The Early Sixties

In 1960 "The Smoothies" recorded a few pop singles, produced by Milt Gabler, who was later inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame for a lifetime of producing artists like Billie Holiday, Louis Armstong, and Bill Haley.

But in 1960 folk music was selling, and soon John and Scott were looking for a banjo player to form a folk trio. They found Dick Weissman, considered one of world's finest 5 string banjo players. They became "The Journeymen" and recorded three albums for Capitol Records.

Then came The Beatles, and everything changed. John formed "The Mamas and the Papas" and throughout the 60's wrote a remarkable body of songs that captured and chronicled the personal and social upheavals of the decade. Billy Joel refers to John as the "Stephen Foster of the 60's." One of these remarkable songs was San Francisco.