Profile Text
Birth Name: John Edmund Andrew Phillips
Date of Birth: August 30, 1935
Place of Birth: Parris Island, South Carolina, U.S.
Date of Death: March 18, 2001
Place of Death: Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Ethnicity: Irish, English
John Phillips was an American singer, guitarist, songwriter, and promoter. He was leader and a member of the vocal group The Mamas & the Papas , with his then-wife Michelle Phillips , as well as Denny Doherty and Cass Elliot .
John was married to artist Farnaz Arassteh, until his death. He had two children, including actress Mackenzie Phillips , with his former wife Susan Adams; a daughter, singer and actress Chynna Phillips , with his former wife Michelle Phillips; and two children, including actress and model Bijou Phillips , with his former wife, South African actress, singer, and model Geneviève Waïte.
John was the son of Edna Gertrude (Gaines) and Claude Andrew Phillips. Edna was born in Mexico, to American parents.
John’s paternal grandfather was John Phillips (the son of Thomas Phillips and Marcella Mercy Burgess). John’s grandfather John was born in Canada, to Irish parents.
John’s paternal grandmother was named Anna Moran. Anna was born in New York, to Irish parents.
John’s maternal grandfather was Edmund Franklin Gaines (the son of Charles William Gaines and Martha Isabell Black). Edmund was born in Arkansas.
John’s maternal grandmother was Zora Gertrude Hardgrave (the daughter of Jasper Newton Hardgrave and Winnie Jane Steele). Zora was born in Arkansas. Jasper was the son of James Hardgrave and Louisa McKee.
John’s mother was said to have partial Cherokee Native American ancestry. It is not clear if this ancestry has been verified/documented.
Sources: Genealogy of John Phillips – https://gw.geneanet.org
John’s father, Claude Andrew Phillips, on the 1900 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org