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Backstage at Old Rochester Regional High School, things were beginning to hum - specifically the "amps" and amplifiers belonging to the Cowsills, four young brothers who'd come to perform for the benefit of the Citizen's Scholarship Fund.
The boys looked rather travel-weary. They'd just got in from a recording date with Mercury Records in New York and now they'd play an afternoon and evening performance of their own special brand of folk-rock for capacity audiences in the Mattapoisett school.
It was at the invitation of Llewellyn Roberts, who heads the English department at Old Rochester, that the group had come. He'd heard them quite by accident one night while in Rhode Island for a convention. Mr. Roberts had turned in for the night at his hotel, but, deciding he was more hungry than sleepy, he'd gone out for a snack.
Lucky Choice
His choice of eating places was a lucky one, for there were the Cowsills and the great sound that kept him entranced till closing time. Before leaving, Len Roberts had met the boys, talked to their manager, Dick Korn, and had the promise that they'd appear on the Old Rochester stage.
Now, here they were, lugging guitars and armloads of clothes protected by plastic bags. They carried on a happy banter as they familiarized themselves with their surroundings. But, in spite of their youth, there was no horseplay. This was business and there was a routine to follow.
Since the revival of folk music in this country and the advent of the Beatles, hundreds of such groups have formed, mostly teen-agers, each in competition with the others to try to offer something uniquely theirs in a melding of the two styles - folk-rock.
To the grownups, Heaven help them, it's nearly impossible to keep track of the names of these outfits, never mind trying to distinguish one "sound" from another. But ask any teen. He'll tell you names, dates and records and give you a thumbnail biography of every last member of every last group he's ever heard.
Youngest Is 10
The Cowsills have three things going for them. First of all, they are (as are the Orsman brothrs, whom they resemble) - really brothers. Bill, 18, plays rhythm guitar; Bobby, 16, lead guitar; Barry, 11, bass guitar, and John, 10, drums.
That's the second thing - the ages of Barry and John. It's mighty unusual to find such little shavers in a group like this. Each of the boys is versatile both at playing and singing and each takes a turn at vocaliing.
The third plus for the brothers is a repertoire suited to the tastes of some of us old-timers as well as to the teen fans. They've wisely adapted all-time favorites such as "Diane" and more recent "Exodus" theme and "Unchained Melody" to new and pleasing arrangements.
Entirely self-taught, the Cowsills intersperse some of the 35 songs they've written themselves among the others on their program. The two older boys do all the musical arranging.
Newport Is Home
Newport, R.I., is home for the youngsters, whose family includes brother Dick, the twin of Bobby, who always travels with the group; two more brothers and a sister. Mrs. Cowsill has a trained voice and, frequently, the whole family performs together. William Cowsill, the father, is a retired Navy chief and co-manages the musicians.
Although the recording date and the Mattapoisett performance came during the school week, this was rare. Ordinarily, the boys are booked solid - but only on weekends. To their credit, all do well in school, maintaining a B average. Bill plans a career as an English teacher and Bobby wants to teach mathematics.
In the meantime, though, they've got a big sound going. Originally a trio, the group grew to include young John when Barry (a real pro at 11) taught his little brother to take over the drums and taught himself to handle the bass guitar. Conceivably, the Cowsills could work this trick a couple more times before they're ready to hang up their guitars.
So far there has been an appearance on the Today show and performances for most Eastern colleges. June 10, the Newport boys will perform in the big league company of Ray Charles, the Byrds, the Beach Boys and several other top-name groups in Yankee Stadium.
Seem Unaffected
And how has all the excitement of the last 18 months since they began playing together affected the Cowsills? As far as we could tell, they are about as unaffected as could be. They are outgoing youngsters with ready smiles and ready handshakes.
They won't do "protest" songs, as popularized by Bob Dylan, preferring the harmony of folk-type songs. They practice their music in a bedroom at home. And they have been raised with the understanding that their talent is no more important than their brother's ability to play baseball. In true family spirit, brother Dick goes ahead of the group and sets up their equipment, his particular interest being electronics.
Having tested the mikes and the amps at Old Rochester the other day, the boys ran through a few bars of "Monday, Monday." Satisfied with the sound, the next consideration was the "look." So, off they went to a dressing room, only to emerge a short time later, sharp as tacks in bright red blazers and white trousers.
There was only one thing missing - socks. Like a mother hen, Manager Korn excused himself from the spot where we'd been talking and dashed off to remedy the sock situation.
"What do you think Mother'd say if she saw you all dressed up and without your socks?" we asked little John, who seemed to be enjoying the whole thing. His eyes danced as he answered in a confidential tone, "SHE forgot to PACK them." He seemed convinced that Mother might just have done this thoughtfully. After all, it was a warm day.
On such a crowded schedule - New York to Mattapoisett, two non-stop performances and back to Newport the same day - many of us would surely run down. But, if you should ask Bill what he most enjoys about performing, he will answer, "The pace."
What better way to expend the energies of youth?
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