Bell Records' Beverly Weinstein is a Backer!

Beverly Weinstein, Bell Records' Vice President of Production has just become a backer of this campaign to publish "When We're Singin'!"

Beverly signed a limited number of Bell Records Souvenir Coasters especially designed for this campaign! On the back, she hand-wrote her title, VP of Production! A very rare collector's item! 

Beverly was with Bell Records from the company's earliest beginnings. She worked under president Larry Uttal until Bell Records was absorbed by Arista in 1974. Beverly was in charge of Art Direction for all of the album designs.  She spoke with us on several occasions and put us in touch with several other former employees who were also interviewed for this book! We are very proud to have her as a campaign backer!

The Six Degrees of David Cassidy

This gorgeous 8 X 10 photo of David Cassidy is offered exclusively through Henry Diltz photography as a premium for our campaign to publish "When We're Singin' - The Partridge Family and Their Music." This shot was taken in Paris while on tour!

I’m sure you have heard about the Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon, but have you ever considered the Six Degrees of David Cassidy? Find out how the Partridge Family music connects with the unlikeliest of rock legends!

If Kevin Bacon is the center of the film industry, we believe David Cassidy is very likely the center of the music industry!

David Cassidy on Tour, 1974

It started in March of 1971 when David Cassidy performed his first concert in Seattle, Washington. By spring of 1972, he was posing nude for Rolling Stone in an attempt to break his squeaky clean image. He became the highest paid performer on the planet and he toured the world through spring of  1974. In his final concert tour, a young fan tragically died at his White City Stadium concert in the U.K. which took its toll on David.

David Cassidy at Melbourne Cricket Ground in Austaralia, 1974. This Henry Diltz photo is available as a premium on our campaign at Kickstarter.com for the release of "When We're Singin' - The Partridge Family and Their Music." Offer ends May 31! Hurry!

When We’re Singin’ recounts the unimaginable rise of a superstar, his staying power, and the effect it had during The Partridge Family years.  There has never been a roller coaster ride quite like it.

Meet the REAL Partridge Family Background Singers!

Ron Hicklin, Jackie Ward, John and Tom Bahler were the real voices behind The Partridge Family, and some say the four best session vocalists in the industry. Many insiders feel that there was no one else who could have handled the intense work needed to complete the Partridge Family albums, and When We’re Singin’ details the thoughts and memories of each of these legendary vocalists as told in their own words! 

Surprise Details Behind ALL the Partridge Family Album Jackets!

Did you know there is a story behind every single Partridge Family album jacket design? Read the never-before-told stories that start with "The Partridge Family Album" and end with the "Lost" album design! Told by the artists who created them!  Get each, detailed story in an entire chapter dedicated to these great Partridge Family album designs! 

'A Very Partridge Kickstarter,' exclusive interview at The Huffinton Post!

When We're Singin' grabbed more national attention today, this time from The Huffington Post! We did an exclusive interview with contributor Mike Ragogna who strongly supports the Kickstarter Campaign to get the book published. The link to the article is here.

This Sticker Pack is just one of the many rewards that can be found at our campaign over at Kickstarter.com.

Don't wait one more second, Partridge Family fans! We need you at Kickstarter.com now! Help put this book on the shelves--a book that showcases The Partridge Family and their music. Help get this book published so the story of this music can be available to fans and to the new generations to come! 

We are selected as a Staff Pick at KICKSTARTER!!

Hello World Hear the Song that we're singin!!!!

I have just been notified by KICKSTARTER that "When We're Singin'" has been selected as a Staff Pick by the  KICKSTARTER team!! This is a HUGE endorsement for us! They choose select campaigns from THOUSANDS that are currently running! Tell all your friends! This is big news for us! Let's go for a wild bus ride on the Partridge Family campaign and get this book funded!!

A Partridge Family Caricature, By Artist Glen Hanson!

Glen Hanson drew and painted this Partridge Family piece several years ago as an original design specifically created for me. For the first time, this print will be offered to the public in numbered, limited edition quantity, with each piece signed by Hanson exclusively for this campaign. Hanson has done caricatures on other retro TV shows including The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Wonder Woman, The Golden Girls, and Charlie’s Angels. Hanson is an internationally accomplished artist and his caricature of Charlie’s Angels was also featured as a book cover! Check out the reward item over at KICKSTARTER.COM now!

24 Hours In, and 10% Funded!!

After our first 24 hours of launch, I am very pleased to report that we are showing an amazing 10% already funded towards our goal in bringing this book to life! 

There is certainly nothing quite like connecting with all of you who care so much about this project.  Your energy and eagerness to get on board and make this book a reality is fueled with an obvious passion, and you have sent us flying out of the gate!  Let's keep going!  Tell your friends and family!  Share it on Facebook and Twitter!  Get everyone on board that you can! 

Commemorative Lyric Sheet for "Doesn't Somebody Want To Be Wanted" signed by songwriter, Mike Appel! Only available on Kickstarter.com!

If you haven't already, please remember to sign up for our daily blog and you will get these daily updates sent automatically to your email. We will be doing a newsletter too, about once a month, and we'd love for you to sign up on that as well!

Back to the campaign trail....

Johnny

Songwriters, Boyce & Hart!

Other than Wes Farrell, Bobby Hart is credited on more Partridge Family songs than any other songwriter who wrote for the group. Bobby Hart offers up his memories to WHEN WE'RE SINGIN' on how his involvement with The Partridge Family came to be, and why his long-time writing partner, Tommy Boyce, was not on board for more of the songwriting efforts!

Hart wrote some of the greatest album cuts found on the later half of the Partridge Family albums, including “Sunshine,” “Looking For A Good Time,” “Money, Money,” “Girl, You Make My Day,” “I’m On My Way Back Home,” and many others, ALL of which are available as LYRIC COMMEMORATIVES at our campaign on KICKSTARTER.COM! 

We have just gone live with our campaign on KICKSTARTER.COM last night, and you can find a limited number of signed items by Bobby Hart available only from the campaign! We hope you will join us in this exciting time to produce this brand new book on THE PARTRIDGE FAMILY! 

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!  

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!

Newly-revealed interviews, Courtesy of Ken Sharp!

In 1993, author, musician and music historian Ken Sharp began research on a Partridge Family book, but soon discovered that Joey Green was already signed to do one (primarily as an episode guide) so Ken dropped his project. But Ken had interviewed the legendary Wes Farrell (music producer on all Partridge Family album) and songwriting legend Tony Romeo ("I Think I Love You") in what turns out to be the last known in-depth interviews given by these two music legends on the subject of The Partridge Family. Shockingly, both Farrell and Romeo passed away within six months of each other, and only shortly after these interviews took place. 

(Bell Records president Larry Uttal on left; Wes Farrell on right.)

Well, guess what? Along the wild ride taken in researching this book, the president of the Just David Fan Club (Barbara Pazmino) introduced me to Ken Sharp. She knew he could help me.  Ken had worked with David Cassidy on his 2008 autobiography, David Cassidy: Could It Be Forever, and he was intrinsic in getting all the outside interviews used in that book.  

Ken wanted to do whatever he could to help make When We're Singin' become the definitive book on The Partridge Family and their music, so he has graciously and whole-heartedly offered up  both the Farrell and Romeo interviews, in their entirety, for use in When We’re Singin’! Both Tony Romeo and Wes Farrell share loads of commentary, heard in the pages of this book for the very first time! Romeo and Farrell elaborate on putting the albums together, and discuss all of their individual songwriting efforts! It is a sentimental and passionate exposition of their work on this amazing body of music.

Thanks, Ken, for your incredible support!

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! 

A Tribute to Dave Madden!

In a special tribute to the late, great Dave Madden,  When We're Singin' offers the final in-depth interview from our favorite band manager regarding his days on The Partridge Family. In capturing the sometimes wild, sometimes witty and sometimes sentimental Dave Madden, we have showcased  the interview in this book as a special remembrance in a segment all of its own. 

Dave was an inspiration for many young comedians, with his sharp wit and dry sense of humor, but he was most remembered for his role on The Partridge Family as  Reuben Kincaid. There is even a band named after him! Check out the "Reuben Kinkaid!" 

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. 

20 Days and Counting...

There's only 20 days left until our campaign begins on Kickstarter.com! In the coming days we will be previewing some of the exciting items that will be available as premiums on the site! We have limited edition song lyric commemoratives signed by the songwriters, themselves! Retro clothing patches with our logo on it! Commemorative magnets, guitar picks and even book marks that have been especially designed for autographs, and hand-signed by Partridge Family Executive Producer Bob Claver!  

Remember The Partridge Family in the Aztec version of their matching outfits? :)