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In the late 1960s, The Cowsills were fixtures on Top 40 radio, television, and in magazine spreads.
Songs like "Hair" and "The Rain, The Park & Other Things" made them household names. Television appearances included The Ed Sullivan Show, American Bandstand, and The Tonight Show. Their public profile soared in tandem with their record sales and increased media exposure.
"We didn't understand how big it was, but we were in it," Paul Cowsill said in an interview with Whatzup.
Now, in 2025, Cowsill performs those same songs in his way.
"We're in control of ourselves now," he said. "This time it hits harder."
The Cowsills will perform in Wabash on Sunday, Aug. 17, at Honeywell Center as part of the Happy Together Tour along with The Turtles, Jay & The Americans, Little Anthony, Gary Puckett & The Union Gap, and The Vogues.
Happy Together
The Happy Together tour has become one of the longest-running nostalgia revues in the country. Since 2010, it has selected top acts from the 1960s and 1970s.
For Cowsill, who will be joined siblings Bob and Susan for four to five of their biggest hits, The Cowsills fit perfectly on the tour.
"These audiences grew up with this music, so when we sing it, we all go back together," he said.
The Wabash show marks a return to Indiana for Cowsill and his siblings, who spent parts of their youth in the Midwest.
"You won't hear a lot of talking, just songs you remember," Cowsill said.
That brisk format has become part of the tour's appeal. It delivers what the audience wants without distractions.
"They come for the songs, and we give them exactly that," he said.
Cultivated image
By the late 1960s, The Cowsills were among the most recognizable family bands in America, even inspiring the fictional TV family band The Partridge Family.
Comprised of six siblings and their mother, The Cowsills saw their single "Hair" peak at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1969, following "The Rain, The Park & Other Things" which also hit No. 2 in 1967.
Cowsill's memories of that era remain overshadowed by control. His father, Bud Cowsill, a former Navy officer, managed the band with strict discipline. Rehearsals, outfits, haircuts, setlists, and schedules were all governed by his rules.
"It was his way or no way," Cowsill said. "There was no discussion. No compromise."
Mistakes were not tolerated. Individual expression was discouraged.
"We had to be perfect," Cowsill said. "Not just good - perfect."
The success came at a price. The structure that amplified The Cowsills on TV and radio also confined them offstage.
"There was no personal space in it," Cowsill said. "It was all business, all image. And we had to keep that image up."
Performing for themselves
By the early 1970s, the hit pipeline dried up, leading to family and careers diverging.
Cowsill moved away from music. He spent years working regular jobs and living quietly in Oregon.
"There were years when I didn't sing at all," he said. "I didn't want to."
But the connection tugged back. Paul reunited with Bob and Susan in small shows and nostalgic packages. Bit by bit, their musical rhythm returned.
"We realized we still had something, not just the name - the blend, the feel," he said.
While the harmonies remain today, everything else is different.
"We own the process now," Cowsill said. "We decide where to go, what to sing, and how to perform."
No managers, no dress codes, no rigid workflows. This time, the group operate on mutual respect and choice.
"We're not chasing hits," Cowsill said. "We're just honoring what we were."
They also keep the original keys to their songs. Cowsill insists it preserves energy and authenticity.
"We never dropped the keys," he said. "We are singing these songs in the same key that we sang them as teenagers."
Dropping keys, he added, undermines the musical impact.
"Everybody drops their keys, and you lose energy," he said. "Every time you drop it, half a step or a whole step, you're going to lose energy."
Singing in those same keys is harder, but Cowsill said it's essential.
"Are we squeezing our butt cheeks to get some of these notes out? Yes, we are," he said with a chuckle. "But it's the magic of the music . . . don't mess with these keys, and people will get it."
Reconnecting
The Cowsills have endured loss along the way.
Following the passing of their mother, Barbara, in 1985, their father died in 1992. In 2005, Barry died, followed by lead singer Bill in 2006.
Cowsill describes the early years as a mix of control and trauma.
"There's pain in it," he said.
However, the second act has allowed for peace. Performing again is also reconnecting - with his siblings and unfinished business.
"We found each other again, and that's the best part," Cowsill said.
He still meets fans after shows. Families bring scrapbooks, letters, and memories from attics. Cowsill flips through them carefully.
"We look through them, and we all just almost cry together," he said.
That tradition that began with their father continues on stage.
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