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Any mother who would travel from July to October in a car with five children deserves a medal.
But it's "just a ball" to Mrs. Barbara Cowsill, attractive performer and mother of the singing Cowsill clan.
"I'm having more fun than I've ever had in my life," the petite, vivacious entertainer commented here Sunday night.
Born in New England, Barbara said on stage she was "29 and holding," but admitted at intermission she was married at 17 and had been a housewife and mother for 25 years.
In addition to the five singing, guitar-playing kids appearing here Sunday night, Mrs. Cowsill also has two other sons, Bill, now an independent record producer, and Dick, a Vietnam veteran.
Husband and father of the rock-singing group is a retired 20-year Navy man who now serves as the family's business manager and "keeper of the trust funds" for the children.
Also traveling with the group is Bob's attractive blonde wife, Nancy, and Susan's pet poodle named "Suebar."
There's a new ABC-TV show called "The Partridge Family," all about a family rock singing group. Mrs. Cowsill commented that the theme was taken from her family's life story.
None of the singing Cowsills had voice training. Older brother Bill started playing the guitar and taught the rest of the younger children, she said.
When they are not on the road, the Cowsills try to maintain an average "family" life in California.
All her sons sport long hair, but Mrs. Cowsill isn't at all "uptight" about it. "Good heavens, long hair never affected anybody's personality," she observed.
Barbara said the singing group will remain together as long as the children want to. "I suppose each of them will eventually 'split' and go out on their own," she said. When they do, Mrs. Cowsill will likely return to being a housewife.
"And I told those older boys if they don't give me some grandchildren soon, I am going to have another one," she laughed. But when I had my seven they only cost us $1.75 apiece in the Naval Hospital.
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