I wasn’t famous.
I wasn’t even almost famous.
But I was there . . .
— Chris O’Dell

I first learned about this book from Max from Powerpop… An Eclectic Collection of Pop Culture Blog when he wrote a review of it and was immediately intrigued and interested in learning tasty tidbits about all of the people named in the title of the book. I just finished the 403-page hardcover book (381 pages of story, 4 pages of Afterword, 4 pages of acknowledgments, 13 pages of index) that also includes 16 pages of black and white photos of Chris with and without the stars. Consider me a satisfied reader.

The writing style is simple and conversational. Her perspective is always humble. For the most part, Chris’ impressions of the superstars she works with and otherwise encounters is generous. There are a few who cultivate her wrath, but she is slow to anger and more forgiving than most based on the encounters.

Chris was raised in Tucson, AZ, and moved to Los Angeles, CA in the mid-late 1960’s, when she was in her early twenties. The adventure begins when Allan, a guy she was dating, takes her along on a lunch date with Derek Taylor. Derek, at the time, was doing publicity for A&M Records. I don’t know a huge amount about Derek other than what is in the book, but I do know he helped George Harrison with his book, “I Me Mine” after working with The Beatles as a press officer in 1964. Chris’ connection with Derek was the door to the “in crowd” with music publishing and touring. She was a go-fer and chauffer for Derek while he was in L.A. When Derek left L.A. to go back to London, UK, to help The Beatles start up Apple Corps, he gave Chris an open invite to come to London and work for Apple – which she eventually did.

Close to the first half of the book is about when she worked at Apple and includes a wealth of details about being able to sit in on some of the iconic recording sessions with The Beatles and others, hanging around the studios until one of the executives finally gave her a job, the kindness and graciousness of everyone she interacts with. She does a fabulous job of describing the atmosphere within the building and between the people, and of course face-to-face conversations with each Beatle.

There is quite a lot of coverage about where Allen Klein, the scuzbag who steps in after Brian Epstein passed away, and how he changes the culture at Apple.

Leon Russell broke up with Rita Coolidge and had flown to London to do some recording. He hypnotizes Chris into falling in love with him; he whisks her away to L.A. Here the reader gets a chance to see how Leon is trying to break through into music stardom and also, by his actions, shows what kind of character he has at that time.

There are several chapters about Chris getting in thick with George Harrison and Pattie Boyd, including moving in to Friar Park and acting as companion to Pattie and assistant to George. Eric Clapton enters the scene there and weaves in and out of the chapters in various forms and attitudes.

Chris ends up as a tour manager for a Rolling Stones tour and there are at a couple of chapters on that experience. From there, Chris goes on to manage several other big name tours, including Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young, George Harrison’s Tour, Santana, and Bob Dylan’s Rolling Thunder Review.

As the relentless alcohol and other mind-altering substance abuses continue, the tours Chris manages become less famous and more measly. There are attempts by her to abstain, cut back, and otherwise manage the substances, mostly without success. Almost 20 years after she began her adventure, Chris decides to hang up her touring boots and become a mommy to a son who will one day hold a British title.  She returns to the US, goes to college, and earns a Masters degree in Counseling Psychology. 

One thing that the younger readers may not realize is that in the 1960s and 1970s it was the age of free love. The credo was, “If it feels good, do it.” Chris did a HELL of a lot of cocaine with pill chasers and shots of booze to give the right cocktail of feeling good. Along with it there was a steady stream of sexual partners that ranged from ordinary guys to superstars. There is a long list of named men that Chris had anything from a one night stand to a real relationship with along the way. I won’t give the names. You’ll have to read the book to find out!

More even than the connections Chris develops with the male musical stars are the relationships she builds with the women married to or who are close to the stars, including Pattie Boyd, Maureen Starkey (Ringo’s now-deceased ex-wife, May Pang (one of John Lennon’s intimate partners,) and Astrid Lundstrom (Stones’ Bill Wyman’s wife.)

The title of the book is in reference to the song, “Miss O’Dell,” that George Harrison wrote for Chris. The book also mentions, “Pisces Apple Lady,” a song that Leon wrote for Chris.

For anyone who is interested in the music and lifestyles of The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, and Leon Russell in the 1960’s and 1970’s, I would recommend you read the book. What may seem like useless trivia to some is priceless insider information for those who are interested.

If you’re interested in hearing Chris talk on a podcast about those times, her thoughts on the Peter Jackson “Get Back” documentary, and more check it out here: