“Mama” Cass Elliot’s life and death, at age 32, will be the subject of a new book. My Mama, Cass, a memoir written by her daughter, Owen Elliot-Kugell, arrives May 7, 2024, via Hachette Books, 50 years after the larger-than-life singer died at age 32. The 304-page title can be pre-ordered in the U.S. here and in the U.K. here, where it arrives May 23 via Omnibus Press.
The publisher’s announcement describes the book as “a long-awaited, myth-busting, and deeply affecting memoir by the daughter of legendary rock star “Mama” Cass Elliot.
More from the announcement: 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, Elliot-Kugell shares the groundbreaking story of her mom as only a daughter can tell it.
In My Mama, Cass, the author pulls back the curtains of her mother’s life from the sold-out theaters and 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.
Related: Our feature story on the Mamas & the Papas’ autobiographical song, “Creeque Alley”
Mama Cass was born Ellen Naomi Cohen on September 19, 1941. She died on July 29, 1974, at age 32.
4 Comments so far
Jump into a conversationThe most Angelic voice to ever grace the whole of American pop music EVER. Every time I hear her sing just gives me the chills from that voice. In my over sixty years in the music business, no other female singer can compare to mama Cass’ pipes, period!! God wanted her for Heaven, cause none was better.
When her mother died, Owen was six-years-old. What possible insight could she have other than second-hand stories that people told her about her mother? I think a biography by a neutral party would be a better read.
Why don’t you try actually reading the book before being so judgey?
And Owen was 7 when her mom passed.
never really thought about it, but I would be curious like everyone else who her father is. I hope the book does well, Cass was one of a kind.