Cass Elliot was born Naomi Ellen Cohen on September 19 1941 in Baltimore, Maryland. She was one of 3 children. Her brother was named Joseph and her sister was named Leah. While she was in high school Cass developed a love for acting and appeared in a summer stock product of Meredith Wilson’s play The Boy Friend. It was in high school that she adopted her stage name. Cass, per bandmate Denny Doherty, probably came from Peggy Cass. She added the Elliot later in honor of a deceased friend. Shortly before graduation Cass left high school and moved to New York City to further an acting career. She won a part in a touring musical of the The Music Man. However, she did not pursue her music career until she moved to Washington DC to attend American University. She did not attend Swarthmore which is a line in the song Creeque Alley.
Folk music was gaining in popularity and Cass teamed up with Tim Rose and James Hendricks to form the group the Big 3. In 1964 she along with future papa Denny Doherty were part of a group called the Mugwamps. Denny left the group and joined John and Michelle Phillips to form the group the New Journeyman. Denny persuaded John to let Cass join the group and the Mamas and the Papas were born.
On April 26 1967 Cass gave birth to her beloved daughter Owen Vanessa. Cass never admitted who the father was. However, many years later Michelle Phillips assisted Owen in locating her biological father. Owen’s father was revealed to be Chuck Day who passed in 2008
In 1968 the group recorded a cover of Dream A Little Dream of Me with Cass singing the lead vocal. The song was originally written as an uptempo dance tune but Cass sang it in more of a contemplative pace. The result was pure magic. After the group disbanded Cass released the song as a solo project. It was also during this time that Cass returned to acting with a role as Witchypoo on H R Pufnstuf as well as other TV appearances such as the Carol Burnett Show. She also hosted her own variety special Don’t Call Me Mama Anymore.
Sadly on July 29, 1974 Cass died in London following a successful concert at the London Palladium. A rumor later surfaced that she choked on sandwich but no food was found in her esophagus. The coroner ruled that she died of heart failure. Cass’s remains were cremated and interred at Mount Sinai Memorial Park Cemetary. Her sister, Leah Kunkle, was granted custody of Cass’s 7 year old daughter Owen Vanessa. This video is from her appearance on Ray Stevens’ Show.