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From Garage Band to Global Hit: The Partridge Family Story
26 Sep
Summary
- The Partridge Family premiered on ABC in 1970, inspired by The Cowsills.
- The hit song 'I Think I Love You' topped charts months after the show aired.
- The show concluded after four seasons in March 1974.
The Partridge Family first graced television screens on September 25, 1970, premiering on ABC after The Brady Bunch. This musical sitcom drew inspiration from the 1960s family band, The Cowsills. It centered on a widowed mother, Shirley, and her five children who formed a popular musical group.
The pilot episode, "What? and Get Out of Show Business?," saw Shirley joining her children's band after their lead singer fell ill. With their agent Ruben Kincaid, their first record became a national sensation. Notably, Johnny Cash made an uncredited guest appearance in this debut episode.
Life imitated art when the song 'I Think I Love You' quickly rose to the top of the charts, launching David Cassidy, who played Keith Partridge, into superstardom. Although session singers performed the vocals in the pilot, Cassidy and Shirley Jones became the primary vocalists for the show's music.
The series garnered Grammy and Golden Globe nominations during its run, including a nod for Best New Artist in 1971. The Partridge Family concluded its four-season journey on March 23, 1974.
