Born Ellen Naomi Cohen on September 19th, 1941, Cass Elliot developed an impeccable intuition for great music. Finding her way through the 60’s folk-rock scene, Cass would go on to become one of the defining voices of the counterculture movement, and later, a beloved fixture on American television. People who knew her describe the gravity that she generated around herself, a force of self-determination, humor, and charisma that carried her throughout her career in show business. A natural-born matchmaker, Cass was at least partially responsible for the unions of Crosby, Stills & Nash, and The Lovin’ Spoonful. Cass’s first love was the theater. However, in 1962, she traded show tunes for folk songs, where she found her place as the bold female harmony in the folk group The Big 3. Her enduring creativity followed her across her subsequent career with The Mugwumps, when at the height of Beatlemania, their record label wanted to cut her out of the group. Instead of dumping her, the group decided to disband rather than leave their cornerstone vocalist behind. By 1965, Cass had honed her chops when she banded up with her friend and former bandmate from The Mugwumps, Denny Doherty, who had by then partnered up with John and Michelle Phillips of The New Journeymen. Once Cass had joined, they renamed themselves The Mamas & The Papas. The Mamas & The Papas were flung into the spotlight, receiving rapid commercial success following the release of “California Dreamin’”, their first single, in late 1965. The song ended up #1 on the Cash Box year end hot 100 and  #10 on the Billboard year-end Hot 100 single of 1966. Other top ten hits included the Grammy® winning “Monday, Monday”, “Creeque Alley”, and “Dedicated to the One I Love”. Their first concert was held at the Hollywood Bowl, and the band went on to close the Monterey International Pop festival in 1967, alongside acts such as Jefferson Airplane, The Who, Grateful Dead and Jimi Hendrix. Behind the group’s sun-soaked & dreamy personae, internal contentions were brewing. Cass often faced scrutiny and ridicule for her weight, and there was no denying the comparison of Mama Cass to Michelle in the public eye, either. Despite the blatant contrast, Cass stood her ground, and the crowds loved her. Unapologetically flirtatious and hilarious, Cass would charm the audience with her performances, as if she was singing just for them. In 1967, New York Magazine said about Cass, “She is a star, not despite her weight or because of it, but beyond it. Cass is a horizon.”