# Barry Cowsill found dead in New Orleans **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 6, 2006, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barry-cowsill-found-dead-in-new-orleans/338707 "2006-01-06T04:47:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Crotalus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crotalus/32/41_2.png) [@Crotalus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crotalus)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2006, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barry-cowsill-found-dead-in-new-orleans/338707/21 "2006-01-06T15:36:29Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Original music like “Hair”? Rado, Ragni, and McDermott would be surprised to hear that. I think **Equipoise** meant that they only did originals after they reformed, not during their period of popularity. ---
**Author:** ![Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cab0a1/32.png) [@Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Man_With_a_Cat)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2006, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barry-cowsill-found-dead-in-new-orleans/338707/22 "2006-01-06T15:45:53Z")
Are we the ones slowing down their web page? It’s taking forever. ---
**Author:** ![nvad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/51bf81/32.png) [@nvad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nvad)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2006, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barry-cowsill-found-dead-in-new-orleans/338707/23 "2006-01-06T15:51:47Z")
> [@Mr Bus Guy](#): > > Who was the little sister that sang on Please Mr. Mailman? I had the pre-teen hots for her. > > Gah. Did I just admit that? That I had the Cowsills Live album? > > Well, yeah I was the first one on my block with the White Album too, so there. I think that was Susan, who is still a very successful musician and well-known in the New Orleans scene. I believe she even won a Grammy a few years back with the Continental Drifters. Barry was a dear friend of mine. Words can’t express how saddened I was to hear the news yesterday. He will be sorely missed. ---
**Author:** ![Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cab0a1/32.png) [@Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Man_With_a_Cat)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2006, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barry-cowsill-found-dead-in-new-orleans/338707/24 "2006-01-06T15:56:50Z")
Yes, Susan. I’ve been reading about her just now. Weird, I’ve heard of her band without ever making the connection. It’s like a little piece of the innocence of that time is gone. I’m sorry for the loss of your friend. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2006, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barry-cowsill-found-dead-in-new-orleans/338707/25 "2006-01-06T16:16:14Z")
CNN story: [http://www.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/Music/01/06/obit.cowsill.ap/index.html?section=cnn\_topstories](http://www.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/Music/01/06/obit.cowsill.ap/index.html?section=cnn_topstories) The story mentions he left his sister a phone message a few days after the storm, so he did indeed die sometime afterwards. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2006, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barry-cowsill-found-dead-in-new-orleans/338707/26 "2006-01-06T18:15:15Z")
> [@Squink](#): > > [And spaghetti!](http://cowsill.com/cowsills/discography/music-hair.html) 😕 That’s one of my fave songs – but the Wikipedia article on _Hair_ says the book and lyrics were written by James Rado and Jerome Ragni, the music by Galt McDermot. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hair\_(musical)](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hair_%28musical%29) (BTW, the link you provided doesn’t work.) ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2006, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barry-cowsill-found-dead-in-new-orleans/338707/27 "2006-01-06T18:17:08Z")
> [@Equipoise](#): > > I know! That’s what I thought. I’ll bet there are lots still out there, at the bottom of the river or tangled among the weeds in the swamps. > > Oy. That’s so surreal . . . like news you would expect from a swamp, not a city. Reminding us that NO is a city built on a (drained) swamp. ---
**Author:** ![kelly5078](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/6f9a4e/32.png) [@kelly5078](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kelly5078)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2006, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barry-cowsill-found-dead-in-new-orleans/338707/28 "2006-01-06T18:18:45Z")
The Cowsills had a miserable existence, from all I’ve read. This was a really messed up guy from a really messed up family. I’ve never heard it, but I’ve been told that the solo album Barry put out a while back was quite good. No market, though. All in all, a sad story. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/2bfe46/32.png) [@John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Carter_of_Mars)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2006, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barry-cowsill-found-dead-in-new-orleans/338707/29 "2006-01-06T19:09:43Z")
Sorry to hear that bit of news. I’ve still got my 45rpm vinyl of “Indian Lake” in a box with others. I’ll dig it out and play it later. RIP Barry. ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2006, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barry-cowsill-found-dead-in-new-orleans/338707/30 "2006-01-06T19:15:26Z")
What the fuck is “New Orleans”? ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2006, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barry-cowsill-found-dead-in-new-orleans/338707/31 "2006-01-06T19:47:44Z")
I’ve had “Flower Girl” in my head since reading the thread this morning. I don’t particularly like that song. ---
**Author:** ![Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cab0a1/32.png) [@Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Man_With_a_Cat)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2006, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barry-cowsill-found-dead-in-new-orleans/338707/32 "2006-01-06T19:55:16Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > I’ve had “Flower Girl” in my head since reading the thread this morning. > > I don’t particularly like that song. _bangs **Twickster** really hard on the side of the head and starts singing "99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall_ ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2006, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barry-cowsill-found-dead-in-new-orleans/338707/33 "2006-01-06T20:02:18Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Original music like “Hair”? Rado, Ragni, and McDermott would be surprised to hear that. I’m sorry I didn’t clarify myself. “Hair” was of course a cover, from the stage show. In later years when they re-formed they performed their own original songs, but most people, from what I gather, seemed to only want to hear their big hits (I forgot to mention “Indian Lake” and also “Love American Style”). I didn’t mean to imply that they had written “Hair.” nvad, I too am sorry for the loss of your friend. I’m glad that more people remember The Cowsills than it first seemed, and that someone who knew him personally knows that there are people who care. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2006, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barry-cowsill-found-dead-in-new-orleans/338707/34 "2006-01-06T20:14:00Z")
> [@Mr Bus Guy](#): > > _bangs **Twickster** really hard on the side of the head and starts singing "99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall_ Thanks – that’s _much_ better. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2006, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barry-cowsill-found-dead-in-new-orleans/338707/35 "2006-01-06T20:17:01Z")
> [@kelly5078](#): > > The Cowsills had a miserable existence, from all I’ve read. This was a really messed up guy from a really messed up family. I knew some of that history, but didn’t want to talk about it because I have no real details. It is all very sad. I’ve always liked Susan Cowsill too. When I was a kid I liked to pretend that she was my sister because I didn’t have any. In other words, I wanted to be part of the Cowsills. At least until I realized it was weird having a crush on Barry. You can’t have a crush on your brother! Eww. I think that was the first moral dilemma of my life. Barry? Family? Barry? Family? I don’t remember the outcome. ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2006, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barry-cowsill-found-dead-in-new-orleans/338707/36 "2006-01-06T23:27:51Z")
> [@Equipoise](#): > > I knew some of that history, but didn’t want to talk about it because I have no real details. It is all very sad. > > I’ve always liked Susan Cowsill too. When I was a kid I liked to pretend that she was my sister because I didn’t have any. In other words, I wanted to be part of the Cowsills. At least until I realized it was weird having a crush on Barry. You can’t have a crush on your brother! Eww. I think that was the first moral dilemma of my life. Barry? Family? Barry? Family? I don’t remember the outcome. OK, I get the idea that i won’t get any of this history on their website. is there anyplace that I can read about them? thanks, hh ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2006, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barry-cowsill-found-dead-in-new-orleans/338707/37 "2006-01-06T23:29:55Z")
> [@handsomeharry](#): > > OK, I get the idea that i won’t get any of this history on their website. is there anyplace that I can read about them? > thanks, > hh When I say ‘this history’ I meant about the dysfunctionality of the Cowsills, not the brother/sister thing. hh ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2006, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barry-cowsill-found-dead-in-new-orleans/338707/38 "2006-01-07T00:25:02Z")
> [@handsomeharry](#): > > When I say ‘this history’ I meant about the dysfunctionality of the Cowsills, not the brother/sister thing. > hh I don’t know. I know what I know just from vaguely hearing things over the years. I have to say though, I’d really hate for a thread about Barry Cowsill’s tragic death to turn into a sordid Cowsill family dirty laundry thread. If someone else knows anything or wants to pass along any information, I’d urge them to please start another thread. It’s just a suggestion (plea). ---
**Author:** ![nvad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/51bf81/32.png) [@nvad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nvad)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2006, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barry-cowsill-found-dead-in-new-orleans/338707/39 "2006-01-09T00:44:51Z")
> [@Equipoise](#): > > nvad, I too am sorry for the loss of your friend. I’m glad that more people remember The Cowsills than it first seemed, and that someone who knew him personally knows that there are people who care. Thanks for the kind words, Equipoise, and everyone else. Barry was tormented by the fact that he was basically written off as a “has been” by the time he was a teenager and battled some personal issues as a result, but he was one of the kindest and most uniquely intelligent people I have ever met. It’s nice that some people remember him. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barry-cowsill-found-dead-in-new-orleans/338707.md?page=1)