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William "Billy" Cowsill, the lead singer of the 1960s band The Cowsills, died Friday, friends said. He was 58.
Cowsill, who had emphysema, osteoporosis, Cushing syndrome and other airments, died in Calgary. He was recovering from back surgery I which one lung had to be collapsed. No cause of death had been released.
The Cowsills - the inspiration for the TV series The Partridge Family - recorded hits between 1967 and 1970 including The Rain, The Park and Other Things and Hair. They also were spokespeople for the American Daily Association, appearing in commercials and print ads.
Four Cowsill brothers played in the band: Barry on bass, Billy on guitar, Bob on guitar and organ, and John on drums. Their mother, Barbara, and little sister, Susan, eventually joined the group.
The band began in Newport, R.I., where by 1965 they had a regular gig at a club. There were spotted by a producer for NBC's Today show, who booked them for an appearance that led to a record deal.
The band had an acrimonious breakup in the 1970s. Billy, the oldest member, had moved to Canada about 35 years ago, and he continued his music career with Blue Northern, The Blue Shadows and the Co-Dependents. But it was the Cowsills that led to his greatest success.
His brother Barry was found dead Dec. 28, 2005, on a New Orleans wharf about four months after Hurricane Katrina flooded the city. He was 51.
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