David Cassidy dies. I will miss him. This is my tribute.

By Editor & Publisher Jeff Brown.

Sadly, singer David Cassidy died Tuesday evening at a hospital in Fort Lauderdale, Florida after being admitted to the intensive care unit several days ago for organ failure. According to a statement on David's facebook page posted at approximately 9:45 pm Tuesday night, November 21, "It is with great sadness that I post this message.

David Cassidy has meant so much to so many people.

"David was an iconic teen idol in the 70's and he maintained a career spanning movies, theatre, music, writing, directing. His multi-generational connection to so many people from all walks of life, from all around the world will be felt today.

Despite being a star, he was kind hearted, thoughtful and considerate of others and a friend.
He will be greatly missed."

Jane.

As for myself, David Cassidy certainly made quite an impression on me while growing up in the late 1960's and 70's. When I was in elementary school back in Flint, Friday night meant two things. First, Friday meant that, mercifully, the school week had ended, and second, it meant the Partridge Family. Yep, between 1970 and 1974, every single Friday night at precisely 8 pm, I parked myself in front of our massive rabbit eared Panasonic T.V. set to watch the coolest show ever, which was of course, The Partridge Family. The Partridge Family was a music sitcom that starred David Cassidy. The theme of the show was centered around a widowed mom (Shirley Jones) and her musical rock star kids who set out on a successful pop rock music career. Cassidy played the oldest son (Keith Partridge) and lead singer of the family band...and David Cassidy did actually sing! 

For the 8, 9, 10 and 11 year old me, the show was the epitome of total hip and coolness. In my book, as a kid, Cassidy was the very embodiment of cool, hip, and total grooviness. Cassidy's good looks, cool demeanor, and even cooler hair style inspired me to fall in love with rock and pop music. Sure, I loved listening to my parent's Burt Bacharach and Herb Alpert albums, but Kieth Partridge...man, that was where it was at in the early seventies!

Let me say this... by the 5th grade I had a total David Cassidy (Keith Partridge) hair style...real long and everything! Seriously, The Partridge Family show did make a huge impact on me growing up in that the show inspired in me a life-long passion for rock, pop and style.

Soon after the Partridge Family show ended in 1974, I moved on and discovered The Beatles, Rolling Stones and Bob Dylan, but I never forgot David Cassidy. I will miss him.