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The rags to riches story of the Cowsills has ended. A backstage spat during their Las Vegas appearance has resulted in Bill Cowsill leaving the group and signing as a solo artist with MGM Records, according to Mike Curb, the label's 25-year-old whiz kid president.
It is almost inconceivable that this could happen to this close-kit family. This columnist did one of the first interviews with the Cowsills when they were on a tedious tour to launch their career. That tour gave them their first hit, "The Rain, The Park and Other Things." But newsmen covering them were most impressed by their enthusiasm, faith in each other, and confidence they would make it as top recording artists.
Once they had a hit, more success came quickly with movies, European tours, television commercials, tv specials, etc. Maybe it was too much for them - at least one of them. Whatever the cause, it's a shame.
This is the same family which one Christmas burned their furniture to keep warm but never lost sight of the family goal to make it as big time entertainers. Every conceivable sacrifice was made and that's why it is almost unbelievable that a family tiff could be so deep rooted as to tear them apart.
Curb said it was so bad that he had to choose between Bill and the rest of the Cowsills. Too bad Curb couldn't put his considerable talent to work patching the riff. Maybe he didn't really want to because he's already announced he'll launch a promotion campaign for another family group, The Osmond Brothers, to build them into a top selling recording outfit. Up to now, The Osmonds have done little on records. Their chief claim to fame to date is repeated guest shots on the Andy Williams Show.
What about the rest of the Cowsills? There is no word yet on their plans except that they will likely leave MGM. Curb, in signing Bill Cowsill, leaves them without their producer and main songwriter, so, they'll have to do some reorganizing. They'll make the needed adjustments and continue their career but what's more important is that they settle their family differences and not let their commercial success rob them of their most precious possession - each other.
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