The Partridge Family was the '70s successor to the Monkees. Both were totally fictional rock/pop "bands" produced by Screen Gems, the television branch of Columbia Pictures. While the Monkees (TV series and band concept) were styled as mid-'60s counter-culture zaniness à la the Beatles' film Hard Days Night, the Partridge Family was strictly... [+] Read More

The Partridge Family was the '70s successor to the Monkees. Both were totally fictional rock/pop "bands" produced by Screen Gems, the television branch of Columbia Pictures. While the Monkees (TV series and band concept) were styled as mid-'60s counter-culture zaniness à la the Beatles' film Hard Days Night, the Partridge Family was strictly wholesome with traditional family values despite the lite quasi-hip tone of the show. The top-rated series first-aired on ABC from 1970 to 1974, premiering September 25, 1970. Besides the face and voice of David Cassidy ,one of the other draws of the show was the uncanny deadpan timing of Danny Bonaduce as Danny Partridge and the simmering neurosis of the group's manager Reuben Kincaid as played by Dave Madden. When sharing a scene together, the two were hysterical.

Starring stage and screen veteran Shirley Jones and then up-and-coming actor David Cassidy, The Partridge Family was loosely based on real-life family pop/rock band the Cowsills ("Hair," "The Rain, The Park & Other Things," "Indian Lake," "Love American Style"). The other Partridge siblings were Susan Dey as Laurie, Suzanne Crough as Tracy, and Jeremy Gelbwaks as Chris during the first season. Gelbwaks' parents felt uncomfortable with the ensuing mania that surrounded the show and took the youngster out of the cast. He was replaced in the role by Brian Foster. The only members of the cast heard on the records are lead vocalist Cassidy and Shirley Jones on background vocals. All of the Partridge Family records were originally released on Bell Records. The harmonies on the Family's records were quite similar to another Bell act, the 5th Dimension.

As crucial as Cassidy proved to the success of the show, it may come as a surprise that the producers were skeptical about hiring him because they were wary of the fact that Shirley Jones was his stepmother. Jones assured them that her and Cassidy were on good terms. At the height of the show's popularity, Cassidy received 30,000 letters per week.

In the premiere episode, the Partridge siblings ask their mom Shirley to help them make a record label demo. Recording "I Think I Love You," the family gets signed to a record label and has a number one record their first time out. "I Think I Love You," written by Tony Romeo and producer by Wes Farell, actually did become a number one million-selling pop hit, holding down the spot for three weeks beginning November 21, 1970.

Other Partridge Family hits were: "Doesn't Somebody Want to Be Wanted," another million-seller hitting number six pop in early 1971; "I'll Meet You Halfway," which hit number nine pop in spring 1971; and "I Woke Up in Love This Morning" from summer 1971. Besides "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do," none of the other Partridge Family singles broke the Pop Top 30. The huge album sales were fueled by the show's practice of fully featuring two songs per episode. As with the Monkees, top L.A. session players the Wrecking Crew (bassist Joe Osborn, drummer Hal Blaine, and keyboardist Larry Knechtel) were recruited to play on the Patridge Family hits. The Crew can also be heard on the background music of the TV series.

Though he contributed a song or two to the Partridge Family songbook ("Love Is All That I Ever Needed"), Cassidy felt creatively stifled and wanted to have a musical identity outside of the show. Getting a deal with Bell, his first solo single,"Cherish," was a number nine pop million-seller and hit number one on the adult contemporary charts in November 1971.

The Cherish LP was released around February 1972. In the mid-'70s, he signed with RCA Records, though none of the singles charted.

Of course, with a phenomenally successful Top Ten TV show comes the opportunity for a merchandising bonanza. There were Partridge Family games, magazines, coloring books, music and paperback books, pillow cases, toy guitars, dolls, lunch boxes, beach towels, paper dolls, and a line of children's clothing, which generated about 500 million dollars in licensing revenue for the studio. With so much money being generated from his visage, Cassidy wanted a piece of the profits. With no provision in the original contract for merchandising revenue sharing, the producers rebuffed his request. In an effort to compensate for this loss and to cash in on his own fame, Cassidy began playing weekend concerts in front of tens of thousands of fans. The exhaustive schedule had Cassidy dragging himself onto The Partridge Family set on Monday mornings. Then a loophole was found in the contract. Since Cassidy was a minor when he signed the contract, the terms were deemed null and void. With this revelation, Cassidy was able to get a more appealing contract, ask for and receive a salary increase, as well as a piece of the merchandising pie, making him the highest paid entertainer of that time. As the show became increasingly popular, Cassidy became more at odds with the squeaky clean image of the Keith Partridge character. To alleviate the dichotomy, Cassidy did a scathing interview in Rolling Stone, basically knocking the show, admitting to his marijuana use and groupie sex. He also posed for a frontal, semi-nude poster that was included in the issue. To no avail, the show's ratings remained high. After four seasons, Cassidy decided to call it quits, and the producers, deciding that there was no show without him, stopped production on the show.

After the run of the series was over, Cassidy appeared in a critically acclaimed episode of the NBC anthology series Police Story. This led to Columbia Television producing David Cassidy: Man Undercover for the network. The combination of bad scripts and inability of some of his fans to not see him as anybody other than Keith Partridge caused the series to be short lived. Despondent over the loss of his father, actor Jack Cassidy, in a penthouse fire on December 11, 1976, and the unresolved issues in their relationship, depleted finances (he made 8 million dollars between 1970 and 1974, by 1980 his assets totaled 100,000 dollars), and his failing career, Cassidy suffered a bout with depression and substance abuse. Having hit rock bottom and through the support of his friends, the entertainer sought professional counseling. Back on track, Cassidy began performing in theater starring in George M. Cohan's Little Johnny Jones in 1981, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat in 1983, Blood Brothers with Petula Clark, with his half-brother and former teen idol Shaun Cassidy in Blood Brothers on Broadway, and Time on London's West End. Going back in the recording studio, he recorded a fall 1990 pop hit, "Lyin' to Myself," for Enigma. He wrote and sang the theme song for NBC's The John Larroquette Show and developed a sitcom pilot for Fox, Ask Harriett, that was similar to '80s Tom Hanks/Peter Scolari sitcom Bosom Buddies.

In 1994 Cassidy's memoir "C'mon, Get Happy...Fear and Loathing on the Partridge Family Bus (Warner Books ,out of print) detailed the "sexcapades," his alcohol and drug abuse, and his depression when he was no longer a star. He was most bitter about the money others made from his image. Though in the '90s, he collected residuals on cable channel Nickelodeon's Nick at Nite broadcasts of the show and royalties from Partridge Family records reissued on Razor & Tie.

In 1996, Cassidy landed a two-year contract for the special effects laden Las Vegas musical EFX. He also appeared at the MTV Music Awards with Susan Dey and hosted specials on VH1. He released two albums in the '90s: Didn't You Used to Be..." (Scotti Bros., 1992) and Old Trick, New Dog (Slamajama, 1998). A 1999 tour was scheduled for the entertainer, but it was postponed due to a foot injury he suffered from the physically taxing 1,000-plus performances of EFX.

Most of the cast made guest appearances on other TV shows but eventually drifted into private life. Danny Bonaduce, after much-publicized travails, had a successful career as a radio DJ with stints in Philadelphia, Chicago, and New York. During the mid-'90s, he had his own nationally syndicated talk show, Danny, produced by Columbia Pictures Television. One segment was a Partridge Family reunion sans Cassidy and Dey. Susan Dey starred in the feature films Looker, First Love, various TV movies, and the hit NBC show L.A. Law. On June 18, 1999, Jones received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Fifth Annual Temecula Valley International Film Festival. That same year, she hosted a Disney Channel special with platinum-selling new age group Mannheim Steamroller, Mannheim Steamroller Meets the Mouse.

Berated by some, just as the Monkees were ("the Fabricated Four," a snide variation of the Beatles' press-tagged nom de plume, the Fab Four) for not being a "real" band, the Partridge Family (the TV show and the record releases) have outlasted their contemporary critics, selling over 25 million records and leaving a lasting legacy of fan clubs and enduring rock/pop/bubblegum music. ~ Ed Hogan, All Music Guide [-] Hide

The real-life inspiration behind the hit television series The Partridge Family, the Cowsills -- teen siblings Bill, Bob, Barry, John, Susan, and Paul in tandem with mom Barbara -- were one of the biggest pop acts of the late '60s, scoring a series of hits including "The Rain, the Park and Other Things" and "Hair," distinguished by their angelic... [+] Read More

The real-life inspiration behind the hit television series The Partridge Family, the Cowsills -- teen siblings Bill, Bob, Barry, John, Susan, and Paul in tandem with mom Barbara -- were one of the biggest pop acts of the late '60s, scoring a series of hits including "The Rain, the Park and Other Things" and "Hair," distinguished by their angelic harmonies and sun-kissed melodies. The group's origins lie with Bill and Bob, who as children began their singing careers covering Everly Brothers hits. Given guitars by their father, Navy man William "Bud" Cowsill, the siblings soon recruited younger brothers Barry and John to play bass and drums, respectively, and as Beatlemania dawned, the teen foursome began performing live at school dances and church socials throughout their native Newport, RI. Soon the Cowsills landed a regular weekend gig at the local club Bannisters Wharf, and in 1967 recorded the single "All I Really Wanta Be Is Me" for the Joda label; the record generated little response, however, and after an appearance on NBC's The Today Show the group signed to Mercury, issuing three more singles to negligible interest.

Mercury producer Artie Kornfeld remained convinced of the Cowsills' commercial appeal, however, and independent of the label set up another recording date; this time, however, he convinced their mother, Barbara, to contribute vocals to the session, which yielded the stunning "The Rain, the Park and Other Things." With their wholesome family image a marketing godsend, Kornfeld sealed a deal with MGM, which issued the single in the fall of 1967; it eventually rose to number two nationally, selling over a million copies. The Cowsills' self-titled debut LP soon followed, and with the title track from 1968's We Can Fly, the family scored their second hit, in the meantime adding two more siblings -- sister Susan and brother Paul -- to the lineup. "Indian Lake" reached the Top Ten later that year, and in 1969 the group scored its biggest chart entry with the title song from the rock musical Hair. Around that same time Columbia Pictures' television division dispatched a group of screenwriters to observe the Cowsills' daily lives for a possible series based on their story; the show never panned out, but was later fictionalized as The Partridge Family.

By the time The Partridge Family hit the airwaves in 1970, however, the Cowsills' career was on the decline, and in the wake of the 1971 LP On My Side, the group disbanded. That same year, Bill Cowsill (who was briefly considered to replace Brian Wilson in the Beach Boys' touring lineup) issued a solo LP, Nervous Breakthrough, but otherwise the siblings were musically inactive for much of the decade; in the late '70s, Bob, John, Susan, and Paul recorded a batch of original material with producer Chuck Plotkin, but the sessions remain unreleased. Although Barbara Cowsill died on January 31, 1985, in the 1990s Barry mounted a solo career, Bill founded the country group the Blue Shadows, and Susan joined the Continental Drifters, an all-star New Orleans-via-Los Angeles combo also featuring her husband, ex-dB Peter Holsapple, and onetime Bangle Vicki Peterson. In 1994, the "core four" -- Bob, John, Susan, and Paul -- contributed a newly recorded Cowsills track, "Is It Any Wonder," to the Yellow Pills, Vol. 1 pop compilation; a new studio album, Global, followed in 1998.

When Hurricane Katrina ravaged New Orleans on August 29, 2005, Susan and her family had already evacuated, but Barry, also a New Orleans resident at the time, had not. Susan had received a phone call from Barry as late as September 1. The family searched for any sign of him for four months before his body was recovered and identified on December 28. Things didn't improve any in 2006 when Billy died in February at the age of 58 after some lingering health issues. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide [-] Hide

In some ways, the Sweet epitomized all the tacky hubris and garish silliness of the early '70s. Fusing bubblegum melodies with crunching, fuzzy guitars, the band looked a heavy metal band, but were as tame as any pop group. It was a dichotomy that served them well, as they racked up a number of hits in both the U.K. and the U.S. Most of those... [+] Read More

In some ways, the Sweet epitomized all the tacky hubris and garish silliness of the early '70s. Fusing bubblegum melodies with crunching, fuzzy guitars, the band looked a heavy metal band, but were as tame as any pop group. It was a dichotomy that served them well, as they racked up a number of hits in both the U.K. and the U.S. Most of those hits were written by Nicky Chinn and Mike Chapman, a pair of British songwriters that had a way with silly, simple, and catchy hooks. Chinn/Chapman and Sweet were smart enough to latch on to the British glam rock fad, building a safer, radio-friendly and teen-oriented version of Queen, T. Rex, and Gary Glitter. By the end of the '70s, the group's time at the top of the charts had expired but their hit singles lived on not only as cultural artifacts, but also as the predecessors for the pop-metal of the '80s.

Originally, the Sweet were called the Sweetshop and consisted of Brian Connolly (vocals), Mick Tucker (vocals, drums), Frank Torpey (guitar), and Steve Priest (bass). In 1970, the group truncated their name to Sweet and signed a record contract with Fontana/EMI, releasing four unsuccessful singles. Following the failure of the four singles, Torpey left the group and was replaced by Andy Scott. The new lineup of Sweet signed to RCA Records in 1971, where they were placed under the direction of songwriters Nicky Chinn and Mike Chapman. Chinn and Chapman wrote a number of light bubblegum pop songs for the group, the first of which, "Funny Funny," reached number 13 on the U.K. charts. Following "Funny Funny," the duo wrote five more Top 40 hits for the group -- including "Little Willy" and "Wig-Wam Bam" -- which were all lightweight bubblegum numbers loaded with double entendres. During this time, Sweet were writing their own B-sides and album tracks. All of the group's compositions were harder than Chinn and Chapman's songs, featuring crunching hard rock guitars. Consequently, the duo decided to write tougher songs for the group. "Blockbuster," the first result of Chinn and Chapman's neo-glam rock approach, was the biggest hit Sweet ever had in the U.K., reaching number one on the charts in early 1973 and eventually going platinum. For the next two years, Sweet continued to chart with Chinn and Chapman compositions, including the Top Ten hits "Hell Raiser," "Ballroom Blitz," "Teenage Rampage," and "The Six Teens."

By the summer of 1974, the members of Sweet had grown tired of the control Chinn and Chapman exerted over their career and decided to record without the duo. The resulting album, Sweet Fanny Adams, reached number 27 in the U.K., but it yielded no hits. In the spring of 1975, Sweet had their first self-penned hit with "Fox on the Run," which reached the Top Ten in both the U.K. and the U.S. "Fox on the Run" appeared on the collection Desolation Boulevard; in America, it's release helped "Ballroom Blitz" reach the Top Ten in the summer of 1975. Strung Up, released in the fall of 1975, continued the group's move toward album-oriented rock. For the rest of the decade, the group continued to churn out albums, which were all less successful than their predecessor. Sweet bounced back into the charts in 1978 with "Love Is Like Oxygen," but the single proved to be their last gasp; they never reached the Top Ten again, neither in the U.S. or the U.K.

Connolly left the band after "Love Is Like Oxygen" and the group replaced him with keyboardist Gary Moberley. The group carried on for three more years, releasing three more albums that all achieved little success. After several years of little success or attention, Sweet broke up in 1982. In the decade following their breakup, Sweet reunited on various occasions. In 1985, a dance club medley of their hits called "It's the Sweet Mix" became a British Top 50 hit and, following the single's success, the group re-formed for a tour that proved to be less anticipated than expected. Later in the decade, Scott toured as part of the group Paddy Goes to Holyhead. In 1989, Scott and Tucker re-formed Sweet to record a live album at London's Marquee Club. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide [-] Hide

Following the breakout success of the Jackson 5 in 1970, it was practically inevitable that a pre-existing quintet of brothers, who had already enjoyed almost a decade in the national spotlight, would follow them to teen-idol superstardom. With dynamic youngest brother Donny as a focal point (much like Michael was for the Jacksons), the Osmonds... [+] Read More

Following the breakout success of the Jackson 5 in 1970, it was practically inevitable that a pre-existing quintet of brothers, who had already enjoyed almost a decade in the national spotlight, would follow them to teen-idol superstardom. With dynamic youngest brother Donny as a focal point (much like Michael was for the Jacksons), the Osmonds did exactly that, enjoying a run of massive popularity during 1971-1972. While their success as a unit began to wane and had flickered out by the end of 1974, the Osmonds spun off a long-lasting show-business career for Donny (as well as sister Marie), and the other members of the group even enjoyed a successful comeback as country artists.

Born to George and Olive Osmond of Ogden, Utah, brothers Alan (b. June 22, 1949), Wayne (b. August 28, 1951), Merrill (b. April 30, 1953), and Jay (b. March 2, 1955) began singing together in 1959, honing their performance skills at family-entertainment venues such as county fairs and amusement parks. At this point, the brothers chiefly sang barbershop harmony, mixing some gospel tunes into their repertoire as well. In 1962, George took the boys to Los Angeles, hoping to secure an audition for The Lawrence Welk Show; after Welk refused to see the group, their father eased the disappointment with a trip to Disneyland, where the brothers gave an impromptu concert with another barbershop quartet employed by the park. The Osmonds were signed on as regular nighttime performers, and luck smiled on them just a few weeks later when the father of popular singer -- and newly minted variety-show host -- Andy Williams caught their act and recommended them to his son. Five days before Christmas in 1962, the Osmonds made their national television debut on The Andy Williams Show, on which they would continue to appear regularly until its cancellation in 1967. About a year after that initial appearance, younger brother Donny (b. December 9, 1957) officially joined the group as well, and the Osmonds soon began to broaden their musical range with clean-cut pop songs.

Following the demise of the Williams series, the Osmonds moved on to The Jerry Lewis Show, where they stayed until 1969. In 1970, the commercial explosion of family bubblegum groups such as the real-life Jackson 5 and the fictional Partridge Family made the Osmonds obvious candidates for pop stardom. MGM president Mike Curb signed the Osmonds and sent them to work with Muscle Shoals studio owner and famed R&B producer Rick Hall. Hall's staff songwriter George Jackson had penned a surefire hit titled "One Bad Apple," which appeared on the group's debut album Osmonds. Released as a single at the very beginning of 1971, "One Bad Apple" shot up the charts and landed in the top spot for five weeks, finally establishing the Osmonds as recording stars after nearly a decade in the public eye. A steady stream of hits continued unabated through 1972, including "Double Lovin'," the Top Five hits "Yo-Yo" and "Down by the Lazy River," "Hold Her Tight," and "Crazy Horses." Their albums sold well too; Osmonds went gold, as did its four followers -- 1971's Homemade and the 1972 triumvirate of Phase-III, The Osmonds -- Live, and Crazy Horses. What's more, Donny's concurrent solo career was in full swing as well, with "Go Away Little Girl" topping the singles charts in 1971.

The Osmonds' momentum was slowed a bit in 1973 with The Plan, a concept album about their Mormon faith that failed to connect with the record-buying public to the same degree (although it was surprisingly popular in the U.K.). Younger sister Marie Osmond began making public appearances with the group later that year at the age of 13 (although she was never an official member), and scored a solo hit with "Paper Roses." In the end, changing tastes and an excess of spinoff projects proved to be too much for the original Osmonds to last as a group; 1974's "Love Me for a Reason" was the quintet's last Top Ten single, by which point Donny and Marie had established their own separate careers (although they often recorded as a duet act over the next few years). The group didn't officially disband until 1980, but as a unit, they had long since ceased to be a commercial force in pop music.

The early '80s found the four eldest members of the Osmonds performing together as a country act under the name the Osmond Brothers, and achieving respectable commercial success; Marie followed a similar musical path after the Donny and Marie variety show (which ran from 1976-1978) was cancelled. Donny made a brief comeback in the late '80s as a contemporary dance-pop singer, and he reunited with his sister in the late '90s for a daytime talk show, also called Donny & Marie. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide [-] Hide

Widely perceived as one of the archetypal bubblegum artists of the late '60s, Tommy Roe cut some pretty decent rockers along the way, especially early in his career -- many displaying some pretty prominent Buddy Holly roots. In fact, Roe's initial pop smash, 1962's chart-topping "Sheila," was quite reminiscent of Holly's "Peggy Sue," utilizing a... [+] Read More

Widely perceived as one of the archetypal bubblegum artists of the late '60s, Tommy Roe cut some pretty decent rockers along the way, especially early in his career -- many displaying some pretty prominent Buddy Holly roots. In fact, Roe's initial pop smash, 1962's chart-topping "Sheila," was quite reminiscent of Holly's "Peggy Sue," utilizing a very similar throbbing drum beat and Roe's hiccuping vocal. The singer had previously cut the song for the smaller Judd label before remaking it in superior form for ABC-Paramount. The infectious "Everybody" -- another hot item the next year -- was waxed in Muscle Shoals at Rick Hall's Fame studios, normally an R&B-oriented facility (it's not widely known that Roe wrote songs for the Tams, a raw-edged soul group from his Atlanta hometown).

Once Roe veered off on his squeaky-clean bubblegum tangent, he stuck with it for the rest of the decade. His lighthearted "Sweet Pea" and "Hooray for Hazel" burned up the charts in 1966, and he was still at it three years later when he waxed his biggest hit, "Dizzy," and "Jam Up Jelly Tight." ~ Bill Dahl, All Music Guide [-] Hide

Tommy Roe's Greatest Hits on MCA is a fine 18-track collection that serves up the bubblegum icon's best songs and very little filler. Unlike a large number of Roe collections, this disc contains all original recordings made during his prime. And what a prime it was! Between 1962 and 1969, Roe was responsible for some of the brightest, snappiest... [+] Read More

Tommy Roe's Greatest Hits on MCA is a fine 18-track collection that serves up the bubblegum icon's best songs and very little filler. Unlike a large number of Roe collections, this disc contains all original recordings made during his prime. And what a prime it was! Between 1962 and 1969, Roe was responsible for some of the brightest, snappiest bubblegum on the planet. From the funky breakbeats of "Dizzy" to the hushed romanticism of "It's Now Winter's Day" to the swampy groove of "Jam Up and Jelly Tight," there are enough hits here to make you think twice about calling Roe anything less than Hall of Fame material. This collection does a fairly good job of rounding up the hits and great songs, though there are a few omissions that knock it down a notch ("Cinnamon," "Money Is My Pay") as does the inclusion of a mediocre take on "Stagger Lee" from the early '70s. A couple of collections have come along since the release of this to challenge it's worth, but they are each flawed in their own way too. Until the perfect Roe collection comes along, this is a fine purchase. And if you are a fan of bubblegum, pop, or good old rock & roll, you need some Tommy Roe in your collection. ~ Tim Sendra, All Music Guide [-] Hide

Not a Tony Burrows album proper, but an 18-song compilation of records that he sang lead on from 1969 through 1985 (mostly from the first half of the 1970s), for Edison Lighthouse, First Class, White Plains, the Brotherhood of Man, the Pipkins, the Flowerpot Men, and others. All the big hits are here ("Love Grows," "Gimme Dat Ding," "My Baby... [+] Read More

Not a Tony Burrows album proper, but an 18-song compilation of records that he sang lead on from 1969 through 1985 (mostly from the first half of the 1970s), for Edison Lighthouse, First Class, White Plains, the Brotherhood of Man, the Pipkins, the Flowerpot Men, and others. All the big hits are here ("Love Grows," "Gimme Dat Ding," "My Baby Loves Lovin'," "United We Stand," "Beach Baby"), as well as quite a few misses. It's candy-floss early '70s pop of the most disposable variety, many of the flops being pale Beach Boys imitations. ~ Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide [-] Hide

Although the sound is poor and the packaging is skimpy, Golden Classics is a perfectly reasonable 17-track collection of the Ohio Express' Buddah singles, featuring the majority of their hits, including "Yummy Yummy Yummy," "Down at Lulu's," "Chewy Chewy," "Sweeter Than Sugar," "Mercy," "Pinch Me (Baby, Convince Me)" and "Sausalito (Is the Place...

Although the sound is poor and the packaging is skimpy, Golden Classics is a perfectly reasonable 17-track collection of the Ohio Express' Buddah singles, featuring the majority of their hits, including "Yummy Yummy Yummy," "Down at Lulu's," "Chewy Chewy," "Sweeter Than Sugar," "Mercy," "Pinch Me (Baby, Convince Me)" and "Sausalito (Is the Place to Go)." ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide [-] Hide

If you have fond memories of watching The Brady Bunch while growing up or if you have all the episodes on tape, there's no escaping it -- It's A Sunshine Day: The Best of the Brady Bunch is indispensable. If your appreciation of The Brady Bunch is not so intense, the abundance of bad singing and playing that clutter this disc will not be... [+] Read More

If you have fond memories of watching The Brady Bunch while growing up or if you have all the episodes on tape, there's no escaping it -- It's A Sunshine Day: The Best of the Brady Bunch is indispensable. If your appreciation of The Brady Bunch is not so intense, the abundance of bad singing and playing that clutter this disc will not be charming or endearing; it will just be irritating. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide [-] Hide

This platter is the first of seven non-seasonal offerings from the pre-fabricated-for-television entity known as the Partridge Family. The idea took root in both the overtly marketing-oriented Monkees' multimedia project and combined it with the infinite storyline possibilities inherent in the honest to goodness pop/rock relations, the Cowsills.... [+] Read More

This platter is the first of seven non-seasonal offerings from the pre-fabricated-for-television entity known as the Partridge Family. The idea took root in both the overtly marketing-oriented Monkees' multimedia project and combined it with the infinite storyline possibilities inherent in the honest to goodness pop/rock relations, the Cowsills. The Partridge Family ran on ABC-TV from September 25, 1970, through August 31, 1974. Just as the Monkees had been created to do, a few of the primary cast members -- in this case, Shirley Jones (vocals) and David Cassidy (vocals) -- were also the Partridge Family's lead vocalists. The campaign ultimately yielded a consistently high-rated television program and The Partridge Family Album (1970) -- which was issued only a few weeks after the show's debut -- became the first of seven Top 40 LPs that yielded a pair of Top Ten hits on a double-sided 45 containing both "I Think I Love You" and "Doesn't Somebody Want to Be Wanted." Accompanying Cassidy and Jones are session gurus Hal Blaine (drums), Larry Carlton (guitar), Joe Osborne (bass), and Larry Knechtel (keyboards). Providing the sucrose-laden backing vocals is the six-member Love Generation, who ultimately participated on all of the Partridge Family's LPs. Along with a cast of co-collaborators, it was Wes Farrell who created the sound that would become most synonymous with the "Family." One of the only non-Farrell cuts is the Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil side "I Really Want to Know You." This is of particular note as it was also recorded by the Cowsills on one of their concurrent efforts. Along with "I'm on the Road'" -- the album's other Mann/Weil composition -- these also represent two tracks without a Cassidy or Jones lead vocal. Rather, the Love Generation provided a dated-sounding ersatz ensemble vocal. All 11 of the songs on The Partridge Family Album were incorporated into the TV show and several, such as "I Can Feel Your Heartbeat" and "Point Me in the Direction of Albuquerque," have become favorites even though they were not singles. In 2000, Buddha Records began restoring the Partridge Family catalog and reissued this title on CD for the first time. ~ Lindsay Planer, All Music Guide [-] Hide