You missed it.
Unless you were among the few dozen who attended the Chris O’Dell lecture at Stigler Public Library (SPL), you missed the chance of a lifetime. O’Dell spoke about her life and book, Miss O’Dell, answered questions for the better part of two hours, beginning at 1 p.m. at SPL.
O’Dell has been mentioned a few times in the Stigler News Sentinal during the past four months. Readers may recall some short tales of her as arm-in-arm, hand-in-hand and often heart-to-heart with some of the greatest names in rock and roll history. A large part of her experience is outlined in her autobiography, Miss O’Dell, which takes its name after a song Beatle George Harrision wrote about her.
After penning her books a decade ago, a documentary movie of the same title emerged late last spring and is out. The movie is now available on Amazon Prime, Peacock and many other popular streaming sites easily found on Google or other search engines. The movie re-kindled interest in her autobiography, prompting her to do yet another book tour in America.
Now in her 70s, O’Dell drove from her home in Tucson, Ariz., to begin an Oklahoma stop in Tulsa. She spoke there on Oct. 4 at the famous Church Studios, a converted Methodist Church once owned and haunted by Leon Russell. Well over 100 people attended her talk in the actual original “live room,” where recording artists still create and polish their work for release.
A crowd of approximately 30 filled the main meeting room in the library at the Stigler event. O’Dell was engaging and personable, answering any and all questions and volunteering information most wouldn’t have thought to ask.
Riding on back of a Hell’s Angels Harley in a London snowstorm, while “partying” is one. Removing painted-on diapers from vintage cherub statues in George Harrison’s English country estate was another. She spoke of wild adventures with The Beatles, including being present when John Lennon and Yoko Ono were first seen in public by press photographers. She mentioned babysitting Mick and Keith during a 1972 Rolling Stones tour, and so it continued.
The Beatles. Bob Dylan. The Rolling Stones. Essentially these guys were the Holy Trinity of early rock. The ones who are still alive are considered to be Rock and Roll royalty. She worked with them – all of them – all over Europe and the USA for years; even working for four years at Apple Records and Abby Road Studios.
As if that wasn’t enough, she lived with Leon Russell awhile; bunked with George Harrison and his wife at their huge English country manor, Friar Park, and later at his home in Malibu. She still keeps in touch with Harrison’s ex-wife, Pattie Boyd, a model and respected photographer. She was present when Boyd left Harrison to begin a life with Eric Clapton, another friend. The song, “Layla” was written about Boyd during this time.
Details about the 120 room manor and surrounding estate also are available online.
That’s just the tip of the iceberg. O’Dell toured with Genesis, with and without Phil Collins. Fleetwood Mack, Linda Ronstadt – every moment held another rock legend.
The entire time was a nonstop recollection of what she describes as “a fairytale life.” A person of great determination and work standards, she stumbled into it all by sheer luck, but insists that the character built by living in Keota as a child helped her work hard to move up and stay there.
O’Dell easily spoke for 30 minutes longer in Stigler than she had in Tulsa. Several Keota schoolmates and friends – even her old babysitter – came to visit. It was clear she felt relaxed and right at home among her people.
She concluded her time in Haskell County with a return tour of Keota for a long nostalgic look.
Posting on her own Facebook site, she said, “It was a wonderful time. Back to the roots.”
