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“The author’s love for her mother burns beneath every sentence, illuminating the story from within. An overdue tribute to an underappreciated icon.”–Oprah Daily

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.

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“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
"[My Mama, Cass] tell[s] her mother's story with the dignity it always deserved. . . . . Owen's distance from her mother allows her to see her life clearly in all its highs and lows. . . . The author's love for her mother burns beneath every sentence, illuminating the story from within. An overdue tribute to an underappreciated icon."
Oprah Daily
“A unique perspective from the daughter of a rock star. General audiences will get a fresh glimpse into the manipulative music business, which demanded ceaseless hard work, personal sacrifices, and a determined focus on glittery celebrity.”
Library Journal
“Filled with time-warping anecdotes, Elliot-Kugell’s searing tribute is an important work that fills in the gaps and corrects the apocryphal lore about an essential era and a key figure in American music.”
Booklist

On Sale: May 7, 2024
Page Count: 288 pages
Publisher: Da Capo
ISBN-13: 9780306830648

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Owen Elliot-Kugell

About the Author

Born six weeks before the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967, Owen Elliot-Kugell was seven when her mom, iconic singer-songwriter Cass Elliot, died suddenly. Growing up with her aunt and uncle in Los Angeles, she met husband Jack Kugell at 19. They currently reside with their daughter, Zoe, and son, Noah, in the San Fernando Valley area.

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Owen Elliot-Kugell

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