Love Is All That I Ever Needed. Chapter 37. A Crooner. And Boone Vincent.
In 2003 David again had a chance to show his skills as a serious actor. He performed in the
TV show ‘Agency’. The series followed the inner-workings of the CIA and its war with Al
Qaeda. One of the producers was Shaun Cassidy.
The series had a great cast: Beau Bridges,
Will Patton, and Gloria Reuben. This is difficult to believe but the pilot about the planned lethal
attack on western countries was to premiere at the CIA headquarters on September 18, 2001.
The episode with David was called ‘War, Inc.’ and was one of the last episodes of that unlucky
drama. It was aired on CBS on April 26, 2003. David played a wealthy CEO, who lost over
200 employees on 9/11. He was very convincing in the role of that hunted man, Everett Price.
And he looked fabulous in posh suits, mature and very handsome.
In 2003 he played 32 concerts in the USA and Canada, and they were just great. David was in
fantastic shape and outstanding vocal form, relaxed and happy on stage. Very natural. There
was less of the Las Vegas image, he was more of a rocker again. He told jokes, laughed and
talked with the audience. He always gave everything, even if sometimes he played outdoor
concerts in difficult weather conditions, or he and his band reached the place just an hour or
two before the gig.
And he had a new drummer. A girl. Teri Cote.
From a fan review : “He was in the best mood, and so generous and signed one autograph after another while he
was singing. (..) The guards were trying to get us to sit down and David said: ’Oh, don’t make
them sit down!’ And he smiled at us. It was a happy, different David’.’
Those concerts were for fans. Some people still couldn’t understand why that bond, that love
which started more than 30 years ago, was still so strong. ‘David Cassidy is obviously used to
being loved. Cassidy’s show was equal parts nostalgia, Vegas and Velveeta. Think jazz
bands. Think sweat-soaked hankies given to fans. (..) Fans chanted ‘David!David!David!’ for
an encore that never happened. Perhaps, after all there is such a thing as too much love,’
On November 3, 2003 a new David Cassidy album, called ‘A Touch Of Blue’ was released in
the UK, by Universal, with new material and a bonus CD with old hits, again produced by Ted
Carfrae. The songs were covers with one, amazing exception, ‘New York City Life’ penned by
David. What a shame he wrote only one such song.
Listening to David Cassidy singing that
great composition, only one word comes to mind - a crooner. Crooners - the most outstanding
masters of jazz or blues standards. Bing Crosby, Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra, Bobby
Darin..and David Cassidy, especially on this album.
The other songs were great covers, like always he made each song his own. ‘Since I Fell For
You', Buddy Johnson’s standard in David’s interpretation had a bluesy/jazzy feeling,
emotional ‘A Song For You’ (Leon Russell), and a slower, big-band style ‘Breaking Up Is
Hard To Do’ version. Great gospel-blues cover of Paul Simon’s ‘Mother And Child Reunion’,
and a moving ‘Blackbird’ by Lennon/McCartney.
The album was impeccably produced, had
excellent sound, all songs beautifully sung by David. His voice was deeper - still so powerful
and very emotional.
Everybody could admire his fabulous voice on October 21, 2003 when David Cassidy had the
honor to sing ‘God Bless America’ during the 7th inning stretch of Game 3 of the 033 World
Series in Miami. For David, always an American patriot and a huge sports fan it was an unique
experience. Not an easy one - to sing it acapella, standing alone in the middle of a huge
stadium. 30 years earlier he sung in such places, but he was young and the girls were
screaming. This time it was only his voice, and people who were listening to him and singing
with him. David sang beautifully.
Besides the dramatic role in the ill-fated ‘Agency’, in 2003 David Cassidy also played a
character which showed his great comic talent and that he could make fun of himself. He
appeared on the very popular TV series, ‘Malcolm In The Middle’. The first episode from
Season 5, called ‘Vegas’. He was very funny playing the vain, former teen idol, Boone Vincent.
David said: ‘If you don’t have a sense of humor, you are dead.(..) On Malcolm In The Middle
I’m playing the character of Boone Vincent, the combination of every egomaniacal, egocentric,
really and truly lame individual in entertainment I’ve ever met. It’s kind of omelet of them.
People will think I'm sending myself up, because I do a Vegas act. And in a way, I am.’
In 2004 David played several concerts at Mohegan Sun Wolf Den in Uncasville, CT, and in
October ‘The Rat Pack Is Back' was also played there. David played at Wolf Den more than
twenty concerts during his career. It became a kind of tradition - his performances at this place.
It was a small venue, the atmosphere was great, and fans came from America and Europe
specially for those gigs. David enjoyed playing there.
In May he was in the UK and had 12 concerts. The one performed at Hammersmith Apollo
was recorded and released on DVD in October 2004. It was called - ‘David Cassidy - Greatest
Hits Live’ and there were 26 songs on it and an interview with David.
In the summer, another
documentary, ‘David Cassidy - The Reluctant Idol’, was aired.
VH1 launched a reality show called ‘In Search of The Partridge Family’, and David became
one of the co-executive producers. At first he was against it, but he was convinced to take part
in that project and helped to choose the new ‘Keith’. It was also an opportunity to work with
Shirley Jones and Danny Bonaduce. They gave a lot of press and tv interviews together. The
new Laurie Partridge was announced 15-year old Emily Stone, who later as Emma Stone
became a movie star and Academy Award winner.
The pilot of the new Partridge Family was
made and aired, but the show didn’t go to air.
Together with Danny Bonaduce David appeared on TV series, ‘Less Than Perfect’, where they
played old pals auditioning for band members. It was fun playing the roles of former teen idols
or old rockers chasing his youth.
But he never wanted to be a nostalgia act, but that’s how it was, especially in the UK. In the
audience were mostly women who fell for David in the 70s. They wanted to listen to and sing
along to the old hits. They wanted to be as close to David as possible. They were ready to pay
a lot for ‘meet and greet’ with David. During those years they became wives, mothers, even
grandmothers, but they were still under his spell, and some fans were truly obsessed by him.
David Cassidy was a born entertainer, a natural flirt, and a very sexy man. He enjoyed the
adulation and he loved women. Those concerts were for him and his faithful fans. That was also his job. The way he earned money, and if being a former teen idol was profitable, he did
what was expected from him.
“When he sings and plays he’s very entertaining.(..) ‘I’m so blessed’ he kept saying, ‘I love you
all.’(..) He worked hard. He sang well. He charmed his way through it (..) ’Cherish’ sent the
ladies over the edge. Cassidy obviously knows why he is loved. He’s careful to keep pretty
much to a slate of favorites, and he spends plenty of time acknowledging his fans. He kissed
the girls, admired the child, rapped about his early shows, and joked about the fans who
brought albums for him to sign. That’s nice, but play already"
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