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 Back in the
1960's, four brothers who wanted to be The Beatles formed a band called The
Cowsills. The original Cowsills consisted of Bill on guitar, Bob on guitar and
organ, Barry on bass and John on drums. Early gigs were at school dances and churches
around their home in Newport, RI. Eventually, as their harmonic sound was perfected, they
got a regular gig on Bannisters Wharf in Newport where they would sing Beatle songs hour
after hour. Early recordings were released by the four brothers on Mercury Records.
Barbara ("mini-mom") joined the group to record The Rain, The Park and Other
Things and shortly thereafter 7 year old Susan and brother, Paul, were added to the
group. They were signed by MGM records and the group began it's climb to the top!
Here's what Bob had to say about the early days and getting
started:
Although Bill and I performed at a very young age, and Bill, myself, Barry and John did a lot of frat parties at Brown University and clubs in
Newport ... the most memorable performance of what I would view as the precursor of what The Cowsills would be was at King's Park in Newport (right at the foot of Halidon Hall) at some carnival. The family angle just
evolved ... first Bill and me, then Bill me and Barry, then Bill, me, Barry and John, then Bill, me, Barry, John and Mom, then Bill, me, Barry, John, Mom and Paul, then later, me, Paul, John, Barry, Mom and Susan, then back to Bill, me, Barry and John (very briefly in the end) and then to me, Paul, John and Susan. Our first real break came when we were playing the MK Hotel in Newport (in the basement there) and a guy from the Today show saw us and asked if we wanted to be on the Today show. We weren't famous or anything but we were young and we were related and we were quite good. So we went on the Today show (I doubt a tape exists of that but if it did it would be priceless to see) and someone from Mercury Records saw us which ultimately led to our signing with that label and putting out "Most Of All" (a great "school's out" song that should have been our first hit in my opinion) which led to Artie Kornfeld and Steve Duboff. Mercury dropped us, but Artie and Steve had written "The Rain, The Park and Other Things" and we went in and recorded that song at A&R studios in New York and took the whole package to MGM who decided wouldn't it just be terrific if their mother performed with them and, voila, the rest, as they say, is history.
The Cowsills enjoyed great success during the late 60's and in to the very
early 70's not only with their music but appearing as guests on many television
shows and even hosting their own TV special.
They were
approached to do a TV series but the producers had already signed an actress to play the
mother on the series so it was a no go for The Cowsills. What was the series? It was
The Partridge Family. The Cowsills were also spokespersons
for the American Dairy Association and appeared in
commercials and print ads for milk. The Cowsills disbanded in the early 1970s but most of
them have never really left the music business and various members have regrouped through
the years ...
Bridey Murphy, aka Paul, Bill, Barry and Waddy Wachtel,
was formed in the mid-70's. Bill and Barry drifted in and out of this
group and one single, The Time Has Come / Be Your Mother's Son, was
recorded with Paul doing all vocals and Waddy playing all instruments.
Then, in the late 1970's, some of the Cowsills regrouped and
recorded an album affectionately known as Cocaine Drain. This album
was produced by Chuck Plotkin and also featured Dennis Castanares as a
"member" of The Cowsills at that time. To this day, the album
has never been released. During those days, The Cowsills sometimes played
the LA area as The Secrets.
The Critics was another alias for The Cowsills and The Critics also recorded (and never released) a few songs.
 Flash forward to the 1990s when some of The Cowsills (Bob, Paul, John and
Susan) again regrouped. This time they were going to hit the oldies circuit but somehow
playing just oldies didn't appeal to them. They had too much fun on some new
material written by Bob and his wife, Mary Jo. So, this incarnation of The Cowsills
started playing small clubs and showcases in the Los Angeles area and across the country.
They generated great reviews from the critics and fans alike. The Cowsills also went
back into the studio and Global
is a result of those sessions. 
The Cowsills have
also reunited in a few concerts or other major events in recent
years: A Taste of Rhode Island in 2000 (All 7
Cowsills) & 2003, "A Family Thing
2" - A Benefit Concert for Billy Cowsill and to sing the National
Anthem at Fenway Park in 2004. Barry released a
solo CD, As Is, in the late 1990s and Susan's very first solo
release, Just Believe It, came out in 2004 in Europe and 2005 in the
US. Sadly, Barbara, who died in 1985, wasn't around to enjoy any of this.
Some long-time Cowsill fans (Marsha & Martha Jordan,
Jo Malone, Lynn Mathis and Becky Presley) have formed the Committee for
the Nomination of The Cowsills for Induction to the Rock and Roll Hall of
Fame and are striving to have The Cowsills inducted into the Rock
& Roll Hall of Fame. They are currently putting the finishing touches
on a colorful presentation brochure on The Cowsills that details the ways
in which The Cowsills have met the criteria for induction into the Rock
Hall. The criteria addressed includes: longevity, influence, innovation,
distinction, and perpetuation. Also included are comments from Artie
Kornfeld, Mark Bryan of Hootie and the Blowfish, Shirley Jones, Billboard
Magazine, Rolling Stone Magazine, etc. This brochure will be sent to each
member of the nominating committee of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
The committee has also learned that the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
nominating committee will seriously consider an artist for nomination if
the artist has at least 10,000 names on a petition. There are over
2,000 names on the online
petition thus far, and there are people who are willing to collect
signatures for The Cowsills’ petition at various spring and summer music
festivals around the country and also at the tribute shows that are being
planned in memory of Billy Cowsill in Canada. If we all work together, we
can definitely meet or surpass the 10,000 name requirement!
Please take the time to sign
the on-line petition for The Cowsills induction if you haven't done so
already. During their research, the committee has compiled some amazing
facts about The Cowsills and their careers, including:
- The Cowsills hold more gold records than many of the current Hall
of Famers inducted as performers.
- Billy played guitar on the song “Right On” recorded by Ike
Turner.
- Susan is the youngest rock performer to have a Top Ten hit.
- John was part of the first American rock group to play in the
Republic of China.
- The Cowsills had the First Live Album to feature a Studio Track
when In Concert featured “Hair”.
- Hall of Famer Bob Marley used to cover Cowsill songs.
- The Guestbooks on robinrecords.com and cowsill.com have posts from
all 50 states, 19 foreign countries in six of the seven continents.
- The Cowsills were the first of only 5 album covers done for rock
bands by famous cartoonist Jack Davis.
- Billy once recorded with a guitar borrowed from John Lennon.
- The band’s true worth is illustrated by the fact that they were
initially ‘discovered’ by Johnny Nash’s all black R&B
label, JODA and they were ask to headline with future Hall of Famers’
Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, and The Beach Boys before they had their
first hit record at Soundblast ’66 in Yankee Stadium.
Both Barry and Susan had their lives turned upside down by Hurricane
Katrina, which hit the gulf coast in August 2005, since both were
residents of the New Orleans area at the time. Susan and her family lost
their home and most of their belongings but they were all safe during the
hurricane and it's aftermath and returned to live in New Orleans in
January 2006. Barry, unfortunately, did not get out of New Orleans before
Katrina hit and was among the missing of Hurricane Katrina for 4 months.
Then, sadly, on January 4th, 2006, The Cowsill family got the news that
Barry's body had been found and identified. Barry Cowsill is no longer
with us. At the memorial service for Barry, the Cowsill family was
informed that Billy had passed away following his battles with hip replacement surgery, back surgery, emphysema, osteoporosis and other problems.
The surviving Cowsills continue to make music today - sometimes individually and
sometimes together.
If you still want more, check out these pages ...
- Cowsill Questions
- If you've got a question about The Cowsills or their music, check our Frequently Asked
Questions (FAQ) to see if we have the answer!
- Photo Gallery
- Check our Photo Gallery for pictures and more pictures - old and
new.
- Billy
- Biographic information & links
- Bob
- Biographic information & links
- Richard
- Biographic information & links
- Paul
- Biographic information & links
- Barry
- Biographic information & links
- John
- Biographic information & links
- Susan
- Biographic information & links
- Barbara & Bud
- Biographic information & links
- Robby Scharf
- Biographic information & links
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