In the pantheon of rock ‘n’ roll legends, Chris O’Dell isn’t a household name — but she was in the rooms where it happened. A self-described “fly on the wall,” O’Dell lived a life most fans can only dream of: singing backup for George Harrison, running errands (and drugs) for the Rolling Stones, navigating a love triangle with Joni Mitchell and Leon Russell, and serving as a trusted insider during the most electrifying era in rock history.
Her 2009 memoir Miss O’Dell: My Hard Days and Long Nights with The Beatles, The Stones, Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, and the Women They Loved is a bombshell of backstage confessions, and yet it remains surprisingly under-read considering the wild stories it contains.
From Secretary to Rock ‘n’ Roll Confidante
Chris O’Dell began her career humbly enough — as a secretary at Apple Records in London in the late 1960s. But her timing couldn’t have been better. The Beatles were transitioning from world-dominating boy band to pioneering studio artists, and O’Dell quickly proved she was more than a mere assistant. She became part of their inner circle, eventually moving into the Beatles’ orbit as a personal assistant, friend, and trusted aide.
She was in the studio during the recording of The White Album, witnessed the tensions that would lead to the band’s breakup, and even sang backup on Harrison’s iconic “All Things Must Pass” and the Rolling Stones’ “You Can’t Always Get What You Want.” But her duties often extended far beyond music.
The Stones, the Substances, and the Secrets
Working for the Rolling Stones during their notorious 1972 American tour — dubbed the “Cocaine and Tequila Sunrise Tour” — O’Dell’s role evolved into something more akin to fixer, confidante, and, at times, courier. She later revealed that she ran drugs for the band during that tour, one of the most debauched and celebrated in rock history. While most fans saw glamour, she saw chaos — and managed it.
O’Dell never glamorizes these exploits. Her memoir paints a raw, honest picture of life behind the curtain: the emotional wreckage, the isolation, and the cost of always being the woman behind the men who were busy changing musical history.
The Joni Mitchell Triangle
Perhaps one of the most unexpected turns in her tale is her entanglement in a love triangle with Leon Russell — the genius Oklahoma pianist who played with everyone from Joe Cocker to Bob Dylan — and Joni Mitchell, the poet laureate of Laurel Canyon.
O’Dell and Russell had a romantic connection, but it was complicated by his involvement with Mitchell, who famously captured her heartbreak and jealousy in her song “Car on a Hill.” Though never named directly, O’Dell believes she was the “other woman” Joni was referencing. For anyone who has pored over Mitchell’s lyrics searching for deeper meaning, this revelation adds a new layer of intrigue.
A Witness to History — and Humanity
What sets Chris O’Dell apart from other rock memoirists is her duality: she was both an insider and an observer. She saw the Beatles unravel, the Stones indulge, and legends like Clapton and Dylan burn and flicker. She was there when Patti Boyd wept over George Harrison and when Clapton pined for her, too. She heard the fights, fetched the coffee, got swept up in the romance, and eventually had to walk away from it all.
Today, Chris O’Dell works as a therapist, helping others untangle their emotional lives. But her past remains as vivid and intoxicating as ever — a reminder that some of the most influential figures in music history relied on the quiet strength of someone just outside the spotlight.
So, has Chris O’Dell had the music industry’s wildest career? Given the sheer number of icons she knew, secrets she kept, and lives she touched — the answer is a resounding yes.
