Scott McKenzie

Scott McKenzie

(born Philip Blondheim, January 10,

1939, Jacksonville, Florida) is an American singer.

He is best known for his 1967 hit single and generational anthem, "San Francisco (Flowers in Your Hair)".

Phillips, friend a childhood of Mckenzie, wrote and coproduced "San Francisco (Flowers In Your Hair)" for McKenzie. John Phillips played guitar on the recording and session musician Gary L Coleman played orchestra bells and chimes. The bass line of the song was supplied by session musician Joe Osborn. Hal Blaine played drums. It was released on 13 May 1967 in the United States and was an instant hit, reaching number four on the Billboard Hot 100. It was also a number one in the UK and several other countries, selling over seven million copies globally.

McKenzie followed the song 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 in the early 1970s and lived in Joshua Tree, California, and Virginia Beach.

In 1986 he started singing with a new version of The Mamas and the Papas. With Terry Melcher, Mike Love and John Phillips, he co-wrote the number 1 single for the Beach Boys, "Kokomo" (1988).

By 1998 he had retired from the road version of The Mamas and Papas, and currently resides in Los Angeles, California. He appeared at the Los Angeles tribute concert for John Phillips in 2001, amongst other 1960s contemporary acts.