Unveiling the Legends: Dolls of the 60s & 70s

Our 2-part Baez sisters miniseries concludes with an episode about the queen of folk music, Joan Baez. From her first appearance at the 1959 Newport Folk Festival, it was clear something was special about Joan. She had a pure voice that softened the blows of her bold activism. She refused to let her income taxes go towards funding the Vietnam War, walked alongside civil rights protesters, walked black children to their first days of integrating schools in the south, and was repeatedly censored by the media for her prisoners’ rights and anti-war beliefs. Of course her early championing of Bob Dy...

“For rising of the women

Means the rising of the race.

No more the drudge and idler,

Ten that toil where one reposes,

But the sharing of life's glories,

Bread and roses, bread and roses.”

Mimi Fariña spent most of her life living in someone else’s shadow. First, she was the kid sister of folk music’s Mother Mary, Joan Baez. Then, she was one half of a duo with her husband Richard Fariña; a mysterious and handsome writer cut down in his prime. Mimi refus...

This week’s Doll is a whole lot more than a name squished into a clickbait slop article. She met Mick Jagger several years into her own storied career; which brought her from the UC Berkeley campus to playing Dionne in the West End production of Hair, then gracing the pages of fashion magazines and performing at Isle of Wight. She’s a novelist and memoirist, activist, actress in TV and film, and a stage 3 cancer survivor. What can’t Marsha Hunt do?

Plus, Emma gives an update on her home renovations, and Abby shares her experience at the...

“She was a beautiful person, loving and warm...She was down-to-earth, she loved to laugh, and everyone loved her.” - Marvin Gaye, on fellow Motown star and original Supreme Florence Ballard

This week, the Dolls Pod presents the true story behind the Tony-winning musical “Dreamgirls,” and the very real woman that was its muse. Both Jennifer Holliday and Jennifer Hudson won Academy awards for their portrayals of Effie White, based on the fiery founder of the Supremes. Florence Ballard sang on 16 of their top 40 hits, and 9 of their number ones. But she did not have the happy ending E...

We have a very special guest for our season 3 premiere! Thanks to Emma, we got to chat with “Jennifer Juniper: A Journey Beyond The Muse” author Jenny Boyd about her time as a model in swinging London, San Fransisco during the Summer of Love, with the Beatles in India, and on the road with Fleetwood Mac at the height of their fame. We also got to talk about her earning her doctorate, exploring the creative process in her thesis “Musicians in Tune”/“Icons of Rock,” her work in the addiction recovery field, and an exciting new project. It’s well and truly...

“I think that love will never die. Once you know somebody, you can never unknow that person. And knowing is loving. So you never can get out of love.”

The Dolls Pod Beatle Girl miniseries concludes! Part two of our “Oh Yoko!” episode focuses on her music, activism, and of course, we tell the ballad of Yoko and John.

Also: car seats and nurseries and baby names, oh my! Emma is settling into her last few weeks before baby arrives. Join us for the emotional season two finale of the Dolls Podcast, available wherever you stream y...

“The average rating of our podcast is too high,” we lamented. “Let’s incite a mob of one-star reviews just for covering Yoko Ono!” We giggled, as we rubbed our little hands together like flies.

Season 2 of the Dolls Pod is going down screaming, or whatever you call those distinct vocal stylings. The fifth episode of our Beatle Girl miniseries is here, focusing primarily on Yoko Ono’s life and art before meeting “JOOOOOHN!”

If you hate Yoko, you will hate this episode. If you love Yoko, you will hate this episode. “Oh, Yoko!” is available now, where...

Our 4th episode of the Dolls Pod Beatle Girl miniseries is all about Lovely Linda!

As Linda Eastman, she was one of rock-and-roll’s premiere photographers, capturing the likes of Jimi Hendrix and The Rolling Stones, and the first woman to photograph a Rolling Stone cover. As Linda McCartney, she was an animal rights advocate and one half of one of rock-and-roll’s most beloved couples. With Linda’s love, Paul soared to new heights. Linda was proof you don’t have to choose between being a working woman, a rock-and-roll woman, and a domestic goddess. She truly di...

“It was like hitching a ride on a shooting star: a fantastic experience that caused immense pain, but I’m glad I had it…That sort of experience doesn’t come twice.”

Except when it does.

You know the story, you know the songs, but there’s so much more to the woman behind them. Episode three of the Dolls Pod Beatle Girl Miniseries is dedicated to rock-and-roll’s Helen of Troy: Pattie Boyd.

Pattie’s story is a lot more than meets the eye. She broke generational cycles, gained her independence (the hard way,) disco...

“She married Ringo, but she could’ve had Paul, that’s why the lady is a champ!” Episode two of the Beatle Girl Miniseries is about sweet, strong, and rebellious Maureen Starkey. She never wrote a biography and gave very few interviews. She’s the silent fashion icon of the decade. But she was the heartbeat of the backbeat and an emotional refuge for our big-hearted Beatle. And she was no wallflower - it takes guts to sneak to another country with your pop star boyfriend! (Plus, Emma and Abby chat about DIY wins, gardening fails, and the joys of picklin...

“For far too long now, Mum has put up with being relegated to a puff of smoke in Dad’s life and that is simply not the truth. Now it’s time to set the record straight.” - Julian Lennon, about his mom, Cynthia

At face value, it’s the classic tale of “boy meets girl, boy is in a band, boy’s band becomes the biggest band in the world.” But wait, what about the girl? Though much of her story was dictated by her first husband’s career, Cynthia Lennon was a whole lot more than just the Mrs...

She’s a rock star, she’s a mom, she’s the ch-ch-ch-ch-cherry bomb! Plucked from the LA club scene for her fierce style, Cherie Currie went from never having sang before to fronting the biggest all-girl rock band of all time. The Runaways lit up the stage, sold out arenas, and recorded best-selling albums, all before Cherie was out of high school. Then she put down her microphone for a CHAINSAW and entered the world of competitive wood carving! Cherie’s life is just as wild as her music is.

Plus, Emma and Abby mull over an alter...

“It was, after all, 1970. No Twitter, no websites, no email. Bags of fan mail five feet high arriving at the studio every day – no possible way to read or answer them. How to respond to tens of thousands of fans, mostly girls in their early teens, some who wrote every day? They really needed to hear back from me…Tiger Beat, in the person of Ann Moses, was on the set, in the studio, and in my life.” - Bobby Sherman

It’s a very special day on The Dolls Pod! We are joined by editor of Tiger Beat...

She practically invented jeans, literally had a bag named after her, and charmed the world with her breathy voice and carefree attitude. Not to mention she was the original Penny Lane, before Almost Famous! This week’s Doll is actress, singer, activist, style icon, and one of Emma’s greatest muses, Jane Birkin.

From her schoolgirl years in England through her career as a French icon, her famous friends, three great loves, and her love for her family, Jane truly lived her life to the fullest. After all, “When you’re recognizing you’re having fun, life can be del...

“The first thing you noticed about her was her face. It was an amazing face; fast and funny and beautiful. She was a big, eat-the-world, pass-the-bourbon, soft kind of woman.” - Denny Doherty, on his Mamas and The Papas bandmate Cass Elliot

You can call her fancy, you can call her plain, but don’t call her Mama anymore! Trish, AKA DJ Flower Power of The Hippie Hour, joins Emma and Abby for an episode dedicated to the one she loves: heart and soul of the Mamas and the Papas and Laurel Canyon queen, Cass Elliot. Plus: Abby’s...

“I don’t think teenage years are all that rosy for a lot of people - they certainly weren’t for me. They are the most confusing time of people’s lives and there is a tremendous dark side to the record, which I think teenagers related to.” - Mary Weiss of the Shangri-Las, on their greatest hit “Leader of the Pack”

It was no wonder punk rockers love the Shangri-Las so much. They had the courage to be fashionable, fierce, and vulnerable in a music industry that just wasn’t built for them. This week’s story is a wild ta...

“Never apologize, never explain - didn’t we always say that? Well, I haven’t, and I don’t.” - the late, great Marianne Faithfull

Few women in rock-and-roll history embody the idea of, “Don’t be the rock star’s girlfriend, BE the rock star” like this week’s Doll. This week we remember singer, actress, fashion icon, and “queen of the underground,” Marianne Faithfull. Marianne refused to be just another pretty face in the ‘60s hit parade. She refused to be called a “survivor” - but let’s face it, she was. Over and over again, she came back from the br...

“She knew who she was at a young age. She was able to pick herself up, dust herself off, and literally keep going no matter what cards were dealt to her.” - Ludie Montgomery, about her big sister Tammi Terrell

She was alive for just 24 years, but Tammi’s voice is immortal in pop music history. Her songs with Marvin Gaye have been sampled by Amy Winehouse, Janet Jackson, LL Cool J, Method Man and Mary J. Blige, and The Notorious B.I.G. When her fans are the greats, you know she was great herself! Tammi’s irrepr...

“Love is my law. Truth is my worship. Beauty and perfection is my life.”

Girlfriend of Brian Jones. Friend to Andy Warhol. Muse to Richard Avedon, David Bailey, and Salvador Dali. She walked for Paco Rabanne and jet-hopped from New York, London, Paris, and Rome. Mannequins were made in her likeness. Harper’s Bazaar, Elle, Panorama, Queen, she was in them all. They scandalized her Playboy shoot and called her a kook. She was even the first Black woman on a Vogue cover!

But fashion history has forgotten her. The supermodel with an artist’s soul, he...

“We never ever got as famous as The Beatles. But we started as friends, and we ended as friends.” - Sylvia Saunders, drummer of the Liverbirds

For the first time EVER on the Dolls Pod, we’re featuring a group! We’re telling the stories of Pam Birch, Val Gell, Mary McGlory, and Sylvia Saunders. Together, they’re more than Britain’s first all-female rock band…although that part is pretty cool! They’re four independent, self-actualized young women breaking music’s glass ceiling - and having a whole lot of fun doing it. This episode is for any girl in a...

It’s Emma’s (belated) birthday! For her first episode of the season, she’s showcasing her “birthday twin:” the one and only Janis Joplin. Though her career lasted just four short years, it was no less transformative; feeding the nation’s appetite for blues rock and making a bookish girl from Texas into a generational icon. Everything about Janis, from her big heart to her fiery soul, embodied the spirit of the counterculture 60s. It’s a story of pain, passion, and a woman’s sheer power. “Janis Joplin: Piece of Her Heart” is available NOW wherever you stream your podcasts...

It’s the story you’ve heard a thousand times before, from a perspective you’ve never heard…Welcome back to the Dolls Pod! To kick off season 2, we’re telling the story of the Beatles from the point of view of their biggest fan: longtime secretary and Fan Club president Freda Kelly! Her no-nonsense attitude, big heart, and hard work are proof of just how much a girl’s love can change rock-and-roll 💌 We’d like to thank listener Pat Reeder for suggesting we cover Freda’s career - “Good Ol Freda Kelly: is available NOW wherever you stream your podcasts...

Thank you all for an amazing first season of the Dolls Pod! To celebrate, hosts Emma and Abby are answering 25 of YOUR questions - and announce the season 2 premiere date! Follow @thedollspod on Instagram to join in on the fun 💌

Songs in this episode:

Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash - Girl From The North Country (1969)

Slowdive - Brighter (1991)

Nick Drake - Hazey Jane I (1971)

The Beatles - While My Guitar Gently Weeps (1968)

The Beatles - Here There And Everywhere (1966)

The Dolls Pod season 1 finale is dedicated to a real rock-and-roll legend: artist, “recovering groupie,” and beloved Chicagoan Cynthia Plaster Caster. Cynthia was just as vibrant and fun as she was dedicated to her art. She had a wicked sense of humor, and she lit up every room she was in.

We’d like to extend our sincerest thanks to Cynthia’s friends for helping us make this episode happen: Bryan Wendorf, Babette Nov, and our special guest this week, “Plaster Caster” director of photography Jeff Economy. “Cynthia Plaster Caster: Breaking The Mold” is available wherever you listen to your p...

Those who say “if you remember the 60s, you didn’t live them” clearly don’t account for Uschi Obermaier. From finding fame as a model to being the last person seen with Peter Green before his mysterious weekend at the High-Fish commune, wild nights with Jimi Hendrix and The Rolling Stones, and traveling the world by van, Uschi truly lived life to the fullest. Just as mysterious as she is controversial, there was no such thing as an obstacle for Uschi! Catch “Uschi Obermaier: Globetrotter and Groupie” on the Dolls Podcast, wherever you listen to your podcasts 🦈

(Episode star...

“Why don’t you call me Miss O’Dell?” We’re back after a short break! From the Beatles to the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, ELO, Santana, and all the bands in between, she saw it all. She’s the woman in the hall in Joni Mitchell’s’ Coyote, Leon Russel’s Pisces Apple Lady, the blonde seated next to Yoko and Maureen on the rooftop, and Layla’s bestie. Chris O’Dell was one of rock-and-roll’s first female tour managers and put in the work to keep all these boys out of trouble…for the most part! Hear all about Miss O’Dell...

She was surrounded by the music, but is seldom heard from. Her relationship was splashed across every tabloid, but she’s largely shunned the press. For being the muse of hits like “And I Love Her” and “We Can Work It Out,” very little is known about her. But this week, host Emma dug up enough about this Doll to put together an episode full of swinging 60s tunes and laughter! Emma shines the spotlight on the quiet Beatle girl: actress, cookbook author, lifestyle queen, and iconic redhead Jane Asher!

Follow @thedollspod on Instagram to see photos and clips...

“She loves attention - she’d sing to a pineapple.” - La La Brooks of The Crystals, on today’s Doll: Ronnie Spector

Ronnie needs no introduction. With her sister Estelle and her cousin Nedra, Ronnie broke down barriers and paved the way as pop music royalty and rock-and-roll’s original bad girl. The fabulous Ronettes even boasted the likes of the Beatles AND Rolling Stones in their leagues of fans! But Ronnie’s story is just as much of survival as it is of rock-and-roll. Neither would’ve been possible without her fiery unbreakable spirit. Hear about Ronnie’s...

“She was a catalyst. By being in contact with her, the edges were sharper.” - John Anthony Walker, on his college friend…Edie Sedgwick

She wasn’t just Girl of the Year, she was a girl in a million. This week’s Doll is actress, model, dancer, muse to Bob Dylan, and Warhol superstar Edie Sedgwick. Often seen as “the Marilyn Monroe of the 60s” or “the original manic pixie dream girl,” she was so much more than her Poor Little Rich Girl image. You might not know that she was a talented artist herself! Learn more about Edie’s impos...

You can’t argue with today’s Doll’s resumé. She has a Bond theme, 2 Grammys, an Olympics opening ceremony performance, and over 70 credits to her name. She co-wrote one of the Carpenters’ greatest hits (and one of Eric Clapton’s too…) rolled with Delaney and Bonnie and Mad Dogs and Englishmen, was muse to Leon Russell and Stephen Stills. Not to mention she was on the radio before she even had a single out!

Be sure to follow @thedollspod on Instagram to see photos and clips from today’s episode!

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When Neil Peart of Rush was asked how it felt to be the world’s greatest drummer, he reportedly said: “ask Karen Carpenter.”

Karen was so much more than meets the eye. Like any other girl had hopes, dreams, hobbies, plus a wicked sense of humor. Did you know she was a largely self-taught drummer, was a Disney superfan, or that she was such a tomboy? This week host Emma bares her heart as she leads us through it all.

Follow us on Instagram to see the clips we mention in the episode:

https...

Ever wonder who designed Pattie Boyd’s iconic psychedelic fashions? Eric Clapton’s most famous guitar? Jane Birkin’s beautiful costumes in Wonderwall? One of the largest murals in the world at LA’s Aquarius Theater? Host Abby takes us on a rainbow journey through the life of one artist, visionary, and leader of The Fool Marijke Koger. Buckle up: this episode is “tohuwabohu”!

This episode is packed with art, follow @thedollspod on Instagram to see it!

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We want to thank our dear friend Michael Tegio for the wondeful int

This week, host Emma presents our very first mega-episode! For over 90 minutes we discuss musician, Warhol superstar, Chelsea girl, and accidental proto-punk icon Christa Päffgen. But you might know her better as Nico. An endlessly complex individual, today’s Doll will be your mirror - she might even reflect you. Peel slowly and see the fascinating life and career of Nico.

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You can either credit or blame host Abby’s middle school guitar teacher for her enduring fascination with today’s Doll.

It’s the Acid Queen herself, Grace Slick! Bold, brazen, and razor-sharp, she was a pioneer of 60s rock music and figurehead of the Summer of Love. Learn about Grace’s life and career on episode 2 of the Dolls Podcast!

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It’s our very first episode! Today we spotlight a doll close to host Emma’s heart: the talented, funny, timeless beauty Sharon Tate.

She stole any scene she was in, moved through life without pretense, and loved with her whole heart. Learn about the life and career of Sharon, through the eyes of those closest to her.

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Here's a taste of what we're all about!

Thank you to friend of the show Michael Tegio for our groovy theme song!

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