My Mama, Cass, Owen ElliotKugell
My Mama, Cass, Owen ElliotKugell
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My Mama, Cass
A Memoir

Author: Owen Elliot-Kugell

Narrator: Owen Elliot-Kugell

Unabridged: 6 hr 30 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Da Capo Press

Published: 05/07/2024

Includes: Bonus Material Bonus Material Included


Synopsis

A long-awaited, myth-busting, and deeply affecting memoir by the daughter of legendary rock star “Mama” Cass Elliot

To the rest of the world, Cass Elliot was a rock star; A charismatic, wisecracking singer from the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inducted band, The Mamas & The Papas; A legend of Laurel Canyon, decked out in her custom-made Muumuus, glittering designer jewelry, blessed with a powerful, instantly identifiable singing voice which helped define the sound of the 1960s counterculture movement. But to Owen Elliot-Kugell, she was just Mom.
 
In the nearly 50 years since Cass Elliot’s untimely death at the age of 32, rumors and myths have swirled about, shading nearly every aspect of her life. In her long-awaited memoir, Owen Elliot-Kugell shares the groundbreaking story of her mom as only a daughter can tell it.
 
In My Mama, Cass, Owen pulls back the curtains of her mother’s life from the sold-out theaters to behind the closed doors of her infamous California abode. Born Ellen Naomi Cohen, the woman who was known to the world as Cass Elliot was decades ahead of her time: an independently minded, outspoken woman who broke through a male-dominated business, a forward-thinking feminist, and a single parent who embraced motherhood from the moment Owen entered the world. From the closely guarded secret of Owen’s paternity to Cass’s lifelong struggles with self-esteem and weight, to rumors surrounding her mother’s death, Owen illuminates the complex truths of her mother’s life, sharing interviews with the high-profile figures who orbited Cass, as well as never-before-heard tales of her mother and this legendary period of American history.
 
Featuring intimate family and archival photos as well as interviews and memories from famous friends, fans, and colleagues who loved and respected Cass, this book is both a love story and a mystery, a tale of self-discovery and a daughter’s devotion. At its core, My Mama, Cass is a beautifully crafted testament befitting of Cass Elliot’s enduring cultural impact and legacy, written by the person who knew and loved her best.
 

Reviews

Goodreads review by *TUDOR^QUEEN* on April 05, 2024

3.5 Stars rounded up to 4 I've always enjoyed some of the Mamas and the Papas hits as a casual fan, owning their Greatest Hits compilation on vinyl, and reading some of their other memoirs. When I saw that "Mama" Cass Elliot's daughter Owen wrote a memoir about her mother, of course I had to read it.......more

Goodreads review by Judy on May 12, 2024

I grew up listening to The Mamas and the Papas along with many other groups of that time period and really liked their music. I have also read many singers biographies where they mention the influence and friendship of Mama Cass Elliot and the openness of her home. Of course I was happy to have to c......more

Goodreads review by Moonkiszt on September 11, 2024

A book Mama Cass would have loved, the spirit of her daughter doesn't overreach - she can't tell her mother's story, so she tells the story she can. She tells of her life as a little one left behind, and of those generous souls who stepped in to fill the void left by her only parent. I found the sto......more

Goodreads review by Jodi on March 07, 2024

I was excited to read My Mama, Cass by Owen Elliot-Kugell. I knew of Mama Cass growing up, but only knew the broad strokes of her career. I knew she member of The Mamas and The Papa’s and I knew she had a successful solo career. Her music was easily recognizable. I knew about the tumultuous relation......more

Goodreads review by Joanne on June 12, 2024

A story from a totally down-to-earth young woman about growing up in amazing circumstances. Imagine being born somewhat scandalously with mysterious yet cool origins in Laurel Canyon in the 70s, where your neighbors are Frank Zappa and the dudes from CSN, and where your house is the cool house where......more


Quotes

My Mama, Cass is a daughter’s search for the mother she lost. In these pages, Owen Elliot-Kugell reconstructs who Ellen Naomi Cohen really was, which is not an easy task, as the woman who became Cass Elliot was a very complex person: unimaginably talented, independent, loving, warm, and completely dedicated to her one and only child. She brings her mother back to life for herself and for Cass’s millions of fans. The spotlight is back on my friend, and it’s great to see her again.”—Michelle Phillips of The Mamas and the Papas