The Songs and Stories of The Cowsills

Who are The Cowsills? You might recognize their most well-known songs: "The Rain, The Park, And Other Things" and "Indian Lake," or their playful cover of the title tune from the musical Hair. But there's much more to the story of this band, who rocketed to stardom for a brief time, then faded from view. The documentary Family Band: The Cowsills Story (2011) tries to shed some light on the rise and fall of the group that was the inspiration for the hit television series The Partridge Family. It's a story filled with twists and turns, and it's not without it's darker moments. The band was formed in 1965 by siblings Bill, Bob and Barry Cowsill. A bit later, their brother John, their sister Susan and their mother Barbara joined the group. Their first album, The Cowsills, was released in 1967 and the single "The Rain, The Park, And Other Things" rose to Number 2 on the charts.

Soon, The Cowsills were everywhere; performing on television shows like The Ed Sullivan Show and The Tonight Show, as well as headlining successful concert tours and appearing in ad campaigns for organizations like The American Dairy Association. But there was a downside to fame. Their father, Bud, ruled the family with an iron hand, and could be argumentative and abusive. He regularly clashed with his wife and children, and often sabotaged the group's chances at further success by arguing with television and record company executives. When Screen Gems approached the family to portray themselves on a sitcom, the deal fell through when they were told actress Shirley Jones would play their mother on the show, instead of Barbara. The resulting series, The Partridge Family, co-starring teen idol David Cassidy, aired for four years on ABC. 

Family Band: The Cowsills Story is an insightful retelling of the rise and fall of the group, featuring interviews with the surviving members of the band and their extended family, musicians Tommy James and Waddy Wacthel, and some of the producers and songwriters who worked with them. It's obvious that the band's sunny pop facade hid some troubling secrets, and the film is fairly frank in its recounting of those moments, including an argument between Bud and Bill which ended in Bill being fired from the group, and Bud's arrest. The documentary also recounts the difficulties some of the band members had adjusting to life after their success ended. The film does manage to give us an update on what the various siblings were doing at the time of the film's release, but I wish there had been a bit more about their current successes. For example, Susan is now considered something of an indie rock icon for her work with groups like The Continental Drifters.

There are some wonderful vintage clips of the band included in the movie, as well as footage of some more recent reunion performances. If you're a devotee of 1960's pop, and like behind the scenes stories, then you'll probably enjoy Family Band: The Cowsills Story. But be prepared to see the down side of fame and fortune; no family is without its secrets, and The Cowsills certainly had their share. Their angelic harmonies and memorable songs have stood the test of time, and their story is fascinating, powerful, compelling and ultimately moving. The film was written by Louise Palanker, and directed by Palanker and Bill Filipiak. Family Band: The Cowsills Story is now available on DVD, and you can currently stream it on Amazon Prime. Here's a link to the trailer for the film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btTbG0UZfXE.