The Kickstarter Campaign Has Officially Launched!

Well, here we are, gang! I hope you are as excited as I am! 

The Campaign has been launched within moments of this blog post! We have till May 31 to reach our goal! 

We have an exciting 30 days ahead of us, and I hope that you will all join me on the wild bus ride to get this book published and on the shelves for  Partridge Family fans, music fans, and fans of classic television!

In the next 30 days, you, the fans, will decide whether this book gets published. Here's the link that will take you over to our page on Kickstarter.com or you can go to Kickstarter.com and search for us by using the title of the book, When We're Singin' The Story of The Partridge Family and Their Music. It's time to have some fun on the campaign trail! 

"Come on now, and meet everybody....and hear us singin!"  Right?

A "Lost" Album Jacket Design!

Did you know there was a PARTRIDGE FAMILY album jacket design  that was never used? Get the entire story behind the lost design-directly from the artist who created it, and see the image, itself in the photo section of the book!

But we are keeping you in suspense! Join us on Kickstarter.com in only 24 hours and learn, much much more!  

Thinking about Suzanne

Dear friends,

As the day has worn on, I have been unable to do anything but think about Suzanne Crough and her family. It is all quite shocking and devastating. Before I could bring myself to continue promotion on the book, I felt the need to take this extra day of silence, if you will, in memory of Suzanne.

When I first met Suzanne, she was like talking to an old friend. She had that way about her. She was instantly personable and casual. Some years later, I saw her an an autograph show, and to my surprise, she remembered me. The photo I have posted here is the one in which Suzanne signed for me that very day. Coincidentally, it was this particular day that I spoke with her about my interest in doing a book. It was just a seed in the back of my mind at the time, but she  encouraged me to follow through with it. Flash forward a couple years.

When Suzanne spoke with me on the phone during our interviews, she was that same instantly casual, fun, sincere person I had met several years before. She still had that very broad sense of humor--the kind that makes you not just laugh out loud, but ROAR out loud! It is one of the things I will remember most about her. It isn't something I wrote about in the book because it is more of my own personal memory. But I find myself wanting to share it with all of you.  

One time we spoke while she was in her car, and she had to put me on hold because she said she was at the Starbucks Drive-Thru. It just made me laugh for some reason. Once again, there was that quality she possessed that made you feel like you were talking with your closest of friends. She had the ability to make you feel very special.

I have no photos of The Partridge Family framed or hanging on my wall, but this photo is going to be my first. In the days and months to come,  let's continue to wish the best for her family as we all remember her with our hearts.

Johnny Ray Miller

In Loving Memory - Suzanne Crough

Only moments within posting our previous news item did we discover that the world has lost Suzanne Crough. 

Feeling shocked and stunned, as I am sure all of you are as well, all of us at When We're Singin' send our most heartfelt sympathies to Suzanne's family, and we hope and pray they are comforted by their loved ones during this most difficult time. 

In Loving Memory.

Bell Records

Larry Uttal was president of Bell Records, a record label on top of the world during the run of The Partridge Family. When the show went off the air, Bell Records was also changing hands. Uttal went on to a new venture and Clive Davis took over, renaming the label Arista.

For the first time ever, former Bell Records executives are interviewed about The Partridge Family and share stories and insights about the record label and how it worked in tandem with the television show! Find out who came up with all the record album cover designs and the powerful and unbreakable image of The Partridge Family that was marketed to the entire world!

The Youngest of Memories

Little Ricky Segall joined The Partridge Family in the 4th season as the little boy next door. Ricky was only 4 years old when he got the part, and although his short stint on the show was brief, he walked away from this experience with a tremendous amount of opportunity going forward. His memories of being on the set of The Partridge Family and working with the other cast members are precious and heartfelt.

Ricky earned an album deal with Bell Records, thanks to Wes Farrell, who discovered the songwriting talent of Ricky’s father, Rick Segall, Sr. When We’re Singin’ offers up the memories of both father and son in a special segment discussing the album deal and the attempt to take The Partridge Family TV show into a 5th season without David Cassidy. 

Some Quotes from the book, "When We're Singin' "

How would you describe the voice of David Cassidy?

“ …an indelible sound…one of the most under-rated artists of all-time…L. Russell Brown, songwriter.

Why is When We’re Singin’ an exciting and important book for fans?

“It’s important they know the origin. It happens with a team of people. The creative dynamic is what really counts…that’s what makes us what we are.” Paul Anka, singer/songwriter.

“Of all the bands we had, David Cassidy was one of the nicest. As a live vocalist, he held his own.” Beverly Weinstein, Executive VP of production , Bell Records.

The Partridge Family was sentimental. It changed the way people think about TV. Jeremy Gelbwaks, actor, “Chris Partridge”

“I’m not surprised by the impact…the personalities of the younger boomers were forming when they were watching that show as kids…” Paul Junger Witt, producer

The Partridge Family Bus

There is no Hollywood TV vehicle out there that can rival the great Partridge Family bus! Hear the stories behind the creation of the bus for the very first time, as told by series Creator Bernard Slade, Producer Paul Junger Witt, and several former executives of Bell Records!

Shirley Jones tells stories of learning to drive the bus, and the countless number of replica busses she has seen along the way! Brian Forster, Danny Bonaduce and producer Mel Swope all offer up stories of working on the bus and the difficulties of shooting out on the road!

The details behind the Partridge Family bus are mostly untold to date, and When We’re Singin’  has the scoop!  As a featured story, you will hear new revelations on what happened to the bus after the series cancelled. It is a story filled with twists and turns and a very surprising road map told for the very first time! Rest assured, It's worth the weight in Partridge Diesel fuel! 

The Music + The Image = Global Phenomenon

When We're Singin' explores the effort behind matching the image of the Television show to the sound of the music.

While the producers and creators of the TV show were crafting the look and feel of the show, the music was being done at Western Recorders, Studio 2, and Wes Farrell was in charge. Farrell was highly driven, and it was his responsibility to come up with credible pop music, but it had to match the desired image of the show.

He pulled the best musicians, singers and songwriters of the day into the project, and as a result the music was truly rooted in an adult contemporary, or easy listening sound.  With the music as believable as the strength of its image created through the magic of television, (thanks to some really terrific actors and directors) the marketing of this product took off on an international roller coaster ride that proved to be bigger than any TV/Music marketing package ever created up to that point.