Her debut solo vocal was a song called "Ask the Children", featured in the Cowsills' third MGM album, Captain Sad And His Ship Of Fools.

The first single, released (apparently) in July 1976, was a cover of the Carole King/Gerry Goffin song "It Might As Well Rain Until September" (which was originally recorded by King herself in 1962.)

Beginning in the early 1980s, she worked as a backing vocalist for varying artists including Dwight Twilley, the Smithereens, Carlene Carter, Mike Zito, and Hootie & the Blowfish.

By the early 1990s, she had developed an affinity for Americana-style music, which in 1991 led to her joining the Continental Drifters, further honing her songwriting talents.

[7] She has also made guest appearances on others' albums including Hootie and the Blowfish's 2003 self-titled release, Paul Sanchez's 2008 album Exit to Mystery Street, Giant Sand's 1992 release Glum, and A Fragile Tomorrow's Beautiful Noise (2008), Tripping Over Nothing (2010), and Be Nice Be Careful (2013).

[5][8] The Susan Cowsill Band's "Covered In Vinyl" performances have featured classic rock albums played live in their entirety.

Two album releases have been compiled from these shows: Live at Carrollton Station: Covered In Vinyl Series Vol.

The CIV band has included New Orleans guitar virtuoso Jimmy Robinson (Woodenhead, Twangorama), Pete Winkler (Motorway), Caleb Guillotte (Deadeye Dick), Derek Huston, Paul Sanchez, and many others.

The album features harmonies from her surviving brothers (Bob, Paul and John) as well as appearances by Jackson Browne and Vicki Peterson, and was released May 18, 2010.

[10] In August 2014, after playing together for more than 20 years, Cowsill and Peterson released their first album as the Psycho Sisters, entitled Up on the Chair, Beatrice.

[citation needed] She and her band performed as themselves in the HBO drama Treme (2011, season 2, episode 8 titled "Can I Change My Mind"), set in post-Katrina New Orleans.