The time I spoke with David Cassidy (1950-2017) in 2003

ajc.com

Credit: Rodney Ho

Credit: Rodney Ho

Posted Tuesday, November 21, 2017 by RODNEY HO/rho@ajc.com on his AJC Radio & TV Talk blog 

1970s "Partridge Family " star David Cassidy died today at age 67 after organ failure.

Earlier this year, he announced he had early stages of dementia, the same disease his mother and grandmother had.

RELATED: His obituary

I spoke with Cassidy briefly on the phone July, 2003 before he appeared in concert in Cobb County.

Here's the Peach Buzz item I wrote more than 14 years ago when Cassidy was 53:

This week, Cassidy survived 10 minutes with "Southside" Steve Rickman of 96rock, who didn't even know that Cassidy was coming to Atlanta. Rickman also mistook the Brady Bunch's Florence Henderson for his stepmom and "Partridge Family" stage mom Shirley Jones.

"I'm willing to roll with anybody, " Cassidy told Buzz on his way to the airport from Los Angeles en route to Atlanta. "It's like going to the dentist and getting Novocaine done."

Cassidy, 53, has been touring for three years since he left a successful six-year run producing and starring in shows in Las Vegas and still loves singing the hits from his '70s heyday such as the No. 1  hit "I Think I Love You." "I'm having more fun than ever before because of the way the world is, " especially since 9/11, he said. "People want to go out and feel like it's OK to sweat and scream and throw underwear."

Indeed, he said the strangest Cassidy memorabilia from the '70s was "David Cassidy underwear for little girls. I balked but I had no control over it. About $500 million worth of David Cassidy memorabilia was sold back then, and I got maybe $5,000."