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The Cowsills, a family enterprise and hit-making MGM recording group who now call Santa Monica, Calif. Home will present a concert here on Thursday night in Keys Gymnasium at East Texas Baptist College.
The history of The Cowsills’ rise from family singalong to national acclaimed phenomenon in the world of pop music has been well documented, fraught as it was with the narrative color – Halidon Hall, the run down 33 room mansion in Newport, Rhode Island; no money, little furniture; the mere fact that a talented tribe of seven children, a mother and father could make a dent in the hard business of hard rock.
But The Cowsills – Bob, Paul, John, Barry and Susan and parents Barbara and Bud do not consider themselves 20th century Cinderellas.
The humorous anecdotes are many as the group progressed from fraternity gigs and obscurity to the top. Once a particular hotel management got nervous because all the kids with the exception of Bill, 18, at the time were underage. So Bill remained downstairs, playing his drums alone on stage. The sound was “piped” – with the remainder of The Cowsills performing from a bathroom overhead. June 1967 marked the explosion of The Cowsills into the national musical consciousness with their first MGM album, “The Cowsills” which contained the group’s first million seller, “The Rain, The Park and Other Things.”
Early Start
Bob started in on the guitar at seven, joining older brother Bill, and they performed as a duo. At seven, Barry reached for the bongos, later switching to bass guitar, having taught John a single drum beat which sparked him to become the best and youngest drummer in the U.S. today. Paul only recently switched from the backstage to performing aspect of Cowsill life, debuting as keyboard man on The Cowsills second million seller “Hair.” Barbara found herself conned into joining her progeny for “The Rain, The Park and Other Things” and Susan convinced “the boys” to accept her as one of The Cowsills in time for the “We Can Fly” album.
They don’t stand still though, The Cowsills, Bill and Bob cut their teeth as record producers on the “We Can Fly” single and album, and Bob soloed in that capacity for the first time on “The Prophecy of Daniel, and John the Divine.” He writes material which the group performs both in concert and on record, and Paul is now finding composing even more of a challenge than his previous passion, football. Bill, who now no longer performs and records with the group, has become an independent record producer.
Other Albums.
Other MGM albums recorded b the group include “The Cowsills – Captain Sad and His Ship of Fools, “ “The Best of the Cowsills,” “The Cowsills in Concert” and “The Cowsills in Concert II.”
The concert at 8 p.m. Thursday is being sponsored by the Student Government Association at ETBC. Tickets are $3 and can be purchased at Joe Weisman and Company, Dad ‘N Lads, Party Pantry or at the door.
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