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Scott McKenzie (b. January 10, 1939, Jacksonville, Florida or October 10, 1944, Arlington, Virginia –) Singer best known for his 1967 hit San Francisco (Be Sure To Wear Flowers In Your Hair).
McKenzie was born Philip Blondheim on January 10, 1939, in Jacksonville, Florida, according to some sources and in Arlington, Virginia on October 10, 1944, according to other sources. He grew up in Virginia and became friends with the son of one of his mother' friends, John Phillips. In the late 1950's, he formed a Doo Wop Band, The Locals with Phillips. They also performed together in groups under other names, including the Journeymen in 1964. They, during that time, discussed forming a group called the Mamas & the Papas. McKenzie wanted to perform on his own, so Phillips formed the group and eventually moved to California. McKenzie followed him there from New York City a short time later and signed with Lou Adler's Ode label, one that was styled on the growing hippie movement in California and which featured a daffodil as its logo. Phillips wrote and produced "San Francisco" for McKenzie and it was released in 1967. Phillips played guitar on the recording and Mama Cass played bells. It became a Top Five smash in the United States and a number one hit overseas.
"San Francisco" became a freedom song, all over the world and a hippy anthem in the United States. McKenzie followed it with "Like An Old Time Movie", also written and produced by Phillips, which was a minor hit. His first album, "The Voice of Scott McKenzie" was followed with an album called "Stained Glass Morning". He stopped recording about that time in the 1960's and lived in a desert and in Virginia Beach for a while.
In 1986 he started singing with a new version of the Mamas and Papas and in 1988 co-wrote with Phillips the Beach Boys hit, "Kokomo". In 1998 he retired from the Mamas and Papas. He currently lives in Los Angeles.
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