First showing up as part of the legendary
Mugwumps with
Denny Doherty and
Cass Elliot in 1964,
Yanovsky was best known for being the "zany one" in
the Lovin' Spoonful. The Toronto native was busted for drugs in San Francisco and turned in his dealer under the threat of deportation, making his name mud in the hip circles, so much so that he quit
the Spoonful. He recorded one great single, "As Long as You're Here," and one totally demented LP before leaving music, though he showed up every so often in the early '70s playing second guitar with
Kris Kristofferson and at
John Sebastian gigs.
Yanovsky moved to Kingston, Ontario and opened a restaurant, Chez Piggy, with his wife Rose. He died of a heart attack in December 2002. ~ Gary Mollica