88-425: 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
176-525: A 1787 law prohibiting residents of the state from trading in slaves. Slave traders were also breaking federal statutes of 1794 and 1800 barring Americans from carrying slaves to ports outside the United States, as well as the 1807 Congressional act abolishing the transatlantic slave trade. A few Rhode Island families made substantial fortunes in the trade. William and Samuel Vernon were Newport merchants who later played an important role in financing
264-438: A copy of the " Hair " soundtrack album in the mail from the famed writer-producer-actor Carl Reiner , who was putting together a special for television called "Wonderful World of Pizzazz". The special was to be a celebration of the hippie fashion and music of that time. Reiner wanted the group to appear on the show performing " Hair ", the title track from the current hit musical, and indicated that their performance would also have
352-431: A physical confrontation, with Bud being arrested for assault. The band continued without Bill, and Bob took over as the leader. The album II x II was released just a few weeks after's Bill's departure. Musically, it heavily featured Bill since he'd been present for the recording sessions, but aside from a couple of songwriting credits, his name does not appear on the album. The title track was written solely by Bill, but it
440-624: A population of about 25,000 residents. Newport hosted the first U.S. Open tournaments in both tennis and golf , as well as every challenge to the America's Cup between 1930 and 1983. It is also the home of Salve Regina University and Naval Station Newport , which houses the United States Naval War College , the Naval Undersea Warfare Center , and an important Navy training center. It
528-660: A regular act on Bannisters Wharf in Newport. The group performed many of the popular songs of the day including the music of the Beatles. A handful of singles were released on JODA Records, a label owned by Danny Sims and Johnny Nash (of " I Can See Clearly Now " fame), and Philips Records in 1965 and 1966, to only modest success. After Leonard Stogel took over management of the band, they were signed to MGM Records in 1967. Barbara, who would become known to their fans affectionately as "Mini-Mom" due to her diminutive stature, joined
616-470: A rich port began with the immigration of a second wave of Portuguese Jews , who settled there around the middle of the 18th century. The new settlers had been practicing Judaism secretly for 300 years in Portugal, and they were attracted to Rhode Island because of its freedom of worship. They brought with them commercial experience, connections, capital, and a spirit of enterprise. Most prominent among them
704-515: A satirical edge thanks to the juxtaposition of the squeaky-clean family group performing a song about long-haired hippies. At that time, the group had not heard of the musical and considered the request from Reiner as more of an assignment. Following rehearsals at their home, and demo sessions at SIR Studios on Santa Monica Boulevard, The Cowsills' version of "Hair" was recorded over two days in early October 1968 at TTG Studios in Hollywood , where
792-648: A solo artist, and as a member of Vancouver, British Columbia 's Blue Northern, before forming The Blue Shadows , who recorded two albums for Sony Canada. After working as a sound engineer for Helen Reddy , Paul Cowsill left music for a career in the construction industry. He worked as a landscaper on several movies and television shows including the Twilight series and Grimm . In October 1989 Bob, Paul, John and Susan again regrouped as The Cowsills playing club dates in Los Angeles and appeared in concert for
880-667: A substantial part of their fortunes in the Old China Trade . By the turn of the 20th century, many of the nation's wealthiest families were summering in Newport, including the Vanderbilts , Astors , and the Widener family , who constructed the largest "cottages", such as The Breakers (1895) and Miramar (1915). They resided for a brief summer social season in grand mansions with elaborate receiving rooms, dining rooms, music rooms, and ballrooms—but with few bedrooms, since
968-476: A very dense and lush sound. Another notable feature of the arrangement was dictated by the purpose of the recording - the network was concerned that some lyrics in the song might be problematic for viewers in the more socially conservative areas of the United States, so the group omitted the original final verse (which mentions God, Jesus and the Bible) and replaced it with a repeat of the first verse. Balestier mixed
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#17327802921321056-493: A very well received performance on The Late Show Starring Joan Rivers . The success of this reunion led The Cowsills back into the recording studio, which resulted in the album Global in 1998. This has also led to several reunions over the years in various forms, ranging from a few concerts to special feature performances at major events. Most notable of these events were "A Taste of Rhode Island in 2000", which featured all seven surviving Cowsills, and "A Family Thing 2", which
1144-536: A year of settling Portsmouth and began the settlement of Newport on the southern side of the island. Newport grew to be the largest of the four original settlements that became the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations , including Providence Plantations and Shawomett . Many of the first colonists in Newport became Baptists , and the second Baptist congregation in Rhode Island was formed in 1640 under
1232-591: Is a seaside city on Aquidneck Island in Rhode Island , United States. It is located in Narragansett Bay , approximately 33 miles (53 km) southeast of Providence , 20 miles (32 km) south of Fall River, Massachusetts , 74 miles (119 km) south of Boston , and 180 miles (290 km) northeast of New York City . It is known as a New England summer resort and is famous for its historic mansions and its rich sailing history. The city has
1320-779: The Billboard Hot 100 . Bob Cowsill is quoted as follows on the band's early days: Although Bill and I performed at a very young age, and Bill, I, Barry and John did a lot of frat parties at Brown University and clubs in Newport ... the most memorable performance of what I would view as the precursor of what The Cowsills would be was at Kings Park in Newport (right at the foot of Halidon Hall) at some carnival . The family angle just evolved ... first Bill and me, then Bill me and Barry, then Bill, me, Barry and John, then Bill, me, Barry, John and Mom, then Bill, me, Barry, John, Mom and Paul, then later, me, Paul, John, Barry, Mom and Susan, then back to Bill, me, Barry and John (very briefly in
1408-527: The Rhode Island Gazette . In 1758, his son James founded the weekly newspaper Mercury . The famous 18th-century Goddard and Townsend furniture was also made in Newport. Throughout the 18th-century, Newport suffered from an imbalance of trade with the largest colonial ports. As a result, Newport merchants were forced to develop alternatives to conventional exports. In the 1720s, Colonial leaders arrested many pirates, acting under pressure from
1496-692: The guitar . As the boys' musical and vocal abilities developed they began performing at church school dances in Stark County, Ohio . These, and other performances, led to the boys' first television appearance on the Gene Carroll Show on WEWS in Cleveland . After Bud retired from the Navy, he and his wife managed their children's career until 1967. In late 1965, the Cowsills were hired as
1584-416: The 10,898 households, 18.9% had children under the age of 18; 31.0% were married couples living together; 37.1% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. 41.8% of households consisted of individuals and 16.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.1 and the average family size was 2.8. The percent of those with a bachelor’s degree or higher
1672-454: The 2008 release. The central four members of the group created the power pop tune "Is It Any Wonder?" in 1993, which was released in the critically praised multi-artist collection Yellow Pills, Vol. 1: The Best of American Pop . In the years following the group's split, Susan continued her musical career as a member of The Continental Drifters , along with both her first husband Peter Holsapple and her second husband, Russ Broussard. She
1760-583: The Americans from the island. In 1779, the British abandoned the location. Rodney lamented, "The evacuating Rhode Island was the most fatal measure that could possibly have been adopted. It gave up the best and noblest harbor in America, capable of containing the whole Navy of Britain, and where they could in all seasons lie in perfect security; and from whence squadrons, in forty-eight hours, could blockade
1848-567: The British government. Many were hanged in Newport and buried on Goat Island . Newport was a major center of the slave trade in colonial and early America, active in the "triangle trade" in which slave-produced sugar and molasses from the Caribbean were carried to Rhode Island and distilled into rum that was then carried to West Africa and exchanged for captives. In 1764, Rhode Island had about 30 rum distilleries, 22 in Newport alone. Slaves were trafficked illegally into Rhode Island, breaking
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#17327802921321936-491: The Cowsills played "I Really Want to Know You"; it is the one song recorded by both The Cowsills and The Partridge Family. During this period, Barry also released a solo CD, As Is . In October 2004 Bob, Paul, Barry, Susan and Richard reunited to sing the national anthem at Fenway Park before Game 4 of the 2004 American League Championship Series between the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees. The Red Sox were on
2024-491: The Cruiser-Destroyer fleet from Newport, and the closure of nearby Naval Air Station Quonset Point in 1973 were devastating to the local economy. The population of Newport decreased, businesses closed, and property values plummeted. However, in the late 1960s, the city began revitalizing the downtown area with the construction of America's Cup Avenue, malls of stores and condominiums, and upscale hotels. Construction
2112-698: The East Passage of the Narragansett. Being surrounded by ocean water, Newport is often cooler in the summer than some coastal cities further north, such as Boston . According to the USDA, Newport is located in plant hardiness zone 7a. The 2020 United States census counted 25,163 people, 10,898 households, and 4,982 families in Newport. The population density was 3,286.7 per square mile (1,269.0/km ). There were 13,466 housing units at an average density of 1,758.9 per square mile (679.1/km ). The racial makeup
2200-653: The Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame on Sunday April 28, 2013. The Cowsills released Rhythm of the World , their first studio album of new material since 1998, on September 30, 2022. As of 2024, the group consisting of Bob, Paul and Susan, and occasionally John, still perform and since 2015 have appeared on the annual "Happy Together" package tour with the Turtles and several other sixties era bands. The Cowsills made many television appearances throughout
2288-491: The TV company producing the special were regular clients. A key attraction of TTG was its custom-built 16-track recorder, the only such machine available in Los Angeles at the time, which attracted leading rock acts like Jimi Hendrix and Frank Zappa . Working with house engineer Angel Balestier, the track was arranged and produced by Bob and Bill, who made sure that each member of the group got to contribute an individual vocal part to
2376-508: The Truth in which the panel had to identify the real Barbara Cowsill, which was #2; she received two votes while one of the two "imposters" also received two votes. During game play, the siblings stood behind the three contestants. They starred in their own television special, called A Family Thing , in November 1968 on NBC, which guest-starred Buddy Ebsen . By 1969 Screen Gems approached
2464-564: The age of 18 and 7.7% of those ages 65 or over. As of 2013, there were 24,027 people, 10,616 households, and 4,933 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,204.2 inhabitants per square mile (1,237.1/km ). There were 13,069 housing units at an average density of 1,697.3 per square mile (655.3/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 82.5% White , 6.9% African American , 0.8% Native American , 1.4% Asian , 0.1% Pacific Islander , 3.1% some other race , and 5.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.4% of
2552-531: The air date of March 18 approached, MGM changed their minds and released the single. The band had a No.2 US hit and million seller with this version of the title song from the musical Hair . A stereo mix of this elaborate studio version of "Hair" subsequently became the opening track for "The Cowsills in Concert" album, which was released in May 1969. The remainder of "The Cowsills in Concert" (which ended up being
2640-455: The band subsequently released two non-album singles, neither of which were hits. In 1971, the non-musical Cowsill, Richard received an Undesirable Discharge from the Army for drug use and other misconduct. He struggled with addiction and other issues for many years, and was arrested several times. By 1972, Barbara, Paul and Susan had left the group. A lucrative deal for some casino appearances
2728-632: The band's best selling album) was in fact actually recorded live. From 1968 through 1972, the band played an average of 200 performance dates per year. They had their own comic book published by Harvey Comics in 1968. According to the documentary, Family Band: The Cowsills Story , Bill was fired by his father during the group's tenure at the Flamingo Las Vegas in February 1970 after they had an argument over Bill's association with Waddy Wachtel (whom Bud did not approve of) which ended with
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2816-404: 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
2904-512: The behind the scenes story of the family, their rise to fame and subsequent fall due to their father's controlling and abusive nature. The film features interviews with Tommy James , Shirley Jones , and radio personality Cousin Brucie . In 2019, Bob, Paul, and Susan Cowsill were interviewed by journalist Rod Labbe for RetroFan magazine, in which they discussed their careers and lives together and apart. Newport, Rhode Island Newport
2992-847: The colonial era, but rotated its legislative sessions among Providence, Newport, Bristol, East Greenwich, and South Kingstown. In 1854, the sessions were eliminated in cities other than Providence and Newport, and Newport was ultimately dropped in 1900 as a constitutional amendment that year restricted the meetings of the legislature to Providence. First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis had many ties to Newport. She spent her childhood summers at Newport's Hammersmith Farm . She and John Fitzgerald Kennedy attended nearby St. Mary's Church and were married there on September 12, 1953. The Kennedys sailed their yacht Honey Fitz in Narragansett Bay , golfed at Newport Country Club , dined at The White Horse Tavern , and attended social events at The Breakers . Presidents Kennedy and Eisenhower both made Newport
3080-673: The creation of the United States Navy; they sponsored 30 African slaving ventures. However, it was the DeWolfs of Bristol, Rhode Island , and most notably James De Wolf , who were the largest slave-trading family in America, mounting more than 80 transatlantic voyages, most of them illegal. The Rhode Island slave trade was broadly based. Seven hundred Rhode Islanders owned or captained slave ships, most of whom were substantial merchants, though many were ordinary shopkeepers and tradesmen who purchased shares in slaving voyages. Newport
3168-968: The end) and then to me, Paul, John and Susan. Our first real break came when we were playing the MK Hotel in Newport (in the basement there) and a guy from the " Today Show" saw us and asked if we wanted to be on the "Today" show. We weren't famous or anything but we were young and we were related and we were quite good. So we went on "The Today Show" (I doubt a tape exists of that but if it did it would be priceless to see) and someone from Mercury Records saw us, which ultimately led to our signing with that label and putting out "Most Of All" (a great "school's out" song that should have been our first hit in my opinion), which led to Artie Kornfeld and Steve Duboff . Mercury dropped us, but Artie and Steve had written "The Rain, The Park and Other Things" and we went in and recorded that song at A&R studios in New York and took
3256-544: The family to portray themselves in their own TV sitcom, but when they were told that their mother was to be replaced by actress Shirley Jones the deal fell through. Screen Gems later hired Jones' stepson David Cassidy to join the TV show The Partridge Family , and to have a four-year run on ABC Television. The Cowsills were also known as spokespeople for the American Dairy Association , appearing in advertisements promoting milk . They performed
3344-635: The first African mutual aid society in America. Newport was the scene of much activity during the American Revolution . William Ellery was a Newport native and one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence . In the winter of 1775, and 1776, the Rhode Island Legislature placed militia general William West in charge of rooting out loyalists in Newport, which resulted in several individuals being exiled to
3432-487: 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 . The Cowsills' musical interest started while their father, William "Bud" Cowsill, was stationed in Canton, Ohio , in the late 1950s, as a US Navy recruiter . Bill and Bob taught themselves how to play
3520-492: The group just in time to record the band's first album, including the hit single " The Rain, The Park & Other Things " with Bill on lead vocals. It sold over one million copies and was awarded a gold record . With the success of "The Rain ...", the band quickly became a popular act in the U.S. , and achieved significant airplay in Britain and other parts of Europe . "The Rain, The Park and Other Things" reached No. 2 on
3608-544: The guests were expected to have "cottages" of their own. Many of the homes were designed by New York architect Richard Morris Hunt , who kept a house in Newport himself. The social scene at Newport is described in Edith Wharton 's novel The Age of Innocence . Wharton's own Newport "cottage" was called Land's End . Today, many mansions continue in private use. Hammersmith Farm is the mansion where John F. Kennedy and Jackie Kennedy held their wedding reception; it
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3696-437: The harmony stack, as well as occasionally singing lead on songs like “Wild Honey” and " Help Me, Rhonda ". John was also part of the backing band for The Beach Boys’ 50th Anniversary Reunion tour during 2012 and performed on the reunion album recorded in 2011 and 2012. In earlier years, he performed with artists such as Jan & Dean and Dwight Twilley . Bill Cowsill moved to Canada in the 1970s and did well in that country as
3784-534: The headquarters of the Naval Undersea Warfare Center . The decommissioned aircraft carrier USS Saratoga (CV-60) was moored in an inactive status at the docks previously used by the Cruiser-Destroyer Force until it was towed to Brownsville, Texas in August–September 2014 to be dismantled. The USS Forrestal (CV-59) shared the pier until June 2010. The departure of
3872-610: The highest concentrations of colonial homes in the nation. Doris Duke, heir to the tobacco fortune of her father, James B. Duke, founded the Newport Restoration Foundation (NRF) in 1968, and for the next 25 years, until her death in 1993, saved much of Newport's colonial architectural heritage. Under Duke's leadership, the NRF restored more than 80 18th- and early 19th-century buildings in Newport and neighboring Middletown, Rhode Island, most of which are still owned by
3960-503: The late 1960s and into the early 1970s. Their appearances included: The Cowsills made their first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show on October 29, 1967. Although contracted for ten appearances, their second and final appearance was on December 24, 1967, after Bud confronted the Sullivan production team over a technical glitch during the performance. Game show appearances included The Generation Gap with Barbara and Bob, and To Tell
4048-671: The leadership of John Clarke. In 1658, a group of Jews was welcomed to settle in Newport, fleeing the Inquisition in Spain and Portugal. They were not allowed to settle elsewhere. This group eventually came to be known as Congregation Jeshuat Israel, and is the second-oldest Jewish congregation in the United States. They meet in Touro Synagogue , the oldest synagogue in America. The Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations received its royal charter in 1663. Benedict Arnold
4136-423: The median household income was $ 68,201 (with a margin of error of +/- $ 4,880) and the median family income was $ 96,161 (+/- $ 10,800). Males had a median income of $ 40,018 (+/- $ 3,361) versus $ 29,535 (+/- $ 3,288) for females. The median income for those above 16 years old was $ 34,315 (+/- $ 2,816). Approximately, 12.4% of families and 14.4% of the population were below the poverty line , including 25.0% of those under
4224-520: The mono track for the group to use during the filming of the special at the end of the final day of recording, but MGM records had no interest in releasing the song at that time. Bill had an acetate of the song cut at DCT Recorders which ended up being played for a DJ at WLS (AM) in Chicago where it generated significant attention. The TV special was taped on January 5, 1969, in San Francisco. As
4312-562: The most populous municipality on Aquidneck Island in Narragansett Bay . According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 11.4 square miles (29.5 km ), of which 7.7 square miles (19.9 km ) is land and 3.7 square miles (9.6 km ), or 32.64%, is water. The Newport Bridge , the longest suspension bridge in New England, connects Newport to neighboring Conanicut Island across
4400-427: The northern part of the state, including Joseph Wanton and Thomas Vernon. On December 8, 1776, the British occupied the city without opposition. Sir Peter Parker led 50-gun British ships, while Lieutenant-General Henry Clinton led 7,000 troops. According to Alfred Thayer Mahan , "The immediate effect was to close a haven of privateers , which flanked the route of all vessels bound from Europe to New York." In
4488-450: The period 2009–2011, the estimated median annual income for a household in the city was $ 59,388, and the median income for a family was $ 83,880. Male full-time workers had a median income of $ 52,221 versus $ 41,679 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 35,644. About 10.7% of the population were below the poverty line. The Newport Historic District — one of the city's three National Historic Landmark Districts — boasts one of
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#17327802921324576-409: The population (3.3% Puerto Rican , 1.2% Guatemalan , 1.1% Mexican ). There were 10,616 households, out of which: 21.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 30.9% were headed by married couples living together, 12.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 53.5% were non-families. 41.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.7% were someone living alone who
4664-427: The recording, both in lead and background vocals, ensuring that each of the group's members would feature on screen when they performed it for the TV special. Interviewed in 2018, Bob Cowsill recalled the intensive recording process, which was complicated by the fact that the group had not been in a recording studio for several months. The basic rhythm track was laid down first by Bill, Bob, John and Barry, but John (who
4752-506: The remainder of the 1970s. One project in particular was a band called Bridey Murphy, which was formed in the mid-'70s and featured Paul, Bill, Barry, and Waddy Wachtel , and performed to varying degrees of success. In 1978 several of the Cowsills—including Paul, John, Barry, Bob and Susan—recorded an album called Cocaine Drain with producer Chuck Plotkin . In October 1978, they played a show at Blackie's Bar in Los Angeles which
4840-515: The signal from the vocal microphone first through a Leslie speaker , then to the TTG echo chamber. The clean vocal signal, the "Leslie-ed" vocal signal and the Leslie-plus-echo signal were then all separately fed back to the console and mixed onto one track of the master. Each section of backing vocal was then double-tracked onto a second track, using the same setup of Leslie and echo, creating
4928-693: The sites of their " Summer White Houses " during their years in office. Eisenhower stayed at Quarters A at the Naval War College and at what became known as the Eisenhower House , while Kennedy used Hammersmith Farm . The city has long been entwined with the United States Navy . It held the campus of the U.S. Naval Academy during the American Civil War (1861–65) when the undergraduate officer training school
5016-409: The southern part of the city became a staunch Irish neighborhood for many generations. To this day, St. Patrick's Day is an important day of pride and celebration in Newport, with a large parade down Thames Street. The oldest Catholic parish in Rhode Island is St. Mary's , located on Spring Street, though the current building is not original. Rhode Island did not have a fixed capital during and after
5104-695: The summer of 1778, the Americans began the campaign known as the Battle of Rhode Island . This was the first joint operation between the Americans and the French after the signing of the Treaty of Alliance . The Americans based in Tiverton planned a formal siege of the town, but the French refused to take part, instead preferring a frontal assault. This weakened the American position, and the British were able to expel
5192-500: The syndicated radio show, "The Lost 45s with Barry Scott" on July 1, 1990. The original plan was to simply hit the " oldies circuit", but after some deliberation, they decided to showcase new material written by Bob and his wife, Mary Jo. This incarnation of the band started playing small clubs and showcases in the Los Angeles area and eventually spread out to similar venues across the country and into Canada. Their performances generated positive reviews from critics and fans alike, including
5280-611: The theme for the David Niven film The Impossible Years (1968), and also sang the theme for Love American Style during the first season (1969). On August 10, 2010, the documentary film, Family Band: The Cowsills Story debuted at the Rhode Island International Film Festival. On March 6, 2013, the film made its network television debut on Showtime . The film, directed by Louise Palanker and co-directed / edited by Bill Filipiak, tells
5368-429: The three capital cities of America; namely, Boston, New York, and Philadelphia." On July 10, 1780, a French expedition arrived in Narragansett Bay off Newport with an army of 450 officers and 5,300 men, sent by King Louis XVI and commanded by Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau . For the rest of the war, Newport served as the base of the French forces in the United States. In July 1781, Rochambeau
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#17327802921325456-876: The verge of elimination, but they won this game and the next three games to defeat the Yankees, 4 games to 3. This performance and rehearsals for it can be seen in the 2011 documentary, Family Band: The Cowsills Story . Susan's first solo release, Just Believe It , was released in 2004 in Europe and 2005 in the United States. Susan Cowsill continues to play live in New Orleans with her husband Russ Broussard and their band, playing "Covered In Vinyl" performances that have featured classic rock albums played live in their entirety. Some of these performances have been recorded at New Orleans venues like Carrollton Station and Chickie Wah Wah. Susan Cowsill's second solo album, "Lighthouse"
5544-547: The war ended (1783). Over 200 abandoned buildings were torn down in the 1780s. The war destroyed Newport's economic wealth, because years of military occupation closed the city to any form of trade. It was in Newport that the Rhode Island General Assembly voted to ratify the Constitution in 1790 and become the 13th state, acting under pressure from the merchant community of Providence. The city
5632-403: The whole package to MGM, who decided wouldn't it just be terrific if their mother performed with them and, voila, the rest, as they say, is history. The Cowsills released five albums in all for MGM records between 1967 and 1970. Following the success of "Rain" and their eponymous album, the title track from their second album, "We Can Fly", peaked at #21 in the spring of 1968; by that time Susan
5720-413: Was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.05, and the average family size was 2.82. The age distribution was 16.5% under the age of 18, 16.3% from 18 to 24, 28.1% from 25 to 44, 24.9% from 45 to 64, and 14.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36.4 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.3 males. For
5808-407: Was 75.91% (19,102) white or European American (73.62% non-Hispanic white ), 5.93% (1,492) black or African-American , 0.86% (217) Native American or Alaska Native , 1.76% (444) Asian , 0.06% (16) Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian , 6.08% (1,530) from other races , and 9.39% (2,362) from two or more races . Hispanic or Latino of any race was 11.82% (2,975) of the population. Of
5896-593: Was Jacob Rodrigues Rivera, who arrived in 1745 (died 1789). Rivera introduced the manufacture of sperm oil , derived from sperm whales. This became one of Newport's leading industries and made the town a wealthy, prominent whaling community. Newport developed 17 manufacturers of oil and candles, and enjoyed a practical monopoly of this trade until the American Revolution . Aaron Lopez is also credited with making Newport an important center of trade. He encouraged 40 Portuguese Jewish families to settle there, and Newport had 150 vessels engaged in trade within 14 years. Lopez
5984-518: Was a benefit concert in 2004 for Bill's medical and financial difficulties at the time. This concert took place at the El Rey Theatre in Los Angeles and included an appearance by Shirley Jones , who introduced the band. It was the first time they had ever met. As the mother on the TV show inspired by the Cowsills, Shirley made a point of calling them "the real thing". Though she did not sing with them that night, immediately after her announcement
6072-404: Was a major 18th-century port city and boasts many buildings from the colonial era . Newport is the county seat of Newport County , which has no governmental functions other than court administrative and sheriff corrections boundaries. It was known for being the location of the " Summer White Houses " during the administrations of presidents Dwight D. Eisenhower and John F. Kennedy . Newport
6160-618: Was a member of Dwight Twilley 's band in the mid-1980s, and currently leads her own band, the Susan Cowsill Band. Her first solo album, Just Believe it , was released in late 2005 by Blue Corn Music. In 2011 she was featured in an episode of the HBO series, Tremé . John Cowsill has also continued his performing career. From December 2000 until 2023, John was a regular member of The Beach Boys ’ touring band, playing keyboards (until 2007) and drums (after 2007). He also contributed to
6248-509: Was abruptly canceled after the group refused to perform their hits. Shortly afterward, The Cowsills stopped playing together as a band altogether. The individual members went on to various career attempts in and out of the music industry , but they did appear at Madison Jr. High School in Tampa, Florida as "The Cowsills" for one performance during the mid-1970s. Some produced albums and performed from time to time, albeit not as The Cowsills, during
6336-534: Was added to the group. Later that same year they scored another Top 10 hit with the song " Indian Lake ", produced by Wes Farrell, which reached No.10 on the US charts. "Captain Sad and his Ship of Fools", the album it appeared on, was produced by Bill and Bob and had added Paul to the group. In September 1968, after the group's summer tour, the family relocated to Santa Monica, California . Shortly after arriving, they received
6424-473: Was also completed on the Claiborne Pell Bridge . The Preservation Society of Newport County began opening Newport's historic mansions to the public, and the tourist industry has become Newport's primary commercial enterprise over the subsequent years. Newport is located at 41°29′17″N 71°18′45″W / 41.48806°N 71.31250°W / 41.48806; -71.31250 . It is
6512-505: Was credited to his pseudonym, David W. Ray. II x II spawned three singles, two of which were minor hits, but the album as a whole failed to get into the Billboard 200 . The group parted ways with MGM in 1970, and On My Side , their next release (and their first without Bill), was released on London Records in February 1971. This album did get into the Billboard 200 , but just barely: it peaked at #200. Bill came back later in 1971, and
6600-534: Was elected as the first governor. The Old Colony House at the head of Washington Square in Newport served as the seat of Rhode Island's government from 1741 until the current Rhode Island State House was completed in Providence in 1904. At that time, Providence became the state's sole capital city. Newport was the most important port in colonial Rhode Island, and a public school was established in 1640. The commercial activity that raised Newport to its fame as
6688-428: Was estimated to be 41.0% of the population. 14.5% of the population was under the age of 18, 15.5% from 18 to 24, 27.1% from 25 to 44, 23.5% from 45 to 64, and 19.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37.9 years. For every 100 females, the population had 106.4 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older, there were 108.3 males. The 2016-2020 5-year American Community Survey estimates show that
6776-499: Was favorably reviewed by Billboard in the weekly "Talent in Action" column. The 37-minute show opened with "a sultry rocker" titled "Cocaine Drain." The band had reportedly signed with Columbia Records and "were setting the stage for a nearly completed album." In March 2008 a version of the album was finally released, remastered from an acetate under Bob Cowsill's direction. Several other previously unreleased tracks were included on
6864-536: Was finally able to leave Newport for Providence to begin the decisive march to Yorktown, Virginia , along with General George Washington . The Rochambeau Monument in King Park on Wellington Avenue commemorates Rochambeau's contributions to the Revolutionary War and to Newport's history. Newport's population fell from over 9,000 (according to the census of 1774) to fewer than 4,000 by the time that
6952-400: Was founded in 1639 on Rhode Island , which is now called Aquidneck Island. Its eight founders and first officers were Nicholas Easton , William Coddington , John Clarke , John Coggeshall , William Brenton , Jeremy Clark , Thomas Hazard , and Henry Bull . Many of these people were part of the settlement at Portsmouth , along with Anne Hutchinson and her followers. They separated within
7040-596: Was granted. From the mid-17th century, the religious tolerance in Newport attracted numbers of Quakers , known also as the Society of Friends . The Great Friends Meeting House in Newport (1699) is the oldest existing structure of worship in Rhode Island. In 1727, James Franklin (brother of Benjamin Franklin ) printed the Rhode-Island Almanack in Newport. In 1732, he published the first newspaper,
7128-478: Was inhabited by a small group of abolitionists and free blacks. Reverend Samuel Hopkins , minister at Newport's First Congregational Church , has been called "America's first abolitionist". Among subscribers to Hopkins' writings were 17 free black citizens, most of whom lived in Newport. This community of freemen, including Newport Gardner , founded the Free African Union Society in 1780,
7216-498: Was involved in the slave trade, as were other shipping magnates, and the manufacture of spermaceti candles, ships, barrels, rum, chocolate, textiles, clothes, shoes, hats, and bottles. Lopez became the wealthiest man in Newport, but he was denied citizenship on religious grounds, even though British law protected the rights of Jews to become citizens in England. Lopez appealed to the Rhode Island colonial legislature for redress and
7304-460: Was only 12 at the time) had difficulty mastering the time changes in the song, especially during the bridge ("Oh say can you see") section, and it reportedly required over 100 takes to achieve a satisfactory version. The group then proceeded to record the elaborate backing and lead vocal tracks, which were intricately arranged and engineered. The backing vocals were all double-tracked, and Balestier added additional "sparkle" to each vocal pass by sending
7392-421: Was open to tourists as a "house museum", but has since been purchased and reconverted into a private residence. Many of the other mansions are open to tourists, and others were converted into academic buildings for Salve Regina College in the 1930s, when the owners could no longer afford their tax bills. In the mid-19th century, a large number of Irish immigrants settled in Newport. The Fifth Ward of Newport in
7480-549: Was refused with this ruling: Inasmuch as the said Aaron Lopez hath declared himself by religion a Jew, this Assembly doth not admit himself nor any other of that religion to the full freedom of this Colony. So that the said Aaron Lopez nor any other of said religion is not liable to be chosen into any office in this colony nor allowed to give vote as a free man in choosing others. Lopez persisted by applying for citizenship in Massachusetts Bay Colony , where it
7568-433: Was released in 2010 with support from the New Orleans musicians' organization Threadheads. 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. The Cowsills were inducted into
7656-508: Was temporarily moved north from Annapolis, Maryland . From 1952 to 1973, it hosted the Cruiser-Destroyer Force of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet , and subsequently, it has hosted smaller numbers of warships from time to time. Today it hosts Naval Station Newport (NAVSTA Newport) and remains home to the U.S. Naval War College , the center for Surface Warfare Officer training, the Navy Supply Corps School and other schools, and
7744-578: Was the last residence of Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry and the birthplace of Commodore Matthew C. Perry and Unitarian William Ellery Channing . Beginning in the mid-nineteenth century, wealthy southern planters seeking to escape the heat began to build summer cottages on Bellevue Avenue, such as Kingscote (1839). Around the middle of the century, wealthy northerners, such as the Wetmore family, began construction on larger mansions, such as Chateau-sur-Mer (1852) nearby. Most of these early families made
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