'Mama' Cass Elliot

Biography: Cass Elliot was born on September 19, 1941 in Baltimore, Maryland and was the first of three children. She left high school before graduating, changed her name from Ellen Naomi Cohen to Cass Elliot, and headed to New York to try to make it on Broadway. Unfortunately, producers wouldn't or couldn't see her because of her weight (she weighed close to 300 pounds at the time).

In the summer of 1962, Elliot's aspirations were put on hold; her father died of a massive heart attack and she was needed back at home. When she returned to the Village scene later that year, she decided to make it as a singer. She teamed with Tim Rose and John Brown to form The Triumvirate which lasted until early 1963. She and Tim Rose later met Jim Hendricks in Omaha, Nebraska, where Jim agreed to replace the departing John Brown. The newly formed trio called themselves The Big Three. They recorded two albums and numerous Ballantine Beer commercials. Elliot married Hendricks to prevent him fromCass Elliot was born on September 19, 1941 in Baltimore, Maryland and was the first of three children. She left high school before graduating, changed her name from Ellen Naomi Cohen to Cass Elliot, and headed to New York to try to make it on Broadway. Unfortunately, producers wouldn't or couldn't see her because of her weight (she weighed close to 300 pounds at the time).

In the summer of 1962, Elliot's aspirations were put on hold; her father died of a massive heart attack and she was needed back at home. When she returned to the Village scene later that year, she decided to make it as a singer.

She teamed with Tim Rose and John Brown to form The Triumvirate which lasted until early 1963. She and Tim Rose later met Jim Hendricks in Omaha, Nebraska, where Jim agreed to replace the departing John Brown. The newly formed trio called themselves The Big Three. They recorded two albums and numerous Ballantine Beer commercials. Elliot married Hendricks to prevent him from being drafted into the Army. By 1964, the group called it quits.

Cass joined with Hendricks, Zal Yanovsky, and Denny Doherty and the foursome called themselves The Mugwumps. They performed at the Shaddows (as the house band) and only recorded one album (released in 1967, long after the group had broken up). The Mugwumps only lasted for eight months.

Cass met with Doherty and John and Michelle Phillips, called themselves The Mamas and the Papas, and the rest is history. The group broke up in 1968 and Cass pursued a successful and unprecedented solo career. On July 29, 1974, after performing for 12 nights at the London Palladium, Elliot died in her sleep of a massive heart attack.… Expand