Biography
The Jackson 5's explosive breakthrough during 1970 paved the way for five siblings already familiar to national audiences for nearly ten years to reach comparable heights as teen idols. Donny, the energetic youngest brother, served as the central attraction in much the same way Michael had for the Jacksons, propelling the Osmonds to peak popularity throughout 1971 and 1972. Although the group's collective momentum faded and vanished by late 1974, the brothers launched enduring entertainment paths for Donny and sister Marie while later finding renewed success themselves as country performers.
George and Olive Osmond of Ogden, Utah, raised sons Alan, born June 22, 1949, Wayne, born August 28, 1951, Merrill, born April 30, 1953, and Jay, born March 2, 1955, who began harmonizing in 1959 and refined their craft at county fairs and amusement parks. Their early sets emphasized barbershop arrangements alongside occasional gospel selections. In 1962 George brought the quartet to Los Angeles in hopes of an audition for The Lawrence Welk Show; after Welk declined, he arranged a Disneyland visit where the brothers performed spontaneously beside a resident barbershop group. The Osmonds secured steady evening engagements there, and within weeks the father of singer Andy Williams, now hosting his own variety program, noticed them and suggested they audition for his son. On December 20, 1962, the brothers made their first national television appearance on The Andy Williams Show, remaining regular guests until the series ended in 1967. Roughly a year after that debut, Donny, born December 9, 1957, formally joined, prompting the family to expand beyond barbershop into polished pop material.
After The Andy Williams Show concluded, the Osmonds moved to The Jerry Lewis Show and remained until 1969. The 1970 commercial surge of family-oriented bubblegum acts such as the Jackson 5 and the Partridge Family positioned the Osmonds for mainstream breakthrough. MGM president Mike Curb signed them and arranged sessions with Rick Hall, owner of Muscle Shoals studios and noted R&B producer. Staff writer George Jackson supplied the surefire track "One Bad Apple (Don't Spoil the Whole Bunch)," which appeared on the debut album Osmonds. Issued as a single in early 1971, the song climbed to number one and held the position for five weeks, finally establishing the Osmonds as recording artists after nearly a decade of visibility. Additional hits followed steadily through 1972, among them "Double Lovin'," the Top Five singles "Yo-Yo" and "Down by the Lazy River," "Hold Her Tight," and "Crazy Horses." Album sales proved equally strong; Osmonds earned gold certification, as did Homemade from 1971 and the 1972 releases Phase-III, The Osmonds Live, and Crazy Horses. Meanwhile Donny's parallel solo career flourished, with "Go Away Little Girl" reaching the top of the charts in 1971.
The group's progress eased in 1973 with The Plan, a concept album centered on their Mormon beliefs that found less resonance among American buyers than prior efforts, though it performed notably well in the U.K. Thirteen-year-old sister Marie began appearing publicly with the brothers that year, though never as an official member, and scored her own solo success with "Paper Roses." Shifting musical tastes and numerous side projects ultimately shortened the original quintet's run; "Love Me for a Reason" from 1974 marked their final Top Ten single, even as Donny and Marie pursued independent paths, frequently collaborating as a duet act in subsequent years. The group did not formally dissolve until 1980, yet they had ceased functioning as a major pop entity long before that point.
In the late 1980s Donny staged a short-lived return as a contemporary dance-pop vocalist and Broadway performer, later reuniting with Marie in the late 1990s for the daytime talk show Donny & Marie. Marie placed several tracks on the country charts during the 1990s and appeared on one season of the ABC series Dancing With the Stars in 2007. Starting in the early 1980s the four oldest brothers—Alan, Merrill, Wayne, and Jay—performed as the country outfit the Osmond Brothers and enjoyed solid commercial results. Alan stepped away from the stage in 1996, after which Jimmy Osmond assumed his role. The lineup continued issuing recordings sold via their website and at The Osmond Family Theatre in Branson, Missouri.
George and Olive Osmond of Ogden, Utah, raised sons Alan, born June 22, 1949, Wayne, born August 28, 1951, Merrill, born April 30, 1953, and Jay, born March 2, 1955, who began harmonizing in 1959 and refined their craft at county fairs and amusement parks. Their early sets emphasized barbershop arrangements alongside occasional gospel selections. In 1962 George brought the quartet to Los Angeles in hopes of an audition for The Lawrence Welk Show; after Welk declined, he arranged a Disneyland visit where the brothers performed spontaneously beside a resident barbershop group. The Osmonds secured steady evening engagements there, and within weeks the father of singer Andy Williams, now hosting his own variety program, noticed them and suggested they audition for his son. On December 20, 1962, the brothers made their first national television appearance on The Andy Williams Show, remaining regular guests until the series ended in 1967. Roughly a year after that debut, Donny, born December 9, 1957, formally joined, prompting the family to expand beyond barbershop into polished pop material.
After The Andy Williams Show concluded, the Osmonds moved to The Jerry Lewis Show and remained until 1969. The 1970 commercial surge of family-oriented bubblegum acts such as the Jackson 5 and the Partridge Family positioned the Osmonds for mainstream breakthrough. MGM president Mike Curb signed them and arranged sessions with Rick Hall, owner of Muscle Shoals studios and noted R&B producer. Staff writer George Jackson supplied the surefire track "One Bad Apple (Don't Spoil the Whole Bunch)," which appeared on the debut album Osmonds. Issued as a single in early 1971, the song climbed to number one and held the position for five weeks, finally establishing the Osmonds as recording artists after nearly a decade of visibility. Additional hits followed steadily through 1972, among them "Double Lovin'," the Top Five singles "Yo-Yo" and "Down by the Lazy River," "Hold Her Tight," and "Crazy Horses." Album sales proved equally strong; Osmonds earned gold certification, as did Homemade from 1971 and the 1972 releases Phase-III, The Osmonds Live, and Crazy Horses. Meanwhile Donny's parallel solo career flourished, with "Go Away Little Girl" reaching the top of the charts in 1971.
The group's progress eased in 1973 with The Plan, a concept album centered on their Mormon beliefs that found less resonance among American buyers than prior efforts, though it performed notably well in the U.K. Thirteen-year-old sister Marie began appearing publicly with the brothers that year, though never as an official member, and scored her own solo success with "Paper Roses." Shifting musical tastes and numerous side projects ultimately shortened the original quintet's run; "Love Me for a Reason" from 1974 marked their final Top Ten single, even as Donny and Marie pursued independent paths, frequently collaborating as a duet act in subsequent years. The group did not formally dissolve until 1980, yet they had ceased functioning as a major pop entity long before that point.
In the late 1980s Donny staged a short-lived return as a contemporary dance-pop vocalist and Broadway performer, later reuniting with Marie in the late 1990s for the daytime talk show Donny & Marie. Marie placed several tracks on the country charts during the 1990s and appeared on one season of the ABC series Dancing With the Stars in 2007. Starting in the early 1980s the four oldest brothers—Alan, Merrill, Wayne, and Jay—performed as the country outfit the Osmond Brothers and enjoyed solid commercial results. Alan stepped away from the stage in 1996, after which Jimmy Osmond assumed his role. The lineup continued issuing recordings sold via their website and at The Osmond Family Theatre in Branson, Missouri.
Albums
