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Barry Cowsill, a member of the 1960s pop singing family, the Cowsills, who had been missing since Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans, was found dead on a city wharf. He was 51.
Mr. Cowsill’s body was discovered Dec. 28 on the Chartres Street Wharf but was not identified with dental records until Tuesday, according to Dr. Louis Cataldie, head of the state hurricane morgue in Caville.
Mr. Cowsill, a New Orleans resident, had left a message on his sister Susan’s answering machine after the hurricane hit Aug. 29: “I don’t know how to get out of town except wait for a bus . . . I’ve been so … lonely …I hope I get in touch with you.”
He had not been heard from since.
Inspired by the Beatles, Barry and three of his brothers – Bill, Bob and John – formed the Cowsills band in 1965. With Bill on guitar, Bob on guitar and organ, Barry on bass and John on drums, they played at school dances and churches in their hometown, Newport, R.I.
While they were performing at a local hotel, someone from the “Today” show spotted them. That, in turn, led to a recording contract. The four brothers were later joined by their mother and younger siblings Susan and Paul.
Billed as “America’s First Family of Music,” the photogenic group was frequent fodder for magazines, and they inspired the TV series “The Partridge Family.”
Known for their sweet harmonies and bouncy rhythms, the Cowsills recorded a number of hit songs from 1967 to 1970.
The family group broke up in the early 1970s. Since then, Barry Cowsill had reportedly battled substance abuse problems. In 1998, he released the album “As Is.” In addition to his siblings, he is survived by two daughters and a son.
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