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The Cowsills who will appear at the Wallace Civic Center on Friday, April 30, are unique in that they began their career at home as family amusement and nothing more. Like the seven dwarfs, they whistled while they worked.
Bob and Bill started the musical ball rolling by taking up the guitar at an early age, later performing as a duo at home and home town functions. Barry soon joined them on drums, later switching to bass guitar when John became the new drummer. At that point of the Cowsills career, there were four.
In 1967 the boys decided they needed a female voice in the group and immediately turned to Mother Barbara.
Barbara actually joined The Cowsills because they were doing a demo record of "The Rain, the Park and Other Things."
They felt the need of a female voice, and they couldn't have been more right. A friend took the recording to a record company, and they were put immediately under contract. 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 entitled "We Can Fly," and fly it did to the top.
Something new has been added to the act - the personality and talent of young Susan Cowsill.
Paul Cowsill, who had been working behind the scenes joined the group on bass guitar and keyboard. The biggest winner of all for the group was "Hair," a single which sold over two million copies.
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.
Father Bud Cowsill was away from home most of the time, a member of the United States Navy, finally retiring after his 20 year hitch. During that time Mother Barbara has her hands full raising seven children in a large 22 room mansion; somewhat neglected, with the ghostly name of Halidon Hall, situated in the suburbs of Newport, R.I. But everyone pitched in to help.
The Cowsill family has always been a happy and together family - all sharing responsibilities - and that is how the legend of the Cowsills began.
In addition to their triumphs in the record business, they have appeared on national television on the Ed Sullivan Show, the Johnny Carson Show, with Merv Griffin, Dick Cavett, Dean martin, and the Hollywood Palace to name a few.
They are being presented locally by the Rick Starr Enterprises Inc.
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