Figure 1.--The full seven-member Cowsills band can be seen here wholesomely promoting milk.

The Cowsills are the only one of these groups that inspired a hit TV show based on their exploits. The Cowsill brothers formed their band in the early 1960s. The original band consisted of four brothers, Bill (guitar), Bob (guitar and organ), Barry (bass guitar) and John (druns). For some reason Bob's twin Dick did not participate in the group. John was the youngest brother. He was just age 7 when the band was formed. They worked serious on their music for some time, developing tight vocal harmonies. Their first engagements were at local churches and school dances in and around their home at Newport, Rhode Island. The band was greatly ingluenced by the Beatles who were sweeping America at the time. The band began performing at a local club where they mostly did Beatles songs. They first recorded for Mercury Records. Some of the early songs were "Siamese Cat," which focused on the two youngest brothers, John and Barry. The best-known of their early Mercury songs was "Party Girl." The Cowsills left Mercury, but Mercury producer Artie Kornfield asked the boys' mother, Barbara, to join the boys on a song he wrote with Steve Duboff--"The Rain, The Park, And Other Things." The song was recorded independently, but was taken up by MGM Records and reached #2 on the charts. It sold over a million copies and put the Cowsills on the charts. Barbara became known as "Mini-Mom", but I am not sure why. The band with mom became enormously popular, but the wholseome image of mom and the younger kids meant that the band never developed into a cutting-edge rock band. The Cowsills followed this with an additional seven hit singles. Theu released several LP albumns. At this time their 7-year-old sister Susan joined the group on vocals, percussion and occasional bass guitar for live performances and brother Paul on organ and vocals bringing the total to seven. The Cowsills were the most important family performers in America during the 1960s. They were managed by their father Bud. Their biggest hit was a cover of the title song of the rock musical "Hair." This became the group's opening song in concert during 1970. The Cowsills also appeared on several television shows, performing among other songs, "Consider Yourself", "What the World Needs Now Is Love". Susan the youngest Cowsill introduced "What the World Needs Now Is Love" explaining how much he hoped that older brother Dick (Bob's twin) would return safely from Vietnam. The Cowsills were contacted by Columbia Pictures Television about doing a weekly TV series. A program was eventually produced and became a hit ABC series--"The Partridge Family" (1970-74) and still is seen in sindication. The producers met with the Cowsills, but did not consider them interesting enough kids for the show. Theu wound up picking kids for their looks and acting ability with no thought given to whether or not they could sing and play musical instruments. It was an accdent that David Cassidy could both sing and play the guitar. David wound up being the only Partridge kid that actually participatrd in Partridge Family recordings. The Cowsills in 1968 sang the theme song of the movie "The Impossible Years." They also did the the theme song for the hit TV show "Love American Style" in 1969. The Cowsills disbanded in 1971 as the boys got older. They did, however, produce two additional LP albums during the 1970s. They were done without Bill Cowsill who began to do solo work. One of the last LPs was On My Side. The other was i>Two by Two which included one of the the group's last big selling singles, "The Prophecy Of Daniel And John The Divine (Six Six Six)."

The Members

The Cowsills band were born when dad gave Bill and Bob guitars. The boys who were 7 and 8 years old at the time formed a duo. Both boys sang in the choir of their Catholic Cgurch. They soon added Barry and John on bass and drums to form a kind of juvenile Beatles who they idolized. Bob also worked on the organ. The Cowsill brothers formed their band in the early 1960s. For some reason Bob's twin Dick did not participate in the group. John was the youngest brother. He was just age 7 when the band was formed. Eventually mom, Barabara, and the two younger siblings Paul and Susan joined the group, bringing the total to seven.

Development

The boys worked serious on their music for some time, developing tight vocal harmonies. Their first engagements were at local churches and school dances in and around their home at Newport, Rhode Island. The band was greatly ingluenced by the Beatles who were sweeping America at the time. The band began performing at a local club where they mostly did Beatles songs.

Mercury

The Cowsill first recorded for Mercury Records. The won the contract after appearing on the "Tonight Show". Some of the early songs were "Siamese Cat," which focused on the two youngest brothers, John and Barry. The best-known of their early Mercury songs was "Party Girl." Eventually Mercury dropped the boys.

First Hits

Older brothers Bill and Bob were becoming competent songwriters and recording on the Joda and Philips/Mercury labels, but they had not yet scored a big hit. After the Cowsills left Mercury, producer Artie Kornfield in 1967 asked the boys' mother, Barbara, to join the boys on a song he wrote with Steve Duboff--"The Rain, The Park, And Other Things." The song was recorded independently, but was taken up by MGM Records and reached #2 on the charts. It sold over a million copies and put the Cowsills on the charts. Barbara became known as "Mini-Mom", but I am not sure why. The band with mom became enormously popular, but the wholseome image of mom and the younger kids meant that the band never developed into a cutting-edge rock band. The Cowsills followed this with an additional seven hit singles.

LP Albumns

They released several LP albumns. At this time their 7-year-old sister Susan joined the group on vocals, percussion and occasional bass guitar for live performances and brother Paul on organ and vocals bringing the total to seven. The Cowsills were the most important family performers in America during the 1960s. They were managed by their father Bud. The Cowsills released several LPs. We Can Fly was best known for "In Need Of A Friend" which was originally a short tune composed by older brothers Bill and Bob entitled "I Had A Friend Of A Friend [One Day]"). Captain Sad and His Ship of Fools included the hit single "Indian Lake"). The Best of the Cowsills proved to be a big hit. The Cowsills In Concert featured a black-and-white photo of the Cowsills with the long hair they adopted to look more hip. This albumn was a colletion of their cover songs that the group as part of their 1969-70 live act. This included "Monday Monday" (Bill lead), "Reach Out (I'll Be There)" (Paul or Bob leading), "Walk Away Renee" (Bob lead), "Please Mr. Postman" (Barry lead ), "Act Naturally" (John lead), "Hello Hello" (Susan lead), and "The Cruel War" (Barbara lead).

Concerts

Their biggest hit was a cover of the title song of the rock musical "Hair." This became the group's opening song in concert during 1970.

Television

The Cowsills also appeared on several television shows, performing among other songs, "Consider Yourself", "What the World Needs Now Is Love". Susan the youngest Cowsill introduced "What the World Needs Now Is Love" explaining how much he hoped that older brother Dick (Bob's twin) would return safely from Vietnam. The Cowsills in 1968 sang the theme song of the movie "The Impossible Years." They also did the the theme song for the hit TV show "Love American Style" in 1969.

The Partridge Family

The Cowsills were contacted by Columbia Pictures Television about doing a weekly TV series. A program was eventually produced and became a hit ABC series--"The Partridge Family" (1970-74) and still is seen in sindication. The producers met with the Cowsills, but did not consider them interesting enough kids for the show. Unbeknownst to to their large TV-audience, the Partridge kids could sing and play musical instyruments amd there was no Partridge family band. The profucers wound up picking kids for their looks and acting ability with no thought given to whether or not they could sing and play musical instruments. There was of course one exception. It was an accdent that David Cassidy could both sing and play the guitar. David wound up being the only Partridge kid that actually participatrd in Partridge Family recordings.

Final Years

The Cowsills disbanded in 1971 as the boys got older. Apparently none of the boys had as distinctive a voice as David Cassidy and wwre unable to build major rock star status. The Cowsills did, however, produce two additional LP albums during the 1970s. They were done without Bill Cowsill who began to do solo work. One of the last LPs was On My Side. The other was Two by Two which included one of the the group's last big selling singles, "The Prophecy Of Daniel And John The Divine (Six Six Six)."

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Created: December 3, 2001
Last updated: December 3, 2001