The Cowsills (Photo: Danny Clinch; used with permission)
The Cowsills, the hit family singing group of the 60s, have released a winning album, Rhythm Of the World, their first new music in nearly 30 years. The current lineup consists of siblings Bob, Paul and Susan. The title arrived on Sept. 30, 2022, via Omnivore Recordings. Listen to many of the tracks below.
From the original Aug. 12 announcement: Starting in 1965 as a regional act from Newport, Rhode Island, The Cowsills, who were composed of six siblings, were “founded” by Joda Records owners Danny Sims and reggae/pop singer Johnny Nash (“I Can See Clearly Now”), for whom they recorded a handful of singles before signing to MGM Records in 1967. At that point, the group’s mother Barbara and young sister Susan joined the act.
Listen to the album’s leadoff track
Here’s “Every Little Secret”
The Cowsills were awarded a Gold record for over one million copies sold of their first single for MGM, “The Rain, The Park & Other Things.” This began a series of chart records that scored on Top 40 for the next three years. Among the classic Cowsills recordings are “We Can Fly,” “Indian Lake,” “Hair” (from the rock musical of the same name), and “Love, American Style” (the theme song from the popular ABC-TV show).
Related: The top radio hits of 1967
As the group’s fame grew, they had their own comic book published in 1968, and their story became the inspiration for the popular 1970s sitcom The Partridge Family. They remained a popular touring attraction up through 1972.
In 2011, Showtime released Louise Palanker’s documentary Family Band: The Cowsills Story, that chronicled their rise and fall from stardom.
This ad appeared in the Sept. 9, 1967 issue of Record World
With a few exceptions the members co-wrote the songs for Rhythm Of the World during their Happy Together summer tour. Says Bob Cowsill, “From Howard Kaylan’s (The Turtles) exuberant plea with the audience each night of the tour giving us inspiration for ‘Ya Gotta Get Up!’ to ‘Katrina’ (the first-person account of our brother Barry’s death during Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans) and all the songs in between, we use melody and harmony to bring some love and the hope of peace to the world.”
The Cowsills have wrapped up the 2022 edition of the Happy Together Tour (with The Turtles, The Association, Gary Puckett & the Union Gap, and the Vogues).
Listen to the terrific title track to “Rhythm of the World”
Rhythm of the World Track Listing
YA GOTTA GET UP!
LEND A HAND
HAWKS ON THE LINE
EVERY LITTLE SECRET
NUCLEAR WINTER
RHYTHM OF THE WORLD
LARGO NIGHTS
GOODBYE’S NOT FOREVER
THE LONG RUN
TRY TO BELIEVE IT TOO
KATRINA
The album’s closing track, “Katrina,” is a poignant reminder of the death of their brother, Barry, as told in the first person of what is known about his tragic passing.
Listen to “Nuclear Winter”
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7 Comments so far
Jump into a conversationThat is so awesome! Susan like never ages!! I’ve seen them and they are funny, fun and very entertaining! They are kindred souls that we are fortunate enough to keep seeing!
Maybe I’m wrong, but for a time it seemed like they just got together for the “Happy Together” tours, singing their same five songs everywhere wonderfully and then going their separate ways. I’m glad to see that, slowly it appears, they started doing their own shows, and now new material which looks to be pretty great by the sound of this first cut. The trials of this family are pretty well known, I’m not so sure that the incredible musicality of each of their members is as famous — they’re each one remarkably talented. After so many lean years, I can well understand why John Cowsill eschews playing with the family band for a steady gig drumming and singing for Mike Love’s touring band (can’t bring myself to call them the BB), but with all they’ve gone through, the purist in me can’t help but wish that John was back in the fold making music with these guys, or at least as a part of this record.
John does sing with them on this album.
I have been listening to their music videos in my YouTube library these past several weeks. When I’m feeling down, I always put on “The Rain, the Park & Other Things”…from The Billy Cowsill Benefit Concert” and instantly feel better. That song just makes me HAPPY! Excited for their new album coming out. I loved The Cowsills!
Did not know that, LIESL E, thank you for that info.
So encouraging to hear someone actually making new music in this direction and of this quality. You so rarely hear veteran musicians come up with musical ideas that are so fresh and energized. Each song has musical ideas that take the listener somewhere — innovative rather than formulaic.
Wow!! This new album simply blows me away. Top notch. Always have loved the Cowsills. This record sets a new standard for them.