Susan Cowsill Is Covered In Vinyl Again

Susan Cowsill, the youngest of the famous musical family The Cowsills, has recorded a new album with her band (The Susan Cowsill Band), which is now on sale at her website.

“Live at Carrollton Station: Covered In Vinyl Series Volume 2” is the much-anticipated follow up to the first “Covered In Vinyl” album from 2007. Proceeds from the sales of these albums go toward the efforts to rebuild New Orleans after the Hurricane Katrina tragedy in 2005. Organisations that directly benefit from these sales include The Carrollton Station Fund and The New Orleans Musicians’ Relief Fund.

Along with this collection, Cowsill is also preparing to launch her next album of original music, “Lighthouse,” through Threadhead Records, which is set for mixing and post-production in December for a hopefully early 2010 release.

Cowsill states: “While we wait to mix our next CD Lighthouse in early December, we have completed mixing and compiling a couple CIV CDs to make available to y’all. VOL 2 has 1-4 songs from 6 different CIV shows over the last few years. The albums from those shows were Aerosmith’s “Greatest Hits”, The Beatles’ “Revolver”, David Bowie’s “Ziggy Stardust”, Linda Ronstadt’s “Heart Like a Wheel”, Sly and the Family Stone’s “Greatest Hits”, and Bruce Springsteen’s “Born to Run”. Truly live and full of fun, joy, and love. Hope y’all enjoy it. Y’all can purchase from our website store.”

In 2005, Cowsill released her very successful debut solo album “Just Believe It” which has already been reissued twice to popular demand, and besides her early career with her family, she has also released five albums with her former band The Continental Drifters. Also in this band were Cowsill’s sister-in-law Vicki Peterson from The Bangles, former husband Peter Holsapple, new husband Russ Broussard, Mark Walton, Carlo Nuccio, Robert Mache, and Ray Ganucheau and Gary Eaton (the latter two having left the band before their big breakthrough.) Although the Drifters officially split in 2001, they have recently put aside old differences and emotional turmoils to tour on and off again as a band, particularly for benefits to raise money for their beloved grass roots home, New Orleans.

In 2008, Cowsill became a part of a project called “Congo’s Angels” whose purpose was to record a CD of interweaving themed songs to raise awareness and funding to help combat the rising abuse of women and young girls in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Cowsill collaborated with a vast array of talented and compassionate performers including: Irma Thomas, Neko Case, Eliza Gilkyson, Caroline Aiken, Karen Protti-Bailey, Claire Holley, Kim Carson, Theresa Davis, Mary LaSang, Ruby Rendrag, Gospel Gossip, Sonia Tetlow, Herman Put Down The Gun, Karen Garrabrant, Dede Vogt, Caroline Herring, Janet Bean, and Leilani Rivera Bond.

Here are a couple of excerpts from the press release for “Congo’s Angels.”

“Women singers, songwriters, and poets have donated 20 tracks for this limited edition compilation CD to raise awareness about violence against women in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Congo Week is a global initiative led by students throughout the globe to raise awareness about the escalating violence against women and children in the Congo and provide support. Students and community organizers in at least 100 countries and 1,000 campuses are expected to organize an activity or event in solidarity with the people of the Congo. All proceeds from the sale of “Congo’s Angels” will go directly into a special account, designed to offer transparency in accounting. Friends of the Congo,a U.S. based tax-exempt non-profit, will manage this account. No monies, except minimal distribution costs, will be taken from sales.

1.1 million people are displaced in North and South Kivu provinces and living in unspeakable conditions in refugee camps. 200,000 women and children have been raped and brutalised. It is estimated 1,200 people die every day, and it could be stopped tomorrow with enough international will say human rights groups. Anneke van Woudenberg, the Congo specialist for Human Rights Watch, has urged independent journalists to explore the reasons behind the violence. “Things have gotten worse in the last few months,” she said. “We desperately need firsthand reports of what is happening here.”

In the meantime, fans are eagerly awaiting a possible second volume of songs from these inspirational musicians, both for the brilliant music on offer, and for the chance to make a real difference in the lives of these women who are suffering, often in silence.