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That Billy was part of a CMT documentary in 2001? He was and it was called Farm Tracks, A Celebration of Roots Music
Did You Know ....
The Cowsills were once part of David Letterman's Top Ten List? November 9, 1989 found David Letterman's Top Ten question...
"Top 10 Ways the Iranians Will Spend the $567 Million"
10. Upgrade hijackers to first class.
9. Have the Reagans visit 283 times.
8. Set up research lab to develop untippable coffin.
7. Kegger!
6. Commission movie biography of Salman Rushdie starring
the guy who played Horshack.
5. Pay for tourism campaign: "Iran -- sort of like Amish
country."
4. Lure The Cowsills out of retirement.
3. New York City taxi licenses for everybody!
2. Next pizza: extra cheese!
1. Take the Mrs. to Atlantic City.
The Cowsills were on The Tonight Show twice? They appeared on August 5th, 1970 and July 14, 1971. You rich folks can get copies from Johnny Carson's site for $99 per show.
The Cowsills were on Kraft Music Hall twice? They appeared on January 29, 1969 with Eddy Arnold and Polly Bergen and December 24, 1969 with Wayne Newton, Jack Wild and Julie Budd.(added 07/23/04 --->)On this Christmas show, The Cowsills sang "Silver Bells", "Jingle Bell Rock", Oliver medley with Wayne, Julie, and Jack ("I'd Do Anything" - Jack Wild and Susan Cowsill - "Got To Pick a Pocket or Two" - the Cowsills)
The Cowsills were on American Bandstand? They appeared January 23, 1971 singing On My Side. Fellow guest Curtis Mayfield was on this show.
The Cowsills were on Ed Sullivan twice? They appeared on October 29, 1967 singing "TRTP&OT" and a medley featuring each member. Ed called them over to chat after this performance, something he only did if he liked you. Fellow guests on this show were Polly Bergan, Senor Wences, Peter Nero, Myron Cohen, Lou Alexander, Noucha Doina, Peter Gennaro, and scenes from "Henry Sweet Henry" with Don Ameche and Alice Playton. The Cowsills second appearance was on December 24, 1967 where they sang "We Can Fly" (???) and a Christmas song medley. Fellow guests on this show was Bobbie Gentry, Geroge Carlin, Arthur Godfrey & the Muppets, Peter Gennaro, Gilbert Price, and The Little Angels Of Korea. Rumor has it that The Cowsills were scheduled for 5 appearances, but Bud had a run-in with Ed Sullivan's son-in-law, thereby ending the appearances.
That "Silver Threads and Golden Needles" (backed with Island Of Dreams) was also recorded by The Springfields (featuring Dusty Springfield)? Yep, it was on the Philips label in 1962. It reached #20 on the Billboard pop charts and #16 on the country charts. It was also recorded by Jody Miller on Capital in 1965 reaching a high of 54 the week of July 24, 1965. (added 12/18/02 --->) Silver Threads was also recorded by Pat Boone and Family on their All In The Boone Family album. (added 07/11/03 --->)Silver Threads was also recorded by Linda Ronstadt and also Jody Miller.(added 07/23/04 --->)Silver Threads was also recorded by many more artists including Hawkshaw Hawkins 1962, Everly Brothers 1963, Tom Tedesco 1964, Johnny Rivers 1965, Glen Garrison 1970, Roy Clark 1971, Janis Joplin 1975, Sandy Denny 1977, Rose Maddox 1980, Wanda Jackson 1985, Ferlin Husky 1991, Brenda Lee 1991, Dolly Parton 1993, Skeeter Davis 1996, We Five 2002, Loretta Lynn/Dolly Parton/Tammy Wynette 1994, Wanda Jackson year unk, Crystal Gayle year unk, Brothers Four year unk, Brenda Lee year unk, Jerry Lee Lewis year unk, Lynn Anderson year unk.
That "We Can Fly" was recorded by a group named Loveletter and released in 1997? It was !!(Added 8/1/04 -->)The also did "The Rain, The Park, and Other Things".
The drummer on Bob's 'Sing-Along With The Beatles' video is none other than Dan McNamara? The same Dan who saves John when he forget things - like his bass pedal or cymbals.
Robby 'Cowsill' Scharf has a Full House connection besides knowing John Stamos? Robby has played on two CD's done by Dave Coulier The Story of the Forest National Anthem and Songs In The Key Of Beaver. Robby was also involved in a post Sept 11 album called United We Stand: Songs For America (Oglio), and has worked with Al Jarreau on two projects Tenderness and Heaven and Earth.
The D B Cooper music advertised on eBay as having Cowsill connections doesn't feature any Cowsills. Cowsill friends Robby Scharf (The Cowsills, The Pranks, C & K, Belair Bandits), Bo Fox (The Pranks, Papa Doo), and Randell Kirsch (Belair Bandits, The Pranks, C & K, Papa Doo) play on this however.
Bill Cowsill is a guest artist on the Belair Bandits CD 'Baked Goods'? That's what the credits say. Bill played guitar. Also Michael Campion (C & K) plays keyboards as a guest on this one.
Nanci Roberts Cowsill has had several actress jobs. She was in North Dallas Forty in 1979 and also on several TV shows. She was on Simon & Simon (1981) playing "Cheerleader" in episode: Fowl Play (episode # 2.9) 12/16/1982 and also on Three's Company (1977) playing "The Hooker" in episode: "Hundred Dollars a What?, A" (episode # 5.3) 11/18/1980.
There is a musical group called Cowsill Cult? They are described as "great hyperfast speedy melodic hardcore/pop punk". They had a single called 'Bucky' back in the 1995/96 time frame. Click here to see the picturesleeve of this record.
The Santa Monica house we all saw in 16 magazine is no longer standing? It was torn down by the new owners and a new house built back in the same place.
The famous tree that John and Barry carved their names in at the Santa Monica house is still there? The tree stands between the sidwalk and street outside the gates of the property. Stop by and visit it sometime!!
Barbara suffered with stage fright? The family used to 'bribe' her with the promise of a new dress for every song recorded. Mini Mom, you had nothing to fear. You were awesome!!
The Mecca Cafe, where Bill's Co-Dependents Live Recording was recorded, burned to the ground on July 26, 2002? Sadly it did, but Bill was kind enough to headline a benefit for the folks who worked there.
There was a toy drum set for The Cowsills? The 1969 Sears catalog advertised for $10.99 a Cowsill Drum set. It was made by the Chein toy company.
The Cowsills version of the "Love American Style" theme was only aired for one year? The show premiered on Monday, September 29, 1969, and the last show aired on Friday, January 11, 1974. After the first year, the theme song was sung by The Charles Fox Singers.
The song "Hair" has played on The Simpson's? 'The PTA Disbands' was the episode.
That Carol Burnett has a music collection that includes Cowsill music? The collection is housed at the UCLA Music Library and includes "We Can Fly".
That "Poor Baby" was the first song recorded in stereo? According to Paul, in an old radio interview, that's the case.
John caught the bridal garter at Bob's wedding? Tis the case and there was a picture in 16 Magazine to prove it.
That Bill was not at Bob's first wedding and that Bob was not a Bill's wedding? Hummmmmmmm
The Cowsills sang a song called "Children Go Where I Send Thee"? They sang this as a duet with Johnny Cash on his show on July 5, 1969.
The Cowsills were on TV another night the week A Family Thing aired? The TV Guide from that week show that they were on Jonathan Winters on Wednesday, November 27th and they sang "The Cruel War" and "We Can Fly".
That The Cowsill song that hit the Billboard charts at the highest position it's first week, was "Indian Lake"? "Indian Lake" made it's debut in the Billboard Top 100 on June 1, 1968 at #79. By contrast, "The Rain, The Park, and Other Things" debuted at #90, "We Can Fly" at #81 and "Hair" at #84.
That twice The Cowsills had two songs on Billboard's Top 100? On the January 1, 1968 chart "TRTP&OT" was #41 and "We Can Fly" was #81. On June 21, 1969 "Hair" was #23 and "The Prophecy of Daniel and John The Divine" was #85.
That "Hair" has several quirks in it's Billboard Charts? First, it was in the bubble (#126 and #122) two weeks before it ever broke the Top 100. Other Cowsill songs were only on the bubble one week. "Hair" was in the Top 10 for 9 weeks. It was in the Top 10 for 8 weeks before dropping to #13, only to return to #6 the next week. "Hair" was also The Cowsill song that dropped the most when leaving the Top 100. It dropped from #23 on the week of June 21, 1968 to being gone on June 28, 1968. Again, by contrast, "Indian Lake" dropped out from the #47 position, "We Can Fly" from the #32 position and "TRTP&OT"'s from the #41 position.
One Cowsill song made it onto the Billboard bubble, but never into the Top 100? That would be "Path Of Love". November 9, 1968 it was #132 but never got higher.
"The Prophecy of Daniel and John The Divine" was the only Cowsill song to be on Billboard bubble chart on it's way up and also on it's way down? Yep, it was #126 before it broke into the Top 100 and #108 on it's way out.
Catherine Cowsill once held Yoga classes at the home of Jerry Brown? Yes, the three-time presidential candidate held yoga and tai chi for the public weekly at his home and Jason's wife, Catherine, taught the yoga.
Freddy Weller had a country hit with the song "Indian Lake"? Yep !!
The Cowsills are mentioned in a book by Wally Lamb? The book is called She's Come Undone and was featured on Oprah's Book Club on January 22, 1997. (Note: I do NOT recommend this book!!!)
Bob's son Jason has a band? Jason was the lead singer for Little Tin Gods rock band.
Casey Kasem did a tribute to Barbara? He did this on March 9, 1985.
"The Rain Song" has been recorded by three groups? This song, written by Susan Cowsill and Vicki Peterson, has been recorded by the Continental Drifters on Vermilion, The Bangles on Doll Revolution (to be released 3/2/03), and Hootie and The Blowfish.
There is a song called The Cowsill Blues? Apparantly so. It was by a group called macrosongs. (???)
The Cowsills played at the following universities and colleges in the early days. Princeton University, Brown University, Brown College, Providence College, University of Rhode Island, Bloomberg College, Jersey State College, Bryant College, Salve Regina, Vernon Court Junior College, Paterson College.
"All I Want To Be Is Me" beat out Simon and Garfunkel's Sounds Of Silence in a battle of the new record in WPRO in Newport in 1966.
Legend says that Bud purchased a second hand (or 67th hand) guitar for Bill and Bob on a trip to Spain for a carton of American cigarettes.
Barbara once sat in occasionally with Bill and Bob to play folk music in a group called Family Sing at the Dorian's.
Famous guitarist James Burton played on the Cowsills song "Most Of All".
Besides the mentioned show above, the Cowsills were also mentioned again on The Simpsons. You can hear someone saying, "Hey, they think they're The Cowsills!".
Billy was the subject of an episode called "Had Success But Lost It Carelessly" on Undiscovered County up in Canada in 2003.
That "The Rain, The Park and Other Things" did reach #1 in Canada the week of November 13, 1967
That the song that kept "TRTP&OT"'s out of #1 in Canada the week before this was "I Can See For Miles" by The Who, and the two weeks after this the song was "Daydream Believer" by The Monkees.
That the song that kept "Indian Lake" from being #1 in Canada was "Lady Willpower" by Gary Puckett and the Union Gap.
That the song that kept "Hair" from the #1 spot in Canada was "Get Back/Don't Let Me Down" by The Beatles.
That "We Can Fly" was a bigger hit in Canada than the US? Yep, it was on the charts one week longer and rose to #8 vs #21 in the US
The Cowsills received their gold record for "Hair" on April 24, 1969.
In addition to item one of this list, the Cowsills have been mentioned several other times on David Letterman? Yep, on April 23, 2002 Paul Shaffer starts playing "Hair" during Rupert's Psychic Sandwich game. Then on February 3, 2004 when raindrops got on the lens of the camera, Paul plays some of "The Rain, The Park". Seems to me, Paul is a Cowsill fan!!
That a picture of the Cowsills is part of a collection on Urban history at Temple University.
The Cowsills appeared at least three times on The Barbara McNair Show.
Other guests on these shows included Ace Trucking Company, Brooke Benton, Dick Shawn, The Cowsills, Marylou Collins, Freda Payne, Dick Shawn, John Rubish
The Cowsills appeared at least three times on The Legendary Rockers. Other guests on these shows included Pagliaro, Julie Budd, Freddie Weller, The Grass Roots, The Irish Rovers, Helen Reddy & Kenny Rogers. Songs performed were "Folsom Prison Blues", "I Really Want to Know You", "Two By Two", "Shine On Me", "Puff The Magic Dragon", and "Blowin' In The Wind."
The Cowsills toured at one point with Gloria Gaynor? According to the Disco Museum site they did.
That Bob, Paul, John and Susan all play golf? Yep !
Artie Kornfeld and Steve Duboff also co-wrote a song recorded by a Cowsill wife? That would be 'How Is The Air Up There' recorded by Vicki with the Bangles on their 1982 EP.
A Cowsill song is part of a collection of songs to help an organist improve his/her bass clef reading? Yep it's called Easy Does It! Book 3 by Warner Bros. Music and it includes Silver Threads and Golden Needles.
Connie Stevens also recorded Most Of All. She recorded this in 1966 as did The Cowsills. Anyone know who recorded it first?
That several songs have been written about The Cowsills? How about "Don't Die, Billy" written by Marilynn Manfra or "Weeds" by Jan Arden. Also Dwight Twilley recorded a song "Miranda" in 1999 about Susan's daughter and we hear "Pretty, Damned, Smart" by Peter Holsapple was written about Barry.
Barry has been involved with writing a soundtrack for the movie The Path? That's our Barry and the soundtrack not only includes Barry's song "Goin' Home", but it also includes The Cowsills song "Hair"!
That it's been said: "Susan Cowsill's voice is truly amazing...so big and beautiful...what a sound...so much soul!" Of course this doesn't surprise us one bit. Good to see the folks at WWOZ agree.
That Tommy Roe covered the song "Party Girl"? Tis so. If you want to buy his version, check this out.
That The Cowsills comic book was the first of the HARVEY POP series? That's what we hear from this guy who knows tons about comic books!! The second was called Rock Happenings which featured fictional groups.
That according to the BMC Caring newsletter that Susan's performance for the Boston Medical Center Elder's Living At Home program in November 2004 raised $5000? Yep, way to go Susan!!
That "The Rain, The Park and Other Things" was recorded by a group called The Flowers?
There is a third Cowsill/Beach Boy connection? Yep, Paul Cowsill became a Beach Boy, substituting for brother John, for at least one show in November 2005.
That "The Rain, The Park and Other Things" was recorded by a group called Rogerio Duprat? 'Tis true. It was on a Brazilian Polydor/Universal 2006 CD reissue.
There are more than one cover for four of the Cowsill albums? Yep, that would be Lincoln Park, We Can Fly, and The Cowsills. The orange version of Lincoln Park is from the UK and the red We Can Fly from Australia. The 'The Cowsills' not on the picture is from Bolivia (also sold like this in Argentina), (added 2/01/07 --->) the one to the far right is from Brazil. and (added 1/27/08 --->) On the second row we have the In Concert lps from the U.S. and from South Africa.
That in addition to the above reference, The Cowsills were mentioned one other time on the David Letterman show? In a 2004 interview Bob said he remembered watching TV one night and hearing: “And now the man who thought the music business would never be the same since The Cowsills retired, David Letterman.”
That The Cowsills were the first entertainers ever to perform on The Today Show.
That Artie Kornfeld resigned from Mercury Record in protest of Mercury dismissing The Cowsills? Yep, that's what Artie told me in March of 2006.
That Barry was once a singing waiter at a restaurant called Hi-Pockets in Hollywood.
The first TV show that Billy and Bob were on was in Cleveland, Ohio and was called the Gene Carroll Show.
Travis once recorded a song on a CD called Politically Incorrect 1994. The song was called "Dwarf Tossin'".
According to a listing on eBay, The Cowsills once considered recording a version of "Trying To Make It Till Monday," a song recorded on Apple Publishing by a group named Grapefruit and probably from a batch of masters cut in late 1967/early 1968 with Terry Melcher (whom of course has many Beach Boy ties).
One pressing of the single "The Rain, The Park, and Other Things" included a mistake? It did. Some 45's got out with the River Blue label on both sides.
That Jann Wenner, publisher of Rolling Stone read Billy and Barry's names in the list of "Those We Have Lost" at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction '06 in March 2006.
That The Cowsills were mentioned on The Larry Sanders Show? Jeffrey Tambor - as Hank Kingsley - spoke the quote and you can hear the reference below.
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