Newspaper Articles





A Fair View Cowsills Are One Big Happy Family
by Marcia Bullard
August 15, 1970
Daily Illinois State Journal
Springfield, Illinois.

As you enter the Cowsills’ dressing trailer, the first thing you hear is soft voices rehearsing songs for the 8:30 p.m. performance. A few fans and visitors sit casually on the floor and members of the family sprawl over the sofa and few chairs scattered around.

Dad and mom are outside making final plans and keeping abreast of the latest developments, so the kids carry on by themselves. But everything isn’t all serious.

Popcorn boxes and trays of cokes are piled high on the table, and singing is more often than not interrupted by high pitched squeals (from Susan, 110 or questions about pitch and songs planned for the evening.

It’s just one big happy family with the Cowsills and they do everything possible to make one feel at home – including continuing the family squabbles that are bound to develop.

Ask and you shall receive – names: Bob, 20; Paul, 18; Barry, 15; John, 14; Susan, 11; and Mom, 43 (“go ahead and use it, she won’t care!”)

Barry, John and Susan all attend a professional school in Hollywood, Calif., when they are not rehearsing or on tour. Paul and Bob are staying out of school for one year “to see if we get drafter.” School for the younger ones ends at 12:45 p.m. every afternoon and the rest of the day is mostly their own – save for the three-hour rehearsals from 4 to 7 p.m. each evening.

“We’re been playing together for about five years, and on this tour it’s been about 100 days,” estimated Bob. Susan is busily munching popcorn and Bob corrects her band manners.

“Bob’s a very straight guy,” says Paul. “They had champagne at his wedding and I was supposed to make a toast. It ended up I was the only one drinking the champagne.” (Fruit punch was more Bob’s style).

Bob reaches over and grabs Susan’s popcorn. “Bob, now c’mon!”

The Cowsills spend half to three fourths of the year on the road playing about 30 fairs during the summer and visiting colleges and university campuses in the winters. They live in motels and hotels, and according to Paul, “we’ve even had to sleep overnight in the cars.”

Dad comes in and a short discussion follows on the evening’s program. Susan is delighted because she gets to sing two of her songs. The show was only a half-hour Friday.

“They’re much better when we can go two or two and a half hours,” says Bob. “We can get the feel of it more, really get into the music.”

What’s it like touring the country and doing shows with four older brothers to put up with?

“It’s fun once in a while,” admits Susan. But it’s not too much fun when my brother take my popcorn away from me . . . Bob, give it BACK!”




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