The Cowsills Podcast

WE DID IT!!! We almost talked our way to distraction again but we finally had a visit about our night singing the National Anthem at Fenway Park for the 3rd game of the American League National Championship series between the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees back in 2004. It was quite a night and we hope you enjoy quite a story!

This is a "Where's John?" episode but you'll have to listen to it to see how the question gets answered. So in visiting with ourselves we discover that SUSAN MET MARIE OSMOND!!!! You have to hear the story it is priceless. We get in to this and that during the episode and things just sort of move along on us and time just flies by. Hope you enjoy this episode many more guests coming and thanks for listening!

For 39 years, from 1982 to 2020, Fritz Coleman was our top weatherman on KNBC TV in Los Angeles. That means we all grew up watching and listening to Fritz and we want you to meet him up close and personal. There's way more to this man than the weather. What a great story. Louise Palanker, producer of our documentary who hosts a podcast with Fritz, makes a surprise appearance and things get a little wacky. It was a great visit with a great guy.

In 1973 one of the #1 records on the charts was "Heartbeat -It's a Lovebeat" by The DeFranco family featuring Tony DeFranco...a singing family of three brothers and two sisters from Canada who were to become the next singing family sensation in America from 1973-1977. Tony was destined for the teen mags and became a teen idol. Tiger Beat in particular would play a pivotal role in the history of the DeFranco family's rise to success. Everyone's story is compelling and full of unexpected twists and turns and the DeFranco family's story is no different. Hope you enjoy our visit as much as we did. Coming up - a new "Where's John?" episode - where we chase down our brother John as he chimes in from the road...he's out there with the Beach Boys and they seem to be back at full strength!!!!

It happened again!! We started out planning our Fenway Park National Anthem story and started talking and once again the time flew by so stay tuned for that episode it really is coming. Lots of guests to visit with still and we wanted to thank all of you for your support and suggestions. Remember you can contact us right here in the podcast studio with questions or answers at [email protected]. "See" you next week!

From 1961 through the early seventies Cousin Brucie, with his voice drenched in his famous echo, and WABC radio in New York City, were on the frontline during the greatest musical explosion in the history of rock 'n roll...and he continues to this very day to entertain us, once again on WABC. Cousin Brucie was there representing all of us meeting face to face and side by side all the artists we only dreamed of getting to or near. The disc jockey who was a relative to us all, everybody's cousin Cousin Brucie, has a great story to share and a great career to cover. Even he said we'd need another episode or two to go over it all. We want you to meet one of the kindest, most influential icons of the music industry...a member of 3 halls of fame...a disc jockey who played the hits when they were hits and lasted long enough to play the same songs years later as "oldies". He's an incredible guy and we hope you enjoy meeting him...one of the great icons of radio, Bruce Morrow - Cousin Brucie.

It's just us folks. We came in with a plan to talk about our night at Fenway Park singing the National Anthem at game 3 of the AlCS between the Red Sox and Yankees. We would need the whole episode it's a doozy! But once we started the show we just talked about stuff and the time got away from us so we'll do that episode next. So we went on and on about this and that. You may even find yourself saying, "Why are they laughing? What did I miss? Was something funny?" It could happen. So have fun listening we had fun visiting. Hey next week we're gonna have COUSIN BRUCIE on as a guest. Yes we will be turning the tables on Cousin Brucie and interviewing HIM!! Too much fun coming!

This week we visit with Bo Donaldson of Bo Donaldson and the Heywoods. Their big hits were 1974's "Billy Don't Be A Hero" and "Who Do You Think You Are". Bo and The Cowsills crossed paths when we signed on with the "Original Idols Live" tour in 2007. Bo was the musical director. A crazy combination of The Cowsills, Barry Williams, Bo Donaldson and the Heywoods, Leif Garrett, and the Bay City Rollers! Great stories from back then and hear why it is that Bo's first million-seller, "Billy Don't Be A Hero" only became a hit because "Mom Knew Best!

Song of the Week: Billy Don't Be A Hero

Hi everyone. We're just having a visit amongst ourselves this week so no guest. We ramble on about this and that and give you an update as to what's coming in 2022. A BIG YEAR!!!! Some "Cowsill Factoids" and a bit of Paul Pufferfish and some hijinks and tomfoolery. Enjoy the show enjoy the week ENJOY LIFE!!!

The Four Seasons, the Four Aces, the Four Tops, the Four Freshmen, the Four Lads...well today on "The Cowsill's Podcast" we are visiting with Bruce Belland of THE FOUR PREPS!!!! In terms of audience reaction to the Four Preps think Beatles and Frank Sinatra. They were mobbed after their concerts. Do you remember watching Ozzie and Harriett and waiting for Ricky Nelson to sing the song at the end of the episode? Remember the band that always stood there with Ricky? That's the Four Preps plus James Burton. That's Bruce Belland to Ricky's right. The Four Preps were Ricky's college buddies on the TV show. Imagine what is must have been like when your band is riding high and the Beatles arrive on the scene and change the whole landscape and there's no room for you anymore. We were new to the story of the Four Preps since they were a little before our time but it just blew us away so we wanted to have Bruce on to share his story with everybody and he was gracious to accept the invitation. You have to read his biography at brucebelland.com and you will be AMAZED! Remember "26 Miles (Santa Catalina)"? It sold 10 million records! That's The Four Preps!! Hope you enjoy the episode.

Song of the Week: A Letter To The Beatles by The Four Preps