Susan Cowsill

Last updated

Susan Cowsill
The Cowsills AROTR 2019 (1) (cropped).jpg
Cowsill at Abbey Road on the River in 2019
Background information
Birth nameSusan Claire Cowsill
Born (1959-05-20) May 20, 1959 (age 64)
Canton, Ohio, United States
Genres Rock, pop, Americana
Occupation(s) Singer, songwriter, backing vocalist
Instrument(s) Vocals, Tambourine, Guitar
Years active1967–present
Labels MGM, London, Warner Bros.
Website susancowsill.com

Susan Claire Cowsill (born May 20, 1959; Canton, Ohio) is a musician, vocalist and songwriter. She rose to prominence as a member of the family band The Cowsills. After touring with Dwight Twilley for quite some time in the 1980s, she co-formed the band Continental Drifters. Since 1990, she has been with the Cowsills, along with brothers Bob and Paul.

Contents

Early life

Susan Claire Cowsill was born in Canton, Ohio to William "Bud" and Barbara Cowsill. She is the youngest of seven children (Bill, Richard, Bob, Paul, Barry, John, Susan).

The Cowsills

Cowsill performs in New Orleans, Louisiana, April 23, 2014. Susan Cowsill 2014.JPG
Cowsill performs in New Orleans, Louisiana, April 23, 2014.

Cowsill began her musical career with the Cowsills in 1967; she is the youngest member of the Cowsills and the only daughter of parents Bud and Barbara Cowsill. She made her debut on We Can Fly, the Cowsills' second MGM Records album, released in early 1968. Her debut solo vocal was a song called Ask the Children, featured in the Cowsills' third MGM album, Captain Sad And His Ship Of Fools. Her contribution to the Cowsills' backing vocals made her, upon her ninth birthday, the youngest person to be directly involved in a top ten hit record [1] when "Indian Lake" made the Top 10 in the early summer of 1968.

In 1969 she contributed to the vocals in what would become the Cowsills' biggest hit, Hair . She became known for her performance of the line, "and spaghetti'd" [1] which she sang with a squeakiness in her voice that she still uses when she performs the song live.

Susan was initially relegated to playing the tambourine, but by the time she left the group in 1971 (shortly after the release of their London Records album On My Side) she had learned to play other instruments; in an episode of the short-lived Barbara McNair Show she was seen playing bass guitar. [2]

In 1978, she reunited with the Cowsills (without Bill and Barbara) to work on an album of new songs. The album, tentatively titled Cocaine Drain, was produced by Chuck Plotkin, but was not released until 2008. She again reunited with brothers Bob, Paul and John as the Cowsills in the 1990s, to work on another album of original songs. The album, Global, was released in 1998.

She and her brothers Bob and Paul appeared as the Cowsills as part of the 2016 Happy Together tour, playing 58 dates.

Solo career

Music

Cowsill signed briefly with Warner Bros. Records in 1976, releasing two singles, including revival of 1971 Sixto Rodriguez song "I Think of You". Beginning in the early '80s she worked as a backing vocalist for varying artists including Dwight Twilley, the Smithereens, Carlene Carter, Mike Zito, and Hootie & the Blowfish. During this time her songwriting skills blossomed, and several of her songs have been covered by other artists.

By the early 1990s, she had developed an affinity for Americana-style music, which in 1991 led to her joining the Continental Drifters, further honing her songwriting talents. She occasionally appeared in a duo with bandmate Vicki Peterson (formerly of the Bangles), calling themselves the Psycho Sisters. [3] (Peterson subsequently married Susan Cowsill's brother John Cowsill, who currently plays drums for the touring version of The Beach Boys.) Cowsill permanently relocated to New Orleans, Louisiana by 1993.

In 2004, on the heels of a rare Christmas snowfall in New Orleans, Cowsill wrote and recorded Crescent City Sneaux, contrasting the peace of that snowfall with the disaster of Hurricane Katrina [4] [5] and has been described as an "anthem" for survivors of the hurricane. [6]

She has also made guest appearances on others' albums including Hootie and the Blowfish's 2003 self-titled release, Paul Sanchez's 2008 album Exit to Mystery Street, Giant Sand's 1992 release Glum, and A Fragile Tomorrow's Beautiful Noise (2008), Tripping Over Nothing (2010), and Be Nice Be Careful (2013).

By 2005, Cowsill had released her first solo album, Just Believe It, on her own Blue Corn indie label. [4] [7]

The Susan Cowsill Band's "Covered In Vinyl" performances have featured classic rock albums played live in their entirety. Two album releases have been compiled from these shows: Live at Carrollton Station: Covered In Vinyl Series Vol. 1, released in 2007, and Vol. 2 in 2009. A portion of proceeds from CD sales have benefited New Orleans charities. [6] Two digital albums from subsequent performances, CIV: Duets and CIV: Neil Diamond (recorded in 2010) were made available in 2012. The CIV band has included New Orleans guitar virtuoso Jimmy Robinson (Woodenhead, Twangorama), Pete Winkler (Motorway), Caleb Guillotte (Deadeye Dick), Derek Huston, Paul Sanchez, and many others.

Cowsill's second solo album, Lighthouse, was released in 2010 [8] with support from the New Orleans musicians' organization Threadheads. [6] It is a concept album in which she reflects on her losses, mainly through Hurricane Katrina and the deaths of brothers Barry and Bill. The album features harmonies from her surviving brothers (Bob, Paul and John) as well as appearances by Jackson Browne and Vicki Peterson, and was released May 18, 2010.

In 2012, Cowsill, Freedy Johnston, and Jon Dee Graham, working together as the Hobart Brothers and Lil' Sis Hobart, released a collaborative album entitled At Least We Have Each Other. [9] In August 2014, after playing together for more than 20 years, Cowsill and Peterson released their first album as the Psycho Sisters, entitled Up on the Chair, Beatrice. [10] [11]

Television

Cowsill made numerous appearances with her family on many variety shows in the 1960s and early 1970s including a solo appearance on The Dean Martin Show . [ citation needed ] She and her band performed as themselves in the HBO drama Treme (2011, season 2, episode 8 titled "Can I Change My Mind"), set in post-Katrina New Orleans. [12]

Personal life

Cowsill's home and belongings (including a sizable amount of Cowsills memorabilia) were destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. Her brother Barry stayed behind and became one of the victims of the hurricane; his body was not found until shortly after Christmas 2005. The day before Barry's funeral, she learned her oldest brother Bill had succumbed to illness in Calgary. She paid tribute to Barry on her latest CD with her version of his song "River of Love". Despite her losses, she remains a New Orleans resident and still performs regularly with her band at Carrollton Station, and more recently at New Orleans live venue Chickie Wah Wah.

She married fellow band member and drummer Russ Broussard in July 2003. She has one daughter, Miranda Holsapple, from her marriage to musician Peter Holsapple. Her sister-in-law via her brother John is The Bangles guitarist Vicki Peterson.

Discography

With the Cowsills

With Continental Drifters

Singles

  • "The Mississippi" b/w "Johnny Oops" (1992)
  • "Christopher Columbus Transcontinental Highway" b/w "Meet On The Ledge" (1997)

10-inch

  • Listen, Listen (2001)

LPs

  • Continental Drifters (1994)
  • Vermilion (1998)
  • Better Day (2001)
  • Nineteen Ninety-Three (2003)

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Bangles</span> American pop rock band

The Bangles are an American all-female pop rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1981. The band recorded several singles that reached the U.S. top 10 during the 1980s, including "Manic Monday" (1986), "Walk Like an Egyptian" (1986), "Hazy Shade of Winter" (1987), "In Your Room" (1988), and "Eternal Flame" (1989).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vicki Peterson</span> American musician

Victoria Anne Theresa Peterson Cowsill is an American rock musician and songwriter. She has been the lead guitarist for the Bangles since their foundation in 1981. After their first disbandment in 1989, she has returned to the band for all subsequent reunions. In intervening years, she has performed with other artists, most extensively with the Continental Drifters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Cowsills</span> American vocal group

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The dB's</span> American rock band

The dB's are an American alternative rock and power pop group, who formed in New York City in 1978 and first came to prominence in the early 1980s. Their debut album Stands for Decibels is acclaimed as one of the great "lost" power pop albums of the 1980s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peter Holsapple</span> American musician

Peter Livingston Holsapple is an American musician who formed, along with Chris Stamey, the dB's, a jangle-pop band from Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He became the band's principal songwriter and singer after Stamey's departure. The band, with Stamey back in the fold, reformed with new material in 2005–2006.

<i>Out of My Way</i> 1997 studio album by Peter Holsapple

Out of My Way is a 1997 solo album by Peter Holsapple, on the New Orleans label Monkey Hill records. Personnel includes keyboardist Benmont Tench and Holsapple's fellow Continental Drifters Vicki Peterson, Susan Cowsill and Carlo Nuccio.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Continental Drifters</span> American rock band

The Continental Drifters were an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1991 and dissolved in New Orleans, Louisiana, about a decade later. Though the line-up changed several times, at one point the band comprised a kind of college rock/indie-rock/power pop supergroup, including as it did Peter Holsapple of The dB's, Mark Walton of The Dream Syndicate, Bangle Vicki Peterson and Susan Cowsill of The Cowsills.

<i>Doll Revolution</i> 2003 studio album by The Bangles

Doll Revolution is the fourth studio album by American pop rock band The Bangles. It was released in March 2003 in Europe and Japan, and in September of that year in the United States. It is the first album by the group since their 1998 reunion. It is also the final album to feature bassist and vocalist Michael Steele who left the band following the promotional tour.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Cowsill</span> American musician

John Patrick Cowsill is an American musician, best known for his work as a singer and drummer with his siblings' band the Cowsills. He has been a drummer and vocalist for the Beach Boys touring band, which featured original Beach Boy Mike Love and long time member Bruce Johnston. Cowsill has also played keyboards for the Beach Boys touring band performing Al Jardine's and the late Carl Wilson's vocal parts. He also has performed and recorded with Jan and Dean.

William Joseph Cowsill Jr. was an American singer, musician, songwriter, and record producer. He was the lead singer and guitarist of The Cowsills, who had three top-10 singles in the late 1960s. From the mid-1970s until his death, he was a successful alt-country artist and producer in Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barry Cowsill</span> American musician and member of the Cowsills

Barry Steven Cowsill was an American musician, songwriter and producer. He was the bassist of the musical group The Cowsills, who had three top-10 singles in the late 1960s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cyril Neville</span> American percussionist and singer

Cyril Garrett Neville is an American percussionist and vocalist who first came to prominence as a member of his brother Art Neville's funky New Orleans-based band, The Meters. He joined Art in the Neville Brothers band upon the dissolution of the Meters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paul Sanchez</span> American singer-songwriter

Paul Sanchez is a New Orleans-born and based American guitarist and a singer-songwriter. Sanchez was a founding member of the New Orleans band Cowboy Mouth. He was a guitarist and one of the primary singers and songwriters for the band from 1990 to 2006. Sanchez's songs have appeared in films and on television and have been performed by various artists such as Darius Rucker, Irma Thomas, Michael Cerveris, Susan Cowsill, Kevin Griffin and The Eli Young Band, Hootie and the Blowfish, John Boutté, Shamarr Allen, Glen Andrews and Kim Carson.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deadeye Dick (band)</span> American alternative rock trio

Deadeye Dick was an American alternative rock trio that was formed in New Orleans, Louisiana.

<i>The Great Lost Twilley Album</i> 1993 studio album by Dwight Twilley Band

The Great Lost Twilley Album is a compilation of songs from the Dwight Twilley Band and Dwight Twilley solo, recorded in 1974 through 1980 and released in 1993 on Shelter Records. The basic band consisted of Dwight Twilley, Phil Seymour, and Bill Pitcock IV ; other musicians include Leon Russell, Tom Petty and Susan Cowsill. Most of the production is credited to Twilley and Seymour, although some other producers who worked on songs on the record include Jack Nitzsche, Leon Russell, Robin Cable and Chuck Plotkin.

Kate Jacobs is an American singer-songwriter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A Fragile Tomorrow</span>

A Fragile Tomorrow is an American alternative/powerpop band from Charleston, South Carolina, United States, formerly from Montgomery, New York. The group formed in 2003 and included brothers Sean Kelly, Dom Kelly, and Brendan Kelly. In 2006, bassist Shaun Rhoades joined the group. The band has put out six studio albums, most recently the critically acclaimed Make Me Over in 2015 and Generation Loss in 2019. As of 2020, they were working on their seventh record and third MPress Records release. The band has shared the stage with/opened for Indigo Girls, The Bangles, Matthew Sweet, Toad the Wet Sprocket, Garrison Starr, Antigone Rising, K's Choice, Drivin N Cryin, Continental Drifters, Blues Traveler, The Cowsills, Danielle Howle, Susan Cowsill, Amy Ray, and more.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leigh Harris</span> American singer and songwriter (1954–2019)

Leigh Harris was a New Orleans R&B and jazz singer and songwriter.

<i>Vermilion</i> (Continental Drifters album) 1998 studio album by Continental Drifters

Vermilion is an album by the American band the Continental Drifters, released in 1999. It was first released in Germany, in 1998.

References

  1. 1 2 Ken Hoffman, "Hoffman: Singer Susan Cowsill is famous for one word", Houston Chronicle , June 3, 2009.
  2. "Cowsills "Folsom Prison Blues" - YouTube". YouTube. Retrieved September 18, 2014.[ dead YouTube link ]
  3. Dave Hoekstra, "Cowsill, Peterson Drift Into Tuneful Alliance", Chicago Sun-Times , November 10, 1995, via HighBeam Research.
  4. 1 2 Dave Hoekstra, "Jostled by Katrina, Cowsill tours on", Chicago Sun-Times , October 27, 2005, via HighBeam Research.
  5. "Susan Cowsill wants cap on experience with Katrina". NewsOK.com. Retrieved September 18, 2014.
  6. 1 2 3 Nancy Dunham (October 23, 2009). "Music Maker: When a child star grows up". The Washington Post. Retrieved March 3, 2016.
  7. Pamela Murray Winters (November 17, 2004). "Susan Cowsill, Rocking on Her Own Two Feet". The Washington Post. p. C-2. Retrieved March 3, 2016..
  8. Nick Cristiano, Review of "Lighthouse", Philadelphia Inquirer as reprinted in Youngstown Vindicator , June 20, 2010
  9. Peter Gerstenzang, "The Hobart Brothers Featuring Lil' Sis Hobart Prep Dark Debut", Rolling Stone , February 22, 2012.
  10. Steve Hochman, album review at "Tuesday Reviewsday: The Psycho Sisters, Quetzal, Nightmare & the Cat and Chiquis", KPCC, July 29, 2014.
  11. Wesley Britton, "Music Review: The Psycho Sisters - 'Up on the Chair, Beatrice'", Seattle Post-Intelligencer , July 21, 2014.
  12. Walker, Dave (June 12, 2011). "Susan Cowsill takes 'Treme' viewers to Carrollton Station". Times-Picayune. New Orleans, LA. Retrieved April 1, 2018.