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If there’s anything to the ‘generation gap’ bit, it still must be proven to the Cowsills, one of the nation’s most popular rock groups who are putting on a special Sunday afternoon performance, Aug. 24, at the Du Quoin State Fair.
The epitome of an All-American family act, the Cowsills – ranging from 9-year-old Susan to the mother, Barbara – have been drawing rave notices across the nation ever since putting their home-grown show on the road five years ago.
In between the youngest and oldest members are four brothers / sons who are primarily responsible for the Cowsills being ranked as one of MGM Record’s hottest groups.
Rather than saving their best for the last, the Cowsills generally open their appearances with “Rain, the Park and Other Things,” then go into the first half of their routine which includes solo spots by every member of the family. The boys, Bob, Barry, John and Paul, dominate the “rocky” second half.
Bob is considered the group’s “producer” after an older brother, Bill, decided to take off on his own. They had combined talents to produce the smash hit “Hair,” which made the group the number one record act in the U.S.
“Really we’re all producers,” Bob said. “The four of us just go in and cut a record. John produces the drum part, Paul handles the keyboards, Barry the bass guitar and I do a little of everything. We all sing, of course.”
The beautiful thing about the Cowsills, however, is that no one, much less Barbara Cowsill, seemed to see anything incongruous about a rock-singing mother.”
“I never thought my joining the boys was a turn-off to teenage audiences. It just broke the image the Beatles had created in the music world of a pop group – four boys, Mrs. Cowsill said.
The Cowsills won’t be by themselves, however, at the 2:30 p.m. Sunday performance. The Joplin Forte musical group, featuring both vocal and instrumental arrangements, will open the Du Quoin Show.
The 1969 Du Quoin extravangaza, which runs Aug. 23 through Sept. 1, features two nights of country and western music stars, Tennessee Ernie Ford, Dionne Warwick, the King Family, the Doodle tow Pipers, David Frye, Stu Gilliam, Skitch Henderson and others in a wide variety of night stage shows.
Complete information may be secured by writing Box 182, Du Quoin, Illinois, 62832.
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