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May 30, 2003David Cassidy still loves youTeen idol has staying powerByRecord-Eagle staff writer PESHAWBESTOWN - The 1970s probably weren't the high water mark for American pop culture. Even the most diehard defenders of '70s rock are unlikely to list the Partridge Family's "I Think I Love You" as their favorite tune of the decade. But 53-year-old David Cassidy still has a passionate following among those who remember him as teen heartthrob Keith Partridge, the star of that well-scrubbed musical TV family. Cassidy fans live on every inhabited continent, and there's sure to be a roomful of them on hand at the Sands Showroom June 6 and 7, when Cassidy brings his act to Leelanau County. In pop-culture terms, the rise of David Cassidy was a watershed moment. He was the first entertainment personality to be merchandised internationally; for a time his face was reproduced on thousands of lunchboxes, pillowcases and posters, he was performing to sellout crowds in concert halls from New Zealand to England, and his official fan club was the largest in history - bigger than Elvis or the Beatles. But it didn't last long. Most of Cassidy's career has been hard work on the road, in the studio and in small clubs, cranking out guest spots on sitcoms and an occasional Broadway role until finally achieving stardom again as a performer on the Vegas strip. For the past two years he's been back on the road giving concerts like the one at the Sands. "I'm an optimist," he says. "I mean, you have to be one with my career." Born to a famous acting family (his parents were Jack Cassidy and Evelyn Ward), Cassidy was already acting professionally by the time he was a senior in high school. By 1970 he was a popular guest actor on several major TV dramas - and that fall ABC cast him opposite his real-life stepmother, Shirley Jones, in "The Partridge Family." It was a defining moment. The show was an instant hit - "I Think I Love You" sold over a million copies, topping the U.S. pop chart for three weeks, and Cassidy's picture was suddenly on the cover of every teen fan magazine in the country. Capitalizing on the success of the TV show, Cassidy followed with several solo hits, including "Cherish," "Could It Be Forever," "Rock Me Baby," and "How Can I Be Sure." Then, in 1974, he "retired" as a teen idol. He traveled, got married (in 1977, to actress Kay Lenz) got divorced, and eventually returned to television for a string of forgettable guest appearances on "The Love Boat" and "Fantasy Island" - and a brief show of his own called "David Cassidy - Man Undercover." He also turned in a powerful 1979 performance in the series "Police Story" for which he received an Emmy nomination for Best Dramatic Actor. In 1984, after several years in regional and touring theater (including the starring role in "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat") Cassidy moved to England. He recorded a new album, started touring again, got married, got divorced, performed opposite Laurence Olivier in "Time," and eventually returned to the U.S. His career as recording artist was revived in 1990 with the self-titled album, David Cassidy, and its hit single "Lyin' To Myself." In 1991 he married singer/songwriter Sue Shifrin (they're still married) and embarked on his first U.S. tour in 15 years. He went on to star in Willy Russell's "Blood Brothers," on Broadway and in Britain and eventually in the North American touring production. His incarnation as a Vegas performer began in 1996, when he landed the starring role in the MGM Grand's EFX show. In 1999 he produced "The Rat Pack is Back" for The Desert Inn, and in 2000 he co-created, wrote, produced and starred in "At the Copa" at the Rio. But eventually life on the Strip paled; in 2001, he moved his family to south Florida and scaled his schedule back to a few club dates a month. That doesn't mean he isn't working. His most recent album, 2002's Then And Now, met with solid reviews and respectable sales. And he's not too proud to throw a few of his 1970s hits into every concert he plays. "I've never gone out and changed my style to suit the times," he says. "I've always stayed true to myself by trying to sing about the human experience." Tickets to the June 6 and 7 shows are $38 in advance or $48 at the door, and are available at all Ticketmaster locations or by calling the Traverse Bay Entertainment box offices at (877) 271-7980. The Sands Showroom is located in the Leelanau Sands Casino in Peshawbestown, just north of Suttons Bay.
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