Having not obtained international record distribution by the end of 1996, The Blue Shadows broke up, amidst "creative differences" which were, as Cowsill acknowledged, precipitated by his addictions to drugs and alcohol,[4] which impaired his ability to contribute to songwriting meetings, band rehearsals and, ultimately, performances.
[8] The actual end of the band occurred during a layover in Ottawa, Ontario, when Cowsill crashed their van into a laundromat.
One of Cowsill's final wishes, prior to his 2006 death, was that On The Floor of Heaven would be re-released and be appreciated by a wider audience.
[13][14] During the 1990s, The Blue Shadows made a professional live recording for CBC, which was played on the radio and televised as part of a strategy to promote their studio releases.
This live recording is highly regarded by fans who heard the radio broadcast or watched the television special.
The performance was later showcased on the archive portion of the CBC website, to coincide with the Deluxe Edition reissue of "On The Floor Of Heaven" in 2010.
Both studio albums, including "Lucky To Me" and the 2010 Deluxe Edition reissue for "On The Floor Of Heaven," have become out of print on CD and are considered to be collector's items.