Denny Doherty’s sister Frances Arnold said the singer died at his home in Mississauga, a city near Toronto, after a short illness.
In 1998, the Mamas and the Papas were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, however, their success was brief and they disbanded in 1968 following the divorce of group members John and Michelle Phillips.
In more recent years, in 2003, Denny Doherty was co-author and performer in an off-Broadway show called "Dream a Little Dream: The Mamas and the Papas Musical," which traced the band's history.
Denny Doherty began his musical career in Montreal in 1960 as the co-founder of the Colonials and he made a solo album in 1974.
Denny Doherty extended his range of talents by both playing the Harbourmaster and voicing all the characters for the children's TV series "Theodore Tugboat", but he will be mainly remembered for his work with the Mamas and the Papas, a group who have inspired many to follow in their lead.
