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William "Billy" Cowsill, the lead singer of the 1960s family band The Cowsills, died Friday in Calgary, Alberta, friends said. He was 58.
Cowsill had emphysema, osteoporosis, Cushing syndrome and other ailments. He also recently had undergone back surgery.
The Cowsills - the inspiration for the TV series "The Partridge Family" - recordeded hits between 1967 and 1970 including "The Rain, The Park and Other Things" and "Hair." They also were spokespeople for the American Dairy 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 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.
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