Gone but not forgotten

Abstract

Billy Cowsill died on this date in 2006 at the age of 58 at his home in Calgary, Alberta. Billy was part of the 1960's family pop group The Cowsills, the inspiration for the TV show "The Partridge Family." The Cowsills' single, "The Rain, the Park and Other Things," sold a million copies in 1967. Years later, Billy was part of the rockabilly group The Blue Shadows and their debut album, "On the Floor of Heaven," was released in 1993 along with their first single "Coming on Strong." A couple of years later, I sat with the group when they performed at the University of Guelph and I had to ask Billy about his photos for the CD sleeve, showing him wearing a Star Trek: Next Generation communicator badge. He told me had been on a tour of the Enterprise bridge set when actress Marina Sirtis came on the set in full costume as Counselor Deanna Troi. She gave him the communicator badge from her costume and said she had lots of them. Billy wore the badge for the photo shoots for the album!