When Beatlemania took hold in the U.S. in the 1960s, American teenagers were enraptured by a new sound, a new look and a new dream: I wanna be like the Fab Four! That dream spawned countless garage bands, 99 percent of which never made it as far as the driveway. But in Newport, R.I., four musically inclined brothers—Bill, Bob, Barry and John Cowsill—were determined to buck the odds. So they honed their sound at nearby school dances and churches, and in short order the The Cowsills were off and running.
Soon, Rhode Island's version of the Fab Four became the Sensational Seven with the addition of mother Barbara—who came on board to record what would be the group's biggest hit, "The Rain, The Park and Other Things"—followed by siblings Paul and Susan (then just 7 years old). While The Cowsills never quite reached Beatles-level stardom, they gained global notoriety with four Top 20 hits from 1967-'69 and served as the real-life inspiration for the 1970s TV hit The Partridge Family.
Today, The Cowsills' legacy carries on through surviving members Bob, Paul and Susan, whose uplifting performances harken back to a simpler time of peace, love and, yes, harmony.
Golden Nugget, 8 p.m. Jan. 24, starting at $29 plus tax and fee. 800.745.3000 Ticketmaster
