Shaun Cassidy: From Teen Heartthrob To Writer And Producer
By February 8, 2022
As the son of Oscar winner Shirley Jones, the son of Tony winner Jack Cassidy, and the half-brother of David Cassidy, Shaun Cassidy seemed to be destined for a career in show business. His early stardom eventually led to a different path, albeit one that is still connected to his origins.
He Got His Start In Music
Cassidy, who was born on September 27, 1958, grew up in Los Angeles and New York City. He attended the Solebury School, a boarding school in Bucks County, Pennsylvania before graduating from Beverly Hills High School. While he was still in high school, Cassidy signed a contract with Warner Bros. Records. Under this contract, he recorded the albums Shaun Cassidy, Born Late, Under Wraps, Room Service, and Wasp. Prior to the 1977 release of his first album in America, he released some hit singles. That first album, Shaun Cassidy, was a multi-platinum release. From the album, he released the number one U.S. single, “Da Doo Ron Ron, and the song “That’s Rock ‘n’ Roll,” written by Eric Carmen, which reached No. 3. He was also nominated for the Grammy Award for Best New Artist. Cassidy released his follow-up album, Born Late, which included “Hey Deanie,” and the single climbed to No. 7 on the charts. Born Late also included a cover of “Do You Believe in Magic?” which was a moderate hit for Cassidy. His cover of The Lovin’ Spoonful’s song reached No. 31. He released his third album in 1978, Under Wraps. Despite the fact that it sold a million copies, he was starting to lose his teen star appeal. His fourth album, Room Service, didn’t chart on the Billboard 200, and with the failure of that album he tried to change his musical tactics for his final album, Wasp, which he released in 1980. Wasp was produced by Todd Rundgren and had more of a rock feel than previous albums. At the age of 22, after this final album, he decided to leave his career in music behind him, instead pursuing an acting career.
