Cass Elliot
| Cass Elliot | |
|---|---|
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Elliot in 1972
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| Born |
Ellen Naomi Cohen September 19, 1941 Baltimore, Maryland, United States |
| Died | July 29, 1974 (aged 32) Mayfair, London, England |
| Other names | Mama Cass |
| Children | 1 |
| Relatives | Leah Kunkel (sister), Joseph Cohen (brother) |
| Musical career | |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, actress |
| Instruments | Vocals |
| Years active | 1959–1974 |
| Labels | |
| Associated acts | |
| Website | casselliot.com |
Cass Elliot (born Ellen Naomi Cohen; September 19, 1941 – July 29, 1974), also known as Mama Cass, was an American singer and actress, best known as a member of The Mamas & the Papas. After the group broke up, she released five solo albums. In 1998, Elliot, John Phillips, Denny Doherty, and Michelle Phillips were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for their work as The Mamas & the Papas.
Ellen Naomi Cohen was born in Baltimore, Maryland, the daughter of Philip Cohen (d: 1962) and his wife Bess (née Levine, 1915–1994). Both her parents were the children of Jewish immigrants from the Russian Empire. Her father owned a small business (lunch wagon), and her mother was a trained nurse. Elliot had a brother Joseph and a younger sister Leah, who also became a singer as a member of the Coyote Sisters. The Cohens later moved to Alexandria, Virginia.
Elliot adopted the name "Cass" in high school, possibly borrowing it from actress Peggy Cass, as Denny Doherty tells it. She assumed the surname Elliot some time later, in memory of a friend who had died. Elliot attended George Washington High School, along with Jim Morrison of The Doors.
While still attending George Washington High School, Elliot became interested in acting and was cast in a school production of the play The Boy Friend. She left high school shortly before graduation and moved to New York City to further her acting career (as recounted in the lyrics to "Creeque Alley").
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