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Click here to see the contents of a fan club kit from this club.
(See if you can find some errors - no, not my typo errors - in this "official" fan club material.)
THE COWSILLS, in the space of only a few short years, have become one of the most sought-after recording groups in the nation. It all started with family sing-alongs at their 22-room mansion in Newport, Rhode Island. With no money, little furniture, seven children, a mother and a father, it is indeed phenomenal that The Cowsills have reached the popularity they enjoy today. Success, however, has not come easily to Bob, Paul, Barry, John, Susan and parents Bud and Barbara. The Cowsills have had to work to get where they are today so success hasn't changed them personally.
Father Bud was away from home most of the time in the United States Navy. During this time Barbara had her hands full with her seven children. However, everyone pitched in and helped out. As a matter of fact, The Cowsills have always been happy and "together," helping each other out, sharing responsibilities, and joining in when it was time for fun. This fun was what started the legend of The Cowsills.
Bob and Bill were the first to start The Cowsills' musical ball rolling. They both began playing the guitar at an early age and worked as a duo at home and at town functions. Soon, Barry joined Bob and Bill as drummer. He switched to bass guitar when John took over drums and made The Cowsills a quartet. The foursome quickly became proficient enough to play at high school functions, college dances and at local night spots. All this happened only six years ago.
This beginning was not without its humorous incidents. Once, a particular hotel management got nervous because all the kids except Bill, then 16, were under-age. So Bill appeared alone on stage. The sound was "piped-in" from a bathroom overhead where the remainder of The Cowsills performed.
In 1967, Barbara joined the group as a female voice although not without reservations. She confessed that most of her singing had been ". . . over a kitchen sink." In that same year, the group cut their first million seller, "The Rain, The Park and Other Things." This single was soon followed by the group's first album called simply, "The Cowsills."
Soon after the success of this first album, Susan Cowsill joined the group just in time for The Cowsills next single and album both entitled "We Can Fly." And fly it did to one of the nation's top L.P.'s. On this album, Bob solo'd for the first time on the popular "The Prophecy of Daniel and John the Divine."
Paul Cowsill, who up until now worked behind the scenes, joined the group for their third album "Captain Sad and His Ship of Fools." After this, The Cowsills followed with two more great albums "The Cowsills In Concert" and "II x II." Bill Cowsill recently left the group and Dick, who had been road manager, now lives at the old family homestead in Newport.
Along with the Cowsills triumphs in the record business they have appeared on many television shows such as Ed Sullivan, Johnny Carson, Merv Griffin, Dick Cavett, Hollywood Palace and Dean Martin just to name a few. Two years ago, The Cowsills sang at the San Remo Festival in Italy and they have played in prestigious Las Vegas at the Flamino Hotel.
The Cowsills have moved to Southern California and recently signed a recording contract with LONDON Records. Their newest and, according to many, their best album yet is London's ON MY SIDE. As a family enterprise, The Cowsills have proven themselves consistently surprising to everyone except themselves.
THE COWSILLS
"How do you break into show business?" . . . a question asked by millions of people every year to thousands of people who have already "made it." The simple truth is that there is no formula … no set rule to go by. Some entertainers are discovered driving trucks . . . some just happen to be on the movie set the day the leading lady or leading man breaks his leg . . . and, of course, some know people in high places.
The Cowsills are perhaps the most unique of all. They began their career at home as a family amusement and nothing more. Like the seven dwarfs, they whistled while they worked.
And work they did. Father Bud Cowsill was away from home most of the time, a member of the United States Navy, finally retiring after his twenty year hitch. During that period, Mother Barbara had her hands full with her seven children to raise in a rather neglected 22 room mansion with the almost ghostly name of Halidon Hall, situated in the suburbs of Newport, Rhode Island. But everyone pitched in and helped.
If this all sounds a bit "Dickensish," you can forget it. The Cowsill family has always been a happy and "together" family . . . all sharing responsibilities . . . and all joining in when it was time for fun and games. As a matter of fact, that was how the legend of The Cowsills began.
Bob and Bill started the musical ball rolling by taking up the guitar at quite an early age, later performing as a duo at home, and when asked, at hometown functions. Barry soon joined them on drums, later switching to bass guitar when John became their new drummer. At that point of The Cowsills career, there were four.
It wasn't long before the quartet was playing at high school functions, graduating later to college dances and local night spots around Newport. It was obvious the boys had talent, and the local gentry was taking advantage of that talent while they could. This all began about six years ago.
In 1967 the boys decided they needed a female voice in the group and immediately turned to Mother Barbara.
"At first I thought it a foolish idea. My singing had been mostly over a kitchen sink. The idea of facing an audience frightened me . . . then I gave it a second thought and decided that I WANTED to be a part of the boys group. I had struggled for years raising them, and quite frankly, I didn't want to be left behind."
"We wanted Mom with us," remembers Bob, "but I must say the first time the five of us appeared together I felt a little silly. Here we were . . . the brothers four, knocking out rock with our mother: The feeling didn't last long though . . . and today we couldn't do without her."
Barbara actually joined The Cowsills because they were cutting a demo record of "The Rain, The Park, and Other Things." They felt a need for a female voice, and they couldn't have been more right. A friend took the demo to MGM Records and The Cowsills were put immediately under contract with "The Rain, The etc." becoming their first million mark seller. This single was followed by their first album, "The Cowsills," which hit the top 10.
Their first success was followed by a single and album titled: "We Can Fly" . . . and fly it did to one of the nation's top LP's. Something new had been added also . . . the personality and talent of young Susan Cowsill.
The next family group effort was a single, "Indian Lake" which became their second single to sell over a million . . . a goal of all recording artists.
Paul Cowsill, who up to this time had been working behind the scenes, joined the group on bass guitar and keyboards in time to cut The Cowsills third LP, "Captain Sad and His Ship Of Fools."
"The Best of The Cowsills" was number four on their album list, followed by the biggest winner of them all, "Hair," a single that sold over two million copies.
MGM Records continued The Cowsills hit parade by releasing two additional elpees: "The Cowsills In Concert" and "II x II."
Bill recently left the group to produce records and to continue his career as a single act. Dick Cowsill, Bob's twin, has never been a member of the singing group, and lives in Newport, R.I. since his return from Vietnam.
Today The Cowsills continue to grow in popularity. In addition to their triumphs in the record business, they have for some time been appearing on national television on such top shows as Ed Sullivan, Johnny Carson, Merv Griffin, Dick Cavett, Hollywood Palace and Dean Martin, to name a few. Two years ago they had the honor to receive an invitation to appear at the San Remo Festival in Italy . . . and have even touched the indescribable Las Vegas with their engagement at the Flamingo Hotel.
Probably the most amazing single characteristic of The Cowsills in their "togetherness." A visit to their new home in Santa Monica, California is like spending a day with any average, fun-loving American family. There's hot dogs . . . and football played on the lawn. There's dunkings in the pool and cokes in the frig. But most of all, there's "what the world needs now . . . love, sweet love."
It could easily be the answer to the immeasurable talent and popularity of The Cowsills.
TELEVISON
APPEARANCES
ON:
The Wonderful World of Pizazz - NBC-TV Special
A Family Thing - Timex Special starring The Cowsills
Ed Sullivan
Johnny Carson
Merv Griffin
Mike Douglas
Jonathan Winters
Operation: Entertainment
Kraft Music Hall
Hollywood Palace
American Bandstand
Dean Martin (Susan only)
Tom Kennedy (Susan only)
Visual Girl (Susan only)
Johnny Cash
Dick Cavett
Barbara McNair (3)
Music Scene
Boss City
Virginia Graham (Barbara and Susan)
Playboy After Dark
Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas
San Remo Music Festival in Italy
Original theme music for TV series, "Love, American Style."
Theme song for motion picture, "The Impossible Years."
BIRTHDATES & CONTRIBUTIONS
BOB: August 6, 1949 . . . Leader . . . Plays lead guitar, drums, piano . . . composes (21)*
PAUL: November 11, 1952 . . . Plays bass guitar, drums piano . . . Composes (19)*
BARRY: September 14, 1954 . . . Plays 12-string guitar, bass guitar, drums . . . composes (16)*
JOHN: March 2, 1956 . . . Plays drums, piano (14)*
SUSAN: May 21, 1959 . . . Plays bass guitar (11)*
BARBARA: Sings
* Ages
The Third Club published Cowsill Chronicle and here are three.
Volume 1, Number one
Volume 1, Number two
Volume 1, Number three and four
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