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It was 9 o'clock in the morning in our office on Hollywood Blvd. and the Cowsills were singing! That's right, America's most famous singing family were playing a command performance at TS. Not command exactly, you see, they came up for an interview bright and early as they had to appear at Disneyland that afternoon. After we ordered coffee and tea for the parent Cowsills, coke for the medium Cowsills, and milk for Susie (who's in love with Davy Jones), the Cowsills crew picked up their guitars and began to sing a Left Banke hit entitled "Walk Away Renee," explaining that it was one of their favorite songs. They went on to do practically a full concert of their own songs for us. By the time they had stopped, the entire building and part of Hollywood Blvd. were standing by our door in amazement!
"What is a Cowsill?" someone once asked me, and I was hard-put to come up with an answer (in twenty-five words or less, that is), because there are at least nine different definitions!
There is a Papa Bud, tall, handsome, grey-haired — sitting back watching and laughing at the world, still the father and head of the family, but having fun and giving the impression that it's one big game.
There is a Mama Barbara, very small and petite (5'1" — taller only than baby Susan) who thinks raising a family this way is not only fun but educational. (Could they have seen Europe otherwise?)
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Then there are seven younger Cowsills (can't say 'little' because those boys are tall!) starting with Bill
- at 20, the oldest.
Bill plays rhythm guitar with the group (except when brother Bob is playing organ — then he's lead) and is studying at Pace College to be an English teacher. ("How do you manage to study with all the touring, ect?" "Badly.")
Then there are 19 year old twins Bob and Dick. Bob is lead guitar or organ player (everyone sings, of course) and he loves wild, brightly colored ties. Twin Dick wanted to find himself, more or less, and decided to join the army (in other words he was about to get drafted anyway, so... )
Paul Cowsill is the middle man. Starting out as the road manager for the group family, Paul had to sit in for Bill during part of their European tour so that Bill wouldn't miss any school.
But in Italy he didn't match the picture of Bill and so was dubbed the "Imposter Cowsill!" Paul is 16 and they say they haven't really figured out what he does yet - he's just a "soul brother."
Then there are the three youngest. Barry is 13 1/2 and plays the bass, John is 12 and is the drummer, and Sue is 8, sings and "is our percussionist."
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Everyone sings except Papa Bud and there is no dissension or strife as might be expected in an ordinary group because the harmony of family life has been preserved, even though the Cowsills are not living exactly a normal life.
Home, though, is plenty of room to romp and play in. The house is over 100 years old and was owned by a sea captain — Capt. McCormick. His ghost still roams the premises, the Cowsills contend, but he's a friendly ghost and they enjoy his company.
Meanwhile another milestone for the singing family - Harvey Publications have signed a contract for a comic book series with the Cowsills as subjects! Each month the comic book will be comprised of a number of stories concerned with their travels, home life, individual episodes, ect. I wonder if that "etc." includes Capt. McCormick?
We hope that the Cowsills come back and sing for us again and that next time, Susie gets to meet her love Davy Jones! She almost got to meet him this trip, but Davy was not shooting his movie on Susie's day off. She had to do concerts every other day. Susie — Davy is worth waiting for!
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