamerlane, Mackenzie, Jeffrey, Chynna and Bijou
- Relationship status: Married (at time of death)
- Net worth: $10 million
Early life and education
John Phillips was born on August 30, 1935, in Parris Island, South Carolina, the son of a retired U.S. Marine officer who ran a tavern. His father was also an alcoholic and in poor health, and died when John was 15.
His mother was a teacher who encouraged John to develop his musical talents. John learned to play guitar, piano and harmonica at an early age and formed his first band, The Smoothies, in high school. He also sang in church choirs and choruses.
John attended the United States Naval Academy for a year but dropped out after failing several courses. He then attended Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia, where he met his first wife, Susan Adams, a wealthy socialite. They eloped in 1957 and moved to New York City, where John pursued a music career.
He joined the folk band The Journeymen, which had some success in the early 1960s, and became involved in the Greenwich Village folk music scene, where he met other influential musicians such as Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, and Peter, Paul and Mary.
Personal life
John Phillips’ personal life was tumultuous, with multiple marriages, extramarital affairs, drug addiction, and legal troubles. He was married four times and had five children, all of whom became musicians.
His first marriage to Susan Adams lasted five years, during which they had a son, Tamerlan, but they divorced in 1962 after John fell in love with Michelle Gilliam, a young singer who was joining the band The Journeymen.
Later that year, John and Michelle married and formed the band The Mamas and the Papas with Danny Doherty and Cass Elliott.
In 1968, they had a daughter, Chynna. However, their marriage became strained by John’s infidelity, drug abuse, and controlling nature. They separated in 1969 and divorced in 1970.
John’s second marriage was also marred by drugs and violence. John’s wife was South African actress, singer and former model Genevieve Waite. They married in 1972 and had two children, Bijou and Tamerlane.
In 1974, John produced Genevieve’s only album, Romance Is on the Rise, but the album was a commercial failure.
They divorced in 1985 after John was arrested for drug trafficking and spent a month in jail.
John’s third marriage, to waitress and artist Farnaz Alastor, was his shortest and most stable. They married in 1995, shortly after John underwent a liver transplant following years of substance abuse. They remained together until John’s death in 2001.
John also had two other children from extramarital affairs. In 1979, he had a daughter, Mackenzie, with his ex-girlfriend Suzy Phillips-Jane. Mackenzie later became an actress and revealed that she had been in an incestuous relationship with John for several years, starting when she was 19.
John denied the allegations, but MacKenzie insisted they were true. In 1981, John had a son, Jeffrey, with his ex-girlfriend Geneviève Gorder. Jeffrey became a musician and joined the pop band Wilson Phillips with his half-sister Chynna.
Profession
John Phillips is a distinguished musician, songwriter, producer and organizer. He was the leader and primary songwriter for the Mamas and the Papas, one of the most popular and influential bands of the 1960s.
They have several hit songs, such as “California Dreaming”, “Monday, Monday”, “I Saw Her Again”, “Creek Lane” and “To the one I love.”
They also pioneered folk rock harmonies and complex arrangements. They disbanded in 1968 due to internal conflicts and personal problems. John also wrote the hit song “San Francisco (be sure to wear a flower in your hair)” Written for Scott McKenzie, the song became an anthem for the hippie movement and the 1967 Summer of Love.
He also organized the Monterey Pop Festival, the first major rock festival in history, which featured some of the most iconic artists of the time, such as Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, The Who, Otis Redding, and the Grateful Dead.
He also produced the documentary Monterey Pop, which chronicled the event and its impact on the culture.
John’s solo career was less successful than his group work. In 1970, he released his first solo album, John Phillips (Los Angeles Wolf King John), which received mixed reviews and poor sales. He also recorded a soundtrack album for the film Brewster MacLeod, but the album was never released.
He attempted to reunite the Mamas and the Papas several times, with disappointing results, and formed a short-lived band called the New Mamas and the Papas with his daughter Mackenzie, Danny Doherty and Spanky McFarlane.
John’s later years were plagued by drug addiction, legal troubles, and health problems. In 1980, he was arrested for drug trafficking and faced a possible life sentence, but he avoided jail time by testifying against his supplier and entering a rehabilitation program.
He also received a liver transplant in 1992 after being diagnosed with hepatitis C. He continued to perform and record on and off until his death in 2001.
die
John Phillips died of heart failure on March 18, 2001 at the UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles, California. He was 65 years old.
Surrounded by his family and friends, including his fourth wife Farnaz, his children Chynna, Mackenzie, Jeffrey and Tamerlane, and his former bandmates Michelle and Denny, he was cremated and his ashes scattered at sea.
dispute
John Phillips was involved in several controversies throughout his life, mostly related to his drug use, sexual behavior, and legal issues. The most notable of these were:
- He was accused of having an affair with Cass Elliot of The Mamas & the Papas, which caused tension and jealousy among the band members, especially his wife Michelle.
- He was also accused of having an affair with Michelle’s sister, Jill Gibson, who briefly replaced Michelle in the band in 1966 after she was fired for having an affair with Denny Doherty.
- In 1967, his former agent, Alan Pariser, fired him and refused to pay his commissions, and he was subsequently sued for breach of contract and fraud. The case was settled out of court in 1971.
- He was arrested several times for drug possession, including in 1973 when he was found with cocaine and heroin in his London hotel room, and in 1980 when he was found with cocaine and a handgun in his car in Florida.
- In 1980, he was indicted for drug trafficking for being part of a drug ring that smuggled cocaine from South America into the United States. He could have faced life in prison. However, he avoided jail time by testifying against his suppliers and participating in a rehabilitation program. He was also sentenced to five years of probation and was required to complete 250 hours of community service.
- He was accused of having an incestuous relationship with his daughter MacKenzie that lasted for several years, starting when she was 19. MacKenzie disclosed the allegations in her 2009 memoir, High on Arrival, and in several media interviews.
John has denied the allegations, but MacKenzie insists they are true. The allegations have torn the family apart, with some of his children and ex-wives supporting MacKenzie while others have come to John’s defense.
Social Media
- Instagram account: N/A
- Twitter account: N/A
Filmography
- The Man Who Fell to Earth
- The last movie
- Notts Landing
- Monterey Pop
Discography
John Phillips has released several albums and singles as a solo artist and as a member of several bands. His most notable works include:
- John Phillips (John, Wolf King of Los Angeles) (1970), his first and most acclaimed solo album, included the songs “Mississippi,” “Holland Tunnel,” and “Drums.”
- The Mamas and the Papas (1966), the debut album by the Mamas and the Papas, which included the hits “California Dreamin’,” “Monday, Monday,” and “Go Where You Wanna Go.”
- If You Could Believe Your Eyes and Ears (1966), the Mamas and the Papas’ second album, included the songs “I See Her Again,” “Words of Love,” and “Dancing in the Street.”
- Deliver (1967), the third album by The Mamas & the Papas, included tracks such as “Dedicated to the One I Love,” “Creeque Alley,” and “Look Through My Window.”
- The Mamas and the Papas (1968), the Mamas and the Papas’ fourth and final album, included the songs “Dream a Little Dream of Me”, “Twelve Thirty (Young Girls Are Coming to the Canyon)” and “Safe in My Garden”.
- People Like Us (1971) was the fifth reunion album by the Mamas and the Papas, and included the songs “People Like Us”, “Pacific Coast Highway” and “Step Out”.
- Pay Pack & Follow (2001) was his second posthumous solo album, which he recorded with Mick Jagger and Keith Richards in the 1970s and included songs such as “She’s Just 14”, “Zulu Warrior” and “Wilderness of Love”.
books
John Phillips has written and co-authored several books, mostly autobiographies and musicals. Some of his books are as follows:
- Papa John: An Autobiography (1986), his memoir, chronicles his life, career, and his struggles with drugs and relationships.
- The book he co-wrote with his ex-wife Michelle Phillips, California Dreaming: The True Story of the Mamas and the Papas (1986), tells the story of their band and its impact on the music world.
- The John Phillips Songbook (1992), a collection of his songs, lyrics and scores, with an introduction by Scott MacKenzie.
- John Phillips Presents the Festival (1997) is a book he co-wrote with Jim Marshall that documents the Monterey Pop Festival and its performers through photographs and interviews.
net worth
According to multiple sources, John Phillips’ net worth was estimated to be $10 million at the time of his death.
The majority of his wealth comes from his music career, especially royalties from his work as a songwriter. He also earns some income from acting in movies and television shows, such as The Man Who Fell to Earth, The Last Movie, and Knottslander.
