About Us

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William Joseph Cowsill, Jr.
January 9, 1948 – February 18, 2006



Richard James Cowsill
August 26, 1949



Robert Paul Cowsill
August 26, 1949



Paul Mitchell Cowsill
November 11, 1951



Barry Steven Cowsill
September 14, 1954 – 2005



John Patrick Cowsill
March 2, 1956



Susan Claire Cowsill
May 20, 1959



Barbara Cowsill
July 12, 1928 – January 31, 1985



William Joseph Cowsill, Sr.
December 2, 1925 – September 29, 1992

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The Cowsills


The Cowsills at Abbey Road on the River in 2019; left to right: Bob, Susan, and Paul

Background information
Origin: Newport, Rhode Island, U.S.
Genres: Bubblegum pop, psychedelic pop, pop, rock and roll
Years active: 1965–1972; 1978–1980; 1989–present
Labels: MGM, Polydor, Joda
Members: Bob Cowsill, Susan Cowsill, Paul Cowsill
Past members: John Cowsill, Bill Cowsill, Barry Cowsill, Barbara Cowsill, Richard Cowsill
Website: cowsill.com

The Cowsills are an American singing group from Newport, Rhode Island, six siblings noted for performing professionally and singing harmonies at an early age, later with their mother.

The band was formed in early 1965 by brothers Bill, Bob, and Barry Cowsill; their brother John joined shortly thereafter. Originally Bill and Bob played guitar and Barry played the drums. When John learned to play drums and joined the band, Barry began playing bass. After their initial success, the brothers were joined by their siblings Susan and Paul along with their mother, Barbara. A seventh sibling, Bob's fraternal twin brother Richard, was never part of the band during its heyday, although he occasionally appeared with them in later years.

The band's road manager for most of their career was Richard "Biggie" Korn. When the group expanded to its full family membership by 1967, the six siblings ranged in age from 8 to 19. Joined by their mother, Barbara Cowsill (née Russell), the group inspired the 1970s television show The Partridge Family.

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Barry Cowsill

Background information
Birth name: Barry Steven Cowsill
Born: September 14, 1954; Newport, Rhode Island, U.S.
Died: c. September 2, 2005 (aged 50); New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.

Barry Steven Cowsill (September 14, 1954 – c. September 2, 2005) was an American musician and member of the musical group the Cowsills.

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Career


Cowsill in 1967

Cowsill was born in Newport, Rhode Island, the fifth of seven children. As a teenager, he became the drummer (and later the bass guitar player) of the band initially formed by his brothers Bill and Bob Cowsill, playing popular tunes at local dance clubs. By the late 1960s, the band expanded to include younger brother John (on drums), his mother Barbara, older brother Paul, and younger sister Susan. The Cowsills went on to churn out a string of hits ( including the #2's "The Rain the Park and Other Things" and "Hair" ) before officially disbanding by 1972.

After the group broke up, Cowsill moved frequently and worked various jobs including construction and waiting tables. For a time, Cowsill owned a bar in Austin which he admitted he lost because he "drank it dry. I was drinking my face off in those days." Throughout his life, he continued to play music and participated in various post-heyday incarnations of the Cowsills. In 1998, he released his first solo CD, As Is. In 2002, he relocated to his hometown of Newport, Rhode Island. In 2005, Cowsill relocated again to New Orleans. Shortly before his death, he had made plans to enter a Los Angeles rehab facility to seek help for his alcoholism. His flight to Los Angeles had been scheduled for August 28, but those plans were stymied when Hurricane Katrina hit the city on August 29.

Personal life

In 1987, Cowsill married Deborah Scott with whom he had two children (he also had an older daughter). Cowsill and his wife were divorced in 2003.

Death

On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina hit the city of New Orleans. Cowsill, who chose not to evacuate, weathered the storm in an abandoned warehouse. Cowsill survived the storm but was in need of help. He called his sister Susan from a pay phone (Susan also lived in New Orleans with her family but chose to evacuate) and left four voice mail messages saying he was surrounded by looters and people shooting. Susan Cowsill did not receive the messages until September 2. Cowsill was never heard from again. After an extensive search, Cowsill's body was found under a wharf on the Mississippi River on December 28, 2005. His body was subsequently identified by comparison to dental records. Cowsill's death was attributed to drowning as a result of the flooding following Hurricane Katrina.

The Cowsill family held two memorials for Barry in Newport and New Orleans.

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The Cowsills - The Rain, The Park and Other Things

voxdeorum
6.2K subscribers

474,685 views May 4, 2010
I saw her sitting in the rain, raindrops falling on her
She didn't seem to care, she sat there and smiled at me

Then I knew (I knew... I knew... I knew... I knew) , she could make me happy (happy... happy)
(She could make me very happy) Flowers in her hair (in her hair)
Flowers everywhere (everywhere)

(I love the flower girl) Oh I don't know just why; she simply caught my eye
(I love the flower girl) She seemed so sweet and kind; she crept into my mind
(To my mind... to my mind)

I knew I had to say hello (hello... hello) She smiled up at me
And she took my hand and we walked through the park alone

And I knew (I knew... I knew... I knew... I knew), she had made me happy (happy... happy)
(She had made me very happy) Flowers in her hair (in her hair)
Flowers everywhere (everywhere)

(I love the flower girl) Oh I don't know just why; she simply caught my eye
(I love the flower girl) She seemed so sweet and kind; she crept into my mind
(To my mind ... to my mind)

Suddenly, the sun broke through (See the sun)
I turned around she was gone (Where did she go)
And all I had left was one little flower in my hand

But I knew (I knew... I knew... I knew... I knew) she had made me happy (happy... happy)
(She had made me very happy) Flowers in her hair (in her hair)
Flowers everywhere (everywhere)

(I love the flower girl) Was she reality or just a dream to me
(I love the flower girl) Her love showed me the way to find a sunny day
(Sunny day... sunny day... sunny day)

(I love the flower girl) Was she reality or just a dream to me

"Hair" by the Cowsills
1,568,853 views • Dec 22, 2007

trance23

The Proto-pop pre-Partridge Family ensemble - "The Cowsills" - deconstruct the counter-cultural classic "Hair" for the Saturday Morning Sugar Pops crew