RIP Scott McKenzie

[eastside billee]

Scott McKenzie, whose big hit, “San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair)” was one of the anthems of the Flower Power movement in the mid '60s, died Saturday in Los Angeles at age 73.

His website contained this statement today:

“It is much sadness that we report the passing of Scott McKenzie in LA on 18th August, 2012. Scott had been very ill recently and passed away in his home after two weeks in hospital.

He was born Philip Wallach Blondheim in 1939. His worldwide hit was produced by Lou Adler and Papa John Phillips and was the focus of the Monterey Pop Festival, which Adler and Phillips staged at the Monterey County Fairgrounds.

In an interview in 1995, McKenzie and Phillips said the inspiration for the song was the festival.

“During this time I figured that we ought to do a song which was really written to the young people who, obviously, were coming to California that summer, and would really descend on Monterey if this pop festival happened,” McKenzie said.

“But the idea was that they would come in peace to the pop festival,” said Phillips. "Which they did. There was not one arrest during the whole pop festival.”

According to his website, he first met Phillips in the 1950s and they formed a folk group called the Abstracts. In 1960, he and Phillips teamed up with banjo player Dick Weissman and formed the Journeymen, recording three albums for Capitol Records.

After hitting it big with “San Francisco,” it was planned that he would record another song by Phillips – “Twelve Thirty (Young Girls Are Coming To the Canyon).” But contractual obligations prevented that and it was recorded by the Mamas and the Papas, for whom it was a huge hit.

In 1988, he co-wrote another hit song “Kokomo,” with John Phillips, Beach Boy Mike Love and the late Terry Melcher for the Beach Boys. The song became a featured part of the Beach Boys' shows.

McKenzie also was a regular on Facebook. Fans have been filling up the page with messages since news of his death became known.







Scott McKenzie, famous for 'San Francisco (Wear Flowers in Your Hair),' dies - National Vintage Rock 'n' Roll | Examiner.com

[hueytaxi]

And was not John's daughter named after him?