Requiem

posted by The Vidiot @ 5:52 PM Permalink

28 December 2005

Barry Cowsill, member of real-life Partridge Family, died in Katrina's wake
The body of Barry Cowsill, one of the singing Cowsills, the family band that inspired the Partridge Family, was discovered on December 28th on a wharf in New Orleans. Local authorities believe Cowsill, 51, died in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, which hit the city on August 29th. Cowsill reportedly left phone messages for his sister Susan on September 1st, and was not heard from again.
[...]
During the 1990s Barry and Susan both became involved with the New Orleans music community. Susan joined her then-husband, former dBs frontman Peter Holsapple, ex-Bangle Vicki Peterson and others in the L.A.-New Orleans band the Continental Drifters.

17 February 2006

Billy Cowsill, 58; Lead Singer for 1960s Teen Pop Band the Cowsills

Billy Cowsill, former lead singer of the Cowsills, the pop family band that scored several top-10 hits in the 1960s and inspired "The Partridge Family" television series, has died.
[...]
"I've played with a lot of musicians, but he was the best singer and best live performer I've ever witnessed," Pineo said. "There was no other way for him to perform than all out."

When I was a kid the Cowsills' family and band of the same name didn't mean a lot to me. I liked their song "Indian Lake" and I thought their version of "Hair" surpassed the Broadway cast's version.

Then in the early '90s I had a gig with them at the China Club in L.A. They proved to be one of the most talented, nicest, professional and self-deprecating acts I ever had the pleasure to work with.

They opened up the show saying something like 'we've heard the critics say our name is associated with schmaltzy music. So tonight we're changing our names. I'm Ed Cowsill, this is Brenda Cowsill, over to my right is Herman Cowsill ...'

They didn't rock my world, but they did make it a better place. And you can't ask for more.

I'm no good at being noble, but it doesn't take much to see that the deaths of these people does matter in this crazy world. Someday you'll understand.*




*Apologies to Casa Blanca.