David Cassidy, R.I.P.

Singer and actor David Cassidy passed away tonight at the age of 67. He was hospitalized on Saturday with multiple organ failure. Earlier this year, Cassidy announced he had been diagnosed with dementia and would retire as a performer.

The son of actors Jack Cassidy and Evelyn Ward, the younger Cassidy became an iconic figure in the early 1970's for his portrayal of Keith Partridge in The Partridge Family which ran on ABC from 1970-1974. He co-starred with his stepmother Shirley Jones and the two of them would have a monster hit "I Think I Love You". Cassidy would record several albums and become a popular concert attraction though this success was marred by the death of a fan at one of his concerts in London in 1974.

Cassidy would never return to this level of stardom though not for lack of trying. He did star in the original Broadway production of Joseph & The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat in 1982, enjoyed a modest comeback in 1990 with the Top 40 hit "Lyin' to Myself" and starred in the short-lived ABC Family TV series Ruby & The Rockits in 2009.

On a personal note, I actually saw Cassidy perform in 2008 at a free summer concert in Boston sponsored by the now defunct Oldies 103.3. I'm sorry to say it was one of the worst concerts I ever attended. Most of the audience walked out on en masse due to the poor quality of the music and Cassidy's excessive banter between songs. I recall one concert goer say aloud, "I can't believe I liked this s*#t."

Cassidy's last few years have been rough ones. His alcoholism resulted in several DUI arrests prior to his dementia diagnosis earlier this year.

Under the circumstances, I'm sure most would prefer to remember David Cassidy at the height of his powers in 1970 when he sang "I Think I Love You". R.I.P.