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Despite threatening gray clouds, about 1900 students turned out to see and hear the Cowsills “do their thing!”
The musical clan which composes arranges and produces its own music, played and sang new and familiar sounds before a spirited audience of clapping, foot-tapping and shrilling.
The group, consisting of four brothers, a sister and “Mom” kicked off the performance with the songs, “Two by Two,” “We Can Fly,” and “Indian Lake.”
Other songs included “Let It Be,” “The Rain,” “The Park,” “Other Things,” “Silver Threads and Golden Needles,” and “I’ll Be There.”
They also sang unrehearsed numbers – “The Kilden Velvet” to be released on their next album, and “On My Side,” to be released as a single.
Susan the youngest of the performers at age 11 and only girl in the group, led four songs, “Raindrops,” “Never Fall In Love Again,” “Hello, Hello” and “Sixty Four.”
“Mom,” known as Barbara among fans, contributed to the performance with rhythmic movements, folk songs, and frequent humorous remarks to her sons.
Featured in the performance was an impersonation of Johnny Cash by 14-year-old John, who played drums.
Bob, oldest of the four sons, led the rest of the family in an informal chit-chat about the Cowsill family. They jested freely about how they came to be known as the Cowsills and the role of “dad” in the family.
“Dad doesn’t come up on stage because he absolutely has no talent,” one Cowsill said. “That’s your story,” replied the youthful mother.
The group, which has been on the road for six years, reached popularity in 1967 with their hit, “The Rain, the Park, and Other Things,” performed in all states, except Alaska, Italy, France, England and West Indies. They will visit Japan in February.
The mother, citing an usual experience during their tour in Illinois, said that they had not made hotel reservations and they arrived all available rooms were filled. But an Eastern Illinois State University fraternity came to the rescue and provided rooms for the group.
"While I was there they made me an honorary member of Alpha Kappa Alpha," she said.
After touring much of Texas including Dallas, San Antonio, Lubbock, Houston, Fort Worth and Corpus Christi the Cowsills labeled Texas as being "out of sight."
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