Love Is All That I Ever Needed. Chapter 10. A New Contract And A New Challenge
1970 was very busy, but still David was able to enjoy some free days and privacy. It was obvious 1971 would be more demanding. He was frustrated by not being paid well enough for his hard work.
When, at last at home after many hours on the set and in the recording
studio, it wasn’t easy to calm down, to relieve stress, and to forget about work.
David was always ‘a night owl’. Morning was never the best part of the day for him so it was
hard getting up very early when new episodes were filmed.
During breaks on the
set there were photo sessions and interviews. In the evening long hours were spent at the
recording studio. On weekends he was to promote the
show and TPF’s music.
David wasn’t materialistic, but always wanted to get what he felt he deserved. In spring of 1970,
he was satisfied with $600 a week. It was even less because he had to pay Ruth Aarons and
his agent. In 1969, he earned about $3000, but in 1971 the situation was completely different.
He was a star of a very popular tv show, a recording artist and a teen idol. His albums sold
millions of copies. However, he didn't receive royalties for making records. No money at all.
It was frustrating for him, but suddenly something really extraordinary turned out.
According
to David Cassidy’s autobiography, it was in the fall of 1971. At the time he was already
playing concerts, but he still got just $600 from Screen Gems. Someone from the studio
discovered that David's contract with them actually was not legally valid. When it was signed,
he was a minor. It would have been valid only if Jack or Evelyn signed it too, but neither of
them did it.
What a situation! Screen Gems paid David so little compared to the money they
earned on him, and the work he did. And unexpectedly it was Ruth and him to demand what
they wanted. The negotiations started..
David became one of the highest paid tv stars. His base salary shot up from $600 to $4,000
a week. That was a lot of money in 1971. Ruth could have asked for more, but she didn’t.
Screen Gems showed its gratitude by giving David a very expensive gift. A car for a superstar
- Chevrolet Corvette Stingray. The newest model. The best and fastest sports car. But not
forever, he could use it as long as he was Keith Partridge..
According to the new contract, David was to be paid royalties for the records and the profits
from all Partridge Family and David Cassidy merchandising.
Screen Gems agreed on
everything Ruth and David asked. Also that the contract would be shortened from seven to
four years. David hoped he wouldn’t be pigeonholed as a teen idol and Keith Partridge. He
wanted to have artistic freedom and control on his career.
He was very satisfied with the new
contract. Screen Gems - not so much. They felt cheated and robbed. They made a star of
David, and he became ungrateful, demanding and too big for his boots in their opinion. Such
was the studio’s attitude.
Screen Gems and Bell Records never paid David all they should
have, and they never forgave him for that new contract. They hadn’t forgotten that he had
stood up to them.
Ruth Aarons and David could have been generous to Screen Gems because David already
had been earning huge money somewhere else. It turned out that David Cassidy was a great
and charismatic live performer.
Already in the winter of 1970 Ruth Aarons made the first booking for him, for $8000. Not bad
for someone who never really played concerts. Only at parties with some garage bands when
he was a teen. He sang on Broadway, but just two or three short musical numbers in duet. He
was a member of the cast and not a solo act.
It was something completely different going out on stage alone, and singing for thousands of
people. For fans who wanted to see and hear a favorite star.
The first concert was to be played in an 8,000-seat auditorium in Seattle. The day was fixed
on March 26, 1971. A lot of other bookings began pouring in.
The show was a hit and in the
first months of 1971, the Partridge Family’s records, 2 first albums and 2 singles were in Top
10 and sold millions of copies.
Rehearsals started. Experienced and very good musicians were to accompany David on stage
- drummer Ed Greene and bassist Emory Gordy.
Richard Delvy was hired as David’s musical
director. During his career, Delvy (1942-2010) was involved in every aspect of the music
business. He started in the early 60s as a drummer and surf music pioneer, and later was
working as composer, arranger, a music producer and a conductor. He was someone who
could really help David become a great concert act.
It was decided that David would be backed
by 8 men (brass and rhythm line) and Steve Ross. Steve was chosen because David wanted
to have a friend on stage with him. He also had a high opinion of Steve’s guitar playing.
Richard Delvy, who knew everybody, invited three artists to play for 30 minutes as an opening
act and as backing singers for David.
Two of the three were Kim Carnes and her husband,
Dave Ellingson. A few years older than David, musicians, songwriters, and backing session
singers, Kim just released her first solo album in 1971. Kim Carnes and Dave Ellingson not
only toured with David, but they wrote songs together and, first of all, became very close
friends.
The third singer who also performed solo and as a backing vocal was Brooke
Hunnicut, singer and arranger. She released a solo album for Bell Records in 1970. She left
at the end of the year.
David’s roommate, Sam Hyman, was hired to take care of the merchandising. At the
beginning, he was just selling posters. For the first show in Seattle, 600 posters were printed,
and they were sold in the first hour. Just 2 concerts were scheduled in March to check if people
would like to see David Cassidy singing live.
The reality exceeded the wildest expectations…
David Cassidy ;’Could It Be Forever?’, 2007, p.176
Chapter 1
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