{{Short description|American family music group (1962–2023)}} {{about|the musical group|the album|Osmonds (album)|the 1972 cartoon series|The Osmonds (TV series)|the 2022 musical|The Osmonds (musical)}} {{redirect|Osmond family|other people with the surname|Osmond (surname)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}} {{Use American English|date=April 2019}} {{Infobox musical artist| | name = The Osmonds | image = Osmonds 1971.JPG | caption = The Osmonds in 1971 (Clockwise from lower left: Alan, Wayne, Merrill, Jay, Donny) | landscape = yes | background = group_or_band | alias = The Osmond Brothers | origin = Ogden, Utah, U.S. | genre = {{Flatlist| * Bubblegum<ref>{{cite web |url=https://boingboing.net/2021/06/14/the-osmond-brothers-were-once-a-great-baroque-psychedelic-folk-pop-band.html |title=The Osmond Brothers were once a great baroque psychedelic folk-pop band |last=Frauenfelder |first=Mark |date= 14 June 2021|publisher=Boing Boing |access-date=2023-02-19 |quote=they also made some great easy-listening baroque psychedelic folk-pop [...] before they switched to a more lucrative bubblegum pop sound }}</ref> * pop rock<ref name=Brownfield>{{cite web |url=https://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2020/11/the-osmonds-50-years-of-pop-country-and-family/ |title=The Osmonds: 50 Years of Pop, Country, and Family |last=Brownfield |first=Troy |date=November 13, 2020 |publisher=Saturday Evening Post |access-date= 2023-02-19 |quote=As the second turn on the Williams show ended, the brothers in the quintet decided that they wanted to reinvent themselves as a pop/rock group. [...] Alan, Wayne, Jay, and Merrill refocused The Osmond Brothers as a country act during that time}}</ref> * country<ref name=Brownfield/> }} | years_active = 1962–2023<ref name="Huey">{{cite web|author=Steve Huey|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-osmond-brothers-mn0002149466/biography|title=The Osmond Brothers|website=AllMusic|access-date=2019-11-25}}</ref><ref name=stilltheosmondbrothers/><ref name="Musical">{{cite news|author=Amy Argetsinger|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/arts-and-entertainment/wp/2014/11/30/a-brief-musical-history-of-the-osmonds-in-13-songs/|title=A brief musical history of the Osmonds in 13 songs|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=2014-11-30|access-date=2019-11-02}}</ref> | label = {{flatlist| * MGM * Kolob * Uni * Denon * Polydor * Mercury * Elektra * Asylum * Warner Bros. }} | current_members = | past_members = * Alan Osmond * Merrill Osmond * Jay Osmond * Wayne Osmond * Donny Osmond * Jimmy Osmond }}
'''The Osmonds''' were an American family music group who reached the height of their fame in the early to mid-1970s. The group had its best-known configurations as a quartet (billed the '''Osmond Brothers''') and a quintet (the Osmonds). The group consisted of siblings, all members of a family of musicians from Ogden, Utah, and have been in the public eye since the 1960s.<ref name=stilltheosmondbrothers/>
The Osmond Brothers began as a barbershop quartet consisting of brothers Alan, Wayne, Merrill and Jay.<ref name="stilltheosmondbrothers" /> They were later joined by younger siblings Donny and Jimmy, both of whom enjoyed success as solo artists.<ref name="Musical"/> With the addition of Donny, the group became known as the Osmonds; performing both as teen idols and as a rock band, their peak lasted from 1971 to 1975.<ref name="Musical"/> Their only sister Marie, who rarely sang with her brothers at that time, launched a successful career in 1973, both as a solo artist and as Donny's duet partner. By 1976, the band was no longer producing hit singles; that year, they transitioned into television with ''Donny & Marie'', a popular variety show that ran until 1979.
A revival of the original Osmond Brothers lineup in the 1980s achieved moderate success in country music, and both Donny and Marie separately made comebacks in their respective fields in the late 1980s. The Osmonds have sold over 77 million records worldwide.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.oprah.com/oprahshow/an-osmond-family-tribute |title=An Osmond Family Tribute |work=Oprah.com |access-date=March 9, 2018}}</ref>
The quartet continued to perform through their 50th anniversary in 2007, at which point Alan and, later, Wayne retired due to health issues; Jimmy was recruited after Alan's retirement, with the group performing as a trio until Jimmy suffered a stroke and retired in 2018. On 14 October 2019, the original Osmond Brothers quartet reunited for CBS' ''The Talk'' for their sister Marie's 60th birthday, which would be the last appearance for the lineup before Wayne's death in 2025. The brothers performed "The Last Chapter", written as a farewell song and introduced in 2018.<ref name="Perform">{{cite web|url=https://www.cbs.com/shows/the_talk/video/b5bMfLSK86HnJ39oIeA1lLdoCTvb3Crm/the-talk-osmond-brothers-perform-for-very-last-time-on-the-talk-/|title=Osmond Brothers Perform for Very Last Time on 'The Talk'|publisher=CBS|date=2019-10-14|access-date=2019-11-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191103060329/https://www.cbs.com/shows/the_talk/video/b5bMfLSK86HnJ39oIeA1lLdoCTvb3Crm/the-talk-osmond-brothers-perform-for-very-last-time-on-the-talk-/|archive-date=November 3, 2019}}</ref> Donny & Marie ended an 11-year Las Vegas residency on November 16, 2019. Merrill announced his retirement in 2022 to pursue a church mission, leaving Jay as the last remaining member of the original quartet still performing (Donny continues to perform as a solo artist as well). In later years, Alan's sons, particularly Nathan and David, and Merrill's son Travis have made appearances with their uncles.
== Early careers == George Virl Osmond Sr. and Olive Osmond, members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, resided on a farm in Ogden, Utah, with their family.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Daly |first=Marsha |title=The Osmonds : a family biography |date=1983 |publisher=St. Martin's Press |isbn=0-312-58944-1 |edition=1st |location=New York |oclc=9575660}}</ref> George was a postal worker with a military background; both he and Olive were musicians within their church.<ref name=stilltheosmondbrothers>{{Cite web |last=Benson |first=Lee |date=2018-12-27 |title=They're still the Osmond Brothers after all these years |url=https://www.deseret.com/2018/12/27/20662180/they-re-still-the-osmond-brothers-after-all-these-years |access-date=2023-12-28 |website=Deseret News |language=en}}</ref> They had nine children: Virl (George Virl Jr.), Tom, Alan, Wayne, Merrill, Jay, Donny, Marie, and Jimmy. Virl and Tom were both born with severe hearing impairments.<ref name="ReferenceA">Biography: The Osmonds, Pure and Simple (documentary)</ref><ref name=":0" /> After Virl and Tom's births, doctors had warned the couple that further children would likely also have hearing impairment, but "sensing a divine message" not to stop having children, they continued having children anyway; all seven of the later children would be born with full hearing.<ref name=alans-autobiography>{{Cite web |last=LIVING |first=FRESH |date=2024-09-24 |title=Alan Osmond shares his life story in new book 'One Way Ticket' |url=https://kutv.com/features/fresh-living/alan-osmond-shares-his-life-story-in-new-book-one-way-ticket |access-date=2024-10-29 |website=KUTV |language=en}}</ref>
The eldest of the Osmond brothers who were members of the band, Alan was recognized as leader of The Osmonds, with his brothers referring to him as "No. 1."<ref name=alanosmondleadernumber1>{{cite news|url=https://people.com/alan-osmond-oldest-member-the-osmonds-dies-at-76-11954616#:~:text=Brothers%20Alan%2C%20Wayne%2C%20Merrill%2C,helped%20build%20everything%20we%20became.%E2%80%9D|title=Alan Osmond, Oldest Member of The Osmonds, Dies at 76|first=Becca|last=Langmire|work=People|date=April 21, 2026|accessdate=April 21, 2026}}</ref>
The Osmond Brothers' career began in 1958 when Alan, Wayne, Merrill, and Jay began singing barbershop music for local audiences in and around Ogden, as well as during their weekly church services.<ref name=":0" /> In their made-for-TV movie ''Inside the Osmonds'', they explain that they originally performed to earn money to help buy hearing aids for Virl and Tom and to finance their future church missions.<ref name="Inside the Osmonds DVD">"Inside the Osmonds" (DVD)</ref><ref name=stilltheosmondbrothers/> Despite their young ages (ranging from nine to three years old), within a few years the boys' talent and stage presence were strong enough that their father took them to compete in an amateur barbershop singing competition in California.<ref name=":0" />{{rp|17–19}}<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last=Osmond |first=Virl |title=The untold story of Olive Osmond |date=2009 |publisher=Knowledge Unlimited |isbn=978-1-57636-189-4 |location=Pleasant Grove, UT |oclc=495780741}}</ref>{{rp|258}} On the same trip they visited Disneyland, where Tommy Walker, Disneyland's Director of Entertainment and Customer Relations from 1955 to 1966, found the Osmond Brothers singing with the Dapper Dans on Main Street.<ref>''The Unofficial Disneyland 1955 Companion: The Anecdotal Story of the Birth of The Happiest Place on Earth'', Jim Korkis, 2016</ref><ref name=":1" />{{rp|259}} Walker hired the Osmonds to perform in the park during the following summer and to perform minor roles in the television series ''The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters,'' starring actor Kurt Russell.<ref name=":1" />{{rp|261}} The family also appeared on a segment of ''Disneyland After Dark'', which first aired in April 1962.<ref name=":0" />{{rp|20}}<ref>''The Wonderful World of Disney Television: A Complete History'', Bill Cotter, 1997</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=2007-07-23 |title=The Osmond Brothers at Disneyland |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rp-JAZQJWcc |url-status=live |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211117/Rp-JAZQJWcc |archive-date=2021-11-17 |access-date=2011-08-07 |publisher=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}</ref> The group also visited The Lennon Sisters, hoping to get their feedback given their reputation as a family harmony group; this led to a long-running friendship between the two families and (some time after a missed connection had prevented the Osmonds from auditioning for Lawrence Welk) the occasional guest appearance on ''The Lawrence Welk Show'' in the mid-1960s.<ref name=stilltheosmondbrothers/>
thumb|The boys with Andy Williams in 1964. From left: Alan, Wayne, Williams, Merrill, and Jay.
While the Osmond Brothers were working on ''Disneyland After Dark'', Andy Williams's father Jay saw them and was so impressed he told his son to book them on his television show, The Andy Williams Show.<ref name=":0" />{{rp|21–22}} Andy did, and the Osmond Brothers became regulars on the show from 1962 to 1967,<ref name="osmondbros.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.osmondbros.com/history.htm |title=History |website=Osmondbros.com |access-date=2011-08-07 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160320034659/http://www.osmondbros.com/history.htm |archive-date=2016-03-20 }}</ref> where they earned the nickname "one-take Osmonds" among staff due to their professionalism and tireless rehearsing.<ref>''Life is Just What You Make It: My Story So Far'' by Donny Osmond and Patricia Romanowski</ref> Donny soon joined them on the show, making the Osmond Brothers a five-member group.<ref name=":0" />{{rp|24}} Marie and Jimmy were also introduced on the show a few years later. During this time the Osmonds also toured Europe, performing with Sweden's most popular singer, Lars Lönndahl, and even releasing a single where they sang a Swedish version of "Two Dirty Little Hands" ("''Fem smutsiga små fingrar''").<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxwaJVgRGvk | archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211117/VxwaJVgRGvk| archive-date=2021-11-17 | url-status=live|title=The Osmond Brothers - Fem smutsiga små fingrar (1965) |publisher=YouTube |date=2008-11-02 |access-date=2015-08-25}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
''The Andy Williams Show'' ended its first run in 1967, after which the Osmond Brothers were signed to ''The Jerry Lewis Show'', staying with that show until it was canceled in 1969, after which they rejoined ''The Andy Williams Show,'' which had just returned for its second run.<ref name="osmondbros.com"/> They soon decided they wanted to perform popular music and become a rock and roll band, prompting them to shed their variety-show image. This change was difficult for their father, who was suspicious of rock and roll, but he was persuaded and the boys began performing as a pop band. George Osmond used his military training to keep his sons strictly regimented.<ref name=stilltheosmondbrothers/>
In 1967, the Osmonds had the single "Flower Music" {{abbr|b/w|backed with}} "I Can't Stop" released by UNI Records.<ref>Osmondmania (official Osmond website) captured 10/20/2012</ref> The song failed to become a hit. The group saw several other singles released over the next four years, failing to score a hit until the 1971 chart debut of "One Bad Apple".<ref name="Inside the Osmonds DVD"/>
== Pop and rock era == === Bubblegum: ''Osmonds'' and ''Homemade'' === Record producer Mike Curb saw the Osmonds perform as a band and recognized that they combined a rare mix of polished performing style, instrumental skill, and vocal talent.<ref name="osmondbros.com"/> Curb, at the time, was in the midst of a crusade against rock musicians who promoted drug use, and the Osmond Brothers represented a wholesome and drug-free alternative to the psychedelic rock of the late 1960s.<ref>{{Cite web |title=MGM Drops "Drug Groups" |url=https://calendar.songfacts.com/november/7/9592 |access-date=2024-01-26 |website=Music History Calendar}}</ref><ref name="cleanlooks">{{cite web|url=https://www.nashvillescene.com/nashville/can-mike-curb-be-as-clean-as-he-looks/content/?oid=1181622|title=Can Mike Curb Be as Clean as He Looks?|author=Beverly Keel|date=October 2, 1997|work=Nashville Scene|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120404192940/https://www.nashvillescene.com/nashville/can-mike-curb-be-as-clean-as-he-looks/content/?oid=1181622|access-date=September 22, 2021|archive-date=April 4, 2012}}</ref> He signed the Osmonds to MGM Records and arranged for them to record at Muscle Shoals with R&B producer Rick Hall.<ref name="Inside the Osmonds DVD"/> Under Hall's guidance, the Osmonds hit the top spot on the pop chart with "One Bad Apple" in 1971. The song, "One Bad Apple", written by George Jackson, was composed in the style of the Jackson 5 (Jackson denied that he had ever offered it to the Jackson 5,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.songfacts.com/facts/the-osmonds/one-bad-apple|title=ShieldSquare Captcha|website=Songfacts.com|access-date=October 2, 2021}}</ref> though the Osmonds would later state that the Jackson 5 considered recording it).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Acm64edbk7I| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211117/Acm64edbk7I| archive-date=2021-11-17 | url-status=live|title=Donny Osmond shares Michael Jackson story| date=4 March 2011|access-date=October 2, 2021|publisher=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}</ref> The Osmond and Jackson families would eventually meet in 1972 and become friends,<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20101124023137/http://jayosmond.com/news.html Jay pays tribute to Michael Jackson] (June 26, 2009). Retrieved from the Internet Archive June 20, 2021.</ref> with Donny and Michael Jackson becoming particularly close and Donny being deeply affected when Michael died in 2009. "One Bad Apple" debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 on 2 January 1971, first hitting No. 1 in February, where it stayed for five weeks.
The Osmonds soon had hits with other light, R&B-style pop numbers like "Double Lovin'" (No. 14, which was essentially a "One Bad Apple" sound-alike record) and "Yo-Yo" (No. 3). In each of these hits, the formula was the same; Merrill sang lead, and Donny was "co-lead" in essence, singing the "hook" or "chorus" of the song. At this time the Osmonds also recorded several songs that were billed to Donny, the lead soloist on the songs: "Sweet and Innocent" (No. 7), "Go Away Little Girl" (No. 1), "Hey Girl" (No. 9) and "Puppy Love" (No. 3). Uni Records also re-released their 1967 single "Flower Music", this time with "I Can't Stop" as the A-side, where it reached No. 96. Their transition to pop stars required more elaborate choreography than their original work had required, so older brother Virl Osmond—whose limited hearing was enough to follow a musical beat—taught the quintet how to dance.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.abilitymagazine.com/donny_osmond_interview.html| work=Ability| title=Interview with Donny Osmond| first1=Chet| last1=Cooper| first2=Dr. Gillian| last2=Friedman| access-date=October 5, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.heraldextra.com/news/local/oldest-osmond-sibling-shares-life-with-famous-family/article_017ad174-d755-55e1-a05a-33191c80ce9a.html|title=Oldest Osmond sibling shares life with famous family|author=Pam Blackwell|website=Daily Herald|access-date=April 21, 2019}}</ref> Olive Osmond initially taught the quintet how to sing harmony; the harmony arrangements eventually fell upon Wayne, who was found to have perfect pitch.<ref name=stilltheosmondbrothers/>
=== Transition to rock: ''Phase III'' and ''Crazy Horses'' === thumb|right|The Osmonds in their famed jumpsuits, performing in 1972. The Osmonds began writing and performing their own music, and their sound moved towards rock music beginning with their album ''Phase III''. Part of the transition to self-written music was, according to Wayne in 2004, the fact that the family was becoming dissatisfied with some of the material being offered to them not fitting their moral standards, so they started writing their own.<ref name=squeaky/> Wayne was a major influence on the family's decision to move into rock, which was a source of tension as some of the brothers would rather have remained a pop band.<ref name=":4" /> In addition to "Yo-Yo", ''Phase III'' produced the major hit "Down by the Lazy River" (No. 4).<ref name="osmondbros.com"/> Their next ''Crazy Horses'' album was the band's first personal statement{{snds}}the brothers have been quoted as saying that the title song refers to air pollution from cars,<ref name=alans-autobiography/> and its instrumentation featured an even harder rock sound bordering on early heavy metal. They wrote all the songs and played all the instruments with Alan on rhythm guitar, Wayne on lead guitar, Merrill on lead vocals and bass, Jay on drums, and Donny on keyboards; all of the brothers sang backing vocals and an occasional lead on album cuts.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ST4NLi31PQ | archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211117/6ST4NLi31PQ| archive-date=2021-11-17 | url-status=live|title=The Osmonds (video) Goin Home | date=12 November 2007|publisher=YouTube |access-date=2011-08-07}}{{cbignore}}</ref> The quintet also received a wardrobe makeover; upon the recommendation of Elvis Presley, they donned similar sequined jumpsuits designed by Bill Belew,<ref name="times">{{cite news | title = Bill Belew: Celebrity costumier who created jewelled jumpsuits for Elvis | url = http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article3226557.ece | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100523075911/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article3226557.ece | url-status = dead | archive-date = May 23, 2010 | newspaper = The Times | date = 2008-01-27 | access-date = 2009-11-10 | location=London }}</ref> which became their trademark look until the outfits were stolen from a van while the group was touring in Tennessee. (Merrill recalled in 2025 that the suits were instead designed by Bob Mackie.)<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |date=2025-04-10 |title=Merrill Osmond on the Seventies, Meeting Elvis and His 100th Cruise |url=https://www.worldofcruising.co.uk/cruise-news/merrill-osmond-allure-of-the-seas-cruise-interview |access-date=2026-01-24 |website=World of Cruising |language=en}}</ref> There are no extant pictures of Presley with the Osmonds, because Colonel Tom Parker prohibited any from being taken.<ref name=":4" /> Donny largely switched to instrumental contributions for much of 1972 to accommodate his changing voice; by 1973, Donny had settled from his former boy soprano range into a smooth baritenor voice.
Donny's voice change was a major upset to the group's original formula for success, largely eliminating Merrill's young-sounding co-lead's voice and forcing Merrill's mature tenor voice to strain to cover most of the higher notes, with audible difficulty, through the next few years. The success of ''Crazy Horses'' singles "Hold Her Tight" (No. 14) and title track "Crazy Horses" (on which Donny did not sing, but did contribute with a prominent keyboard riff) kept the group very popular through 1973. As the group toured, Donny continued to sing his solo hits, with the band progressively lowering the key until his voice change was complete.
With their clean-cut image, talent, and energetic pop-rock sound, the Osmonds toured to crowds of fans across the United States. By this time, the Osmonds had broken through in the United Kingdom as well: counting group and solo recordings, members of the Osmond family charted 13 singles on the UK charts in 1973. Some observers coined a new word, "Osmondmania", to describe the phenomenon, by analogy with the similar "Beatlemania" of the previous decade. The group also had their own Saturday-morning cartoon series in 1972 and 1973, ''The Osmonds'', on ABC-TV. Initially this audience was mostly girls who viewed the band as teen idols, but "Crazy Horses" would eventually introduce the band's stylings to a male audience.<ref name=alans-autobiography/>
=== Emergence as teen balladeers: ''The Plan'' and ''Love Me for a Reason'' === In their late teens, the older Osmond brothers were of age to go on church missions, typically expected for male members of the church. Noting that the Osmonds' music career was a major publicity boon for the church that had brought tens of thousands of new members, high-ranking church leadership exempted the Osmonds from missionary service on the logic that the group served as ''de facto'' missionaries for the faith through their fame and music.<ref name="Inside the Osmonds DVD"/><ref>[http://www.donny.com/question.pl/view/628//Did_You_Ever_Serve_A_Mission__And_Were_You_Born_In_The_Church.html] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090426055831/http://www.donny.com/question.pl/view/628//Did_You_Ever_Serve_A_Mission__And_Were_You_Born_In_The_Church.html|date=April 26, 2009}}</ref><ref name=stilltheosmondbrothers/> Merrill would eventually serve a mission in 2022 after the group disbanded.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-10-28 |title=Merrill Osmond's next gig: A Latter-day Saint mission |url=https://www.deseret.com/2022/10/27/23427297/merrill-osmond-retiring-lds-mission |access-date=2023-12-28 |website=Deseret News |language=en}}</ref>
They recorded an ambitious album in 1973 called ''The Plan'', perhaps best described as a Mormon concept album with progressive rock aspirations, with Alan describing it as aiming to reach The Beatles' "white album" in scope.<ref name=alans-autobiography/> One reviewer for ''Billboard'' suggested that ''The Plan'' carried a too-strong religious message, given that Mormonism is perceived as fairly conservative and not usually associated with the themes of rock-and-roll. The reviewer likewise suggested that the music was too varied and too experimental.<ref>[{{BillboardURLbyName|artist=the osmonds|chart=all}} ]{{dead link|date=August 2011}}</ref> In a retrospective review, Allmusic stated ''The Plan'' showed the Osmonds had "versatility and skills as musical craftsmen" but they attempted too many musical styles to make the album cohesive as a whole and some of the lyrics were "preachy".<ref name="AllMusic">{{AllMusic|class=album|id=the-plan-mw0000015694}}</ref> The album produced only two minor hits: "Let Me In" and "Goin' Home" (both No. 36 in the United States, although they both went top 5 in the United Kingdom and "Let Me In" was also a major hit on the easy listening charts). Alan considers ''The Plan'' to be the group's ''magnum opus''.<ref name=alans-autobiography/>
Following the release of ''The Plan,'' the popularity of the Osmonds as a group began to decline. Alan, Wayne, and Merrill all married their wives in 1973 and 1974 (Donny married in 1978; Jay would not marry until 1987), and the band began to slow their tour circuit.<ref name="Inside the Osmonds DVD" /> ''The Plan'' was also a major departure from the pop music which made them so popular. The combination of this album, along with Donny's voice change the year before, meant that the Osmonds' popularity with young fans would wane.
Another major factor in the band's decline was the sheer diversity of its output: within three years, the Osmonds released bubblegum pop, hard rock, and easy listening, and Donny's solo career as an oldies cover artist further muddled the band's direction. Donny's collaboration with Steve and Eydie, "We Can Make it Together" (which Alan, Wayne, and Merrill had penned for Donny), came out on the easy listening charts at the same time the much harder "Crazy Horses" song was charting.
=== Donny's solo career, and the emergence of Marie and Jimmy as spin-off acts === thumb|right|The siblings in 1974 ''(l/r)'': Jimmy, Marie, Donny, Jay, Merrill, Wayne, Alan Donny, Marie, and Jimmy soon began to emerge as solo artists. Jimmy was becoming "big in Japan" and, in 1972, had a No. 1 hit in the United Kingdom with "Long Haired Lover from Liverpool". Marie, then 13 years old, hit No. 1 on the US country chart in 1973 with "Paper Roses" (a song originally recorded by Anita Bryant a decade before). Donny had a string of pop hits with covers of earlier teen-pop songs, including "Go Away Little Girl" (No. 1, originally by Steve Lawrence), "Puppy Love" (No. 3, a Paul Anka composition) and "The Twelfth of Never" (No. 8, originally recorded by Johnny Mathis). Between 1971 and 1976, Donny had twelve Top 40 hits, including five in the Top 10; for most of these, the Osmonds were still performing as a full band, but backing and giving star billing to Donny while he sang lead.
Donny's numerous solo hits have led many to assume he was the group's lead singer. Merrill was usually the lead singer; Donny would usually sing the choruses on songs billed to the Osmonds, thus being a "co-lead". (All five members of the group sang lead at various times; Jay would sing lead on some of the group's harder rock tunes, while Alan and Wayne would occasionally contribute a lead vocal on some album tracks.) Donny's emergence as a solo star and the record company's desire to appeal to the teen-girl audience often thrust Donny out in front of the group;<ref name = "Inside the Osmonds DVD" /> the work of ''Tiger Beat'' editor Ann Moses was particularly influential in promoting Donny as a teen idol.<ref name="reunites-w-tigerbeat">{{Cite web |last=Gross |first=Ed |date=2024-09-24 |title=Donny Osmond Reunites With Tiger Beat Editor After 52 Years |url=https://www.womansworld.com/entertainment/celebrities/donny-osmond-reunites-with-tiger-beat-editor-after-52-years |access-date=2025-01-06 |website=Woman's World |language=en-US}}</ref>
By now the family was touring, recording, creating, and producing for five technically separate artists: The Osmonds, Donny Osmond, Marie Osmond, and Jimmy Osmond{{snds}}plus Donny and Marie had begun recording duets and had hits with "I'm Leaving It Up to You" (No. 4) and "Morning Side of the Mountain" (No. 8). Through all the stress and pressures created by these many efforts, the family hung together, largely at George's command.<ref name=stilltheosmondbrothers/> The 2001 ABC-TV movie ''Inside the Osmonds'' depicts the family mottoes as being "It doesn't matter who's out front, as long as it's an Osmond"<ref name=alans-autobiography/> and "family, faith, and career. In that order".<ref name = "Inside the Osmonds DVD" /> (Alan and Jay recalled a slightly different variant: "God, then family, and then career, in that order.")<ref name=alans-autobiography/><ref name=":12">{{Cite web |last=Wright|first=Amee|date=2025-12-08|title=Jay Osmond talks Idaho Falls radio show, family musical and Giving Machines performance|url=https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/jay-osmond-talks-idaho-falls-radio-show-family-musical-and-giving-machines-performance/article_7542236e-4755-4134-9f01-8ffca4ba19c4.html|access-date=2026-03-15|website=Idaho State Journal|language=en}}</ref>
The original Osmonds as a group still produced hits. In 1974, "Love Me for a Reason" reached No. 10 in the United States and No. 1 in the United Kingdom. The Irish boy band Boyzone took the song to No. 2 in the UK in 1994. "Love Me for a Reason" was the title track to the album of the same name, which featured a blue-eyed soul format (their fourth style change in less than a decade) arranged by H. B. Barnum.
=== Fall from pop prominence: ''The Proud One'' and ''Brainstorm'' === thumb|Donny and Marie, 1977 By 1976, though, the group's record sales were softening. Their 1975 album ''The Proud One'' sold poorly (despite the title track, a cover of a Frankie Valli minor hit, providing a chart-topping easy listening hit and the group's last US top-40 hit to date), and MGM Records was sold to PolyGram. Their first album on the subsidiary label Polydor was the album ''Brainstorm''; that album sold only slightly better than its predecessor, and its lead single, "I Can't Live a Dream" (another Valli cover), fell short of the top 40.
== Television era == In 1976, ABC offered Donny and Marie their own television show, ''The Donny & Marie Show''. George demanded that the Osmond Brothers work behind the scenes on the show.<ref name=stilltheosmondbrothers/><ref name="osmondbros.com"/> The family and ABC built and operated ''Osmond Studios'', a first-class television studio in Orem, Utah, where the show was produced beginning in 1977.<ref name="osmondbros.com"/> As a result, the Osmonds as a performing band became a lower priority to Donny and Marie. The older brothers deferred or gave up their dreams of being a rock-and-roll band, although Donny and Marie as a duo continued to record hits into 1978. Alan recalled not having regrets at the decision, noting that they were able to fulfill a dream while at the same time escaping the hedonism of Hollywood by building the Osmond Studios in Utah.<ref name=alans-autobiography/> In an interview with ''The Lost 45s'', Wayne Osmond suggested their abandonment of songwriting and not working on material during the TV run may have been a mistake, as their career never recovered from the hiatus. Various members of the family struggled with the transition; Donny experienced stage anxiety, Merrill struggled with bipolar disorder, and Marie had a brief bout with an eating disorder after a network executive told her she looked heavy.<ref name=":0" />{{rp|59}} Both Donny and Marie were offered roles in the 1978 film adaptation of the hit musical ''Grease'', with Donny being considered for the role of the Teen Angel and Marie for the role of Sandy; Marie turned the role down, concerned that the character's rebellious turn at the end was not a fit for her.<ref name=greasefacts>{{Cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/grease-facts/story?id=36550893|title=7 'Grease' Facts You May Not Have Known|website=ABC News|date=January 28, 2016|access-date=October 2, 2021}}</ref> Donny and Marie instead chose to star in ''Goin' Coconuts'', under the belief that it would be more family-friendly, which ended up being a critical and commercial failure.
''The Donny & Marie Show'' was canceled in 1979, and the Osmonds found themselves in debt and without a clear direction. The group switched from Polydor to corporate affiliate Mercury Records and released another album, ''Steppin' Out'', was a transitional album for the Osmonds and was produced by Maurice Gibb, as Curb had temporarily left the recording industry after being unexpectedly elected Lieutenant Governor of California.<ref name="cleanlooks"/> Among its tracks was the first recorded version of "Rest Your Love on Me", a country song that became a hit for Gibb's group, the Bee Gees, and topped the country charts in a cover version by Conway Twitty. ''Steppin' Out'' itself was a major failure, with the album failing to chart and its only charting single, "You're Mine", reaching only to No. 138 on the ''Record World'' charts; it would be their only album on the Mercury label.
The family also produced two unsuccessful projects for Marie, a sitcom pilot that never aired and a variety show revival that lasted seven episodes in 1980 and 1981.<ref name="Inside the Osmonds DVD" /> The family also fell prey to embezzlers who came on as business partners to help finance the television show; several went to prison for their crimes.<ref name=stilltheosmondbrothers/>
George Osmond refused to let the family declare bankruptcy and ordered his children honor all of their financial obligations by whatever means necessary, effectively forcing the Osmonds to return to the road.<ref name="Inside the Osmonds DVD" /><ref name=stilltheosmondbrothers/> Donny was largely exempted from this requirement, as George had correctly determined that Donny's marriage would eliminate his bankability and end his career.<ref>{{Cite web |date=20 January 2017|title=Donny Osmond: ‘I told Dad I planned to marry. He said: “There goes your career”’|url=https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2017/jan/20/donny-osmond-family-values-dad-marry-there-goes-career|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260116212957/https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2017/jan/20/donny-osmond-family-values-dad-marry-there-goes-career|archive-date=16 January 2026|access-date=18 February 2026|website=The Guardian}}</ref> Donny, angry at being typecast as a teen idol, retreated from the public spotlight shortly thereafter.<ref name="reunites-w-tigerbeat" />
== Later careers == === Marie Osmond === {{Main|Marie Osmond}}
Marie recorded several successful duets with Donny and continued to sing country music; she had several Top 40 country hits in the mid-1980s, the biggest of which was "Meet Me in Montana" with Dan Seals, which peaked at number one. She starred in the Broadway revivals of the musicals ''The King and I'' (as the lead, Anna) and ''The Sound of Music'' (as the lead, Maria) in the mid-1990s. She returned to television first in the short-lived 1995 ABC sitcom ''Maybe This Time'' and then with Donny in 1998 to co-host ''Donny & Marie'', a talk-entertainment show that lasted two seasons.
Marie suffered from postpartum depression and wanted to help other women who suffered from it.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2006-08-03 |title=Marie Osmond suicide bid denied |language=en-GB |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/5241178.stm|publisher=BBC News |access-date=2023-04-25}}</ref> In 2001, Marie, Marcia Wilkie, and Dr. Judith Moore wrote a book on postpartum depression titled, ''Marie Osmond Behind the Smile''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=CNN LARRY KING LIVE Marie Osmond Shares Her Story of Recovery|url=http://www.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0105/01/lkl.00.html |date=May 1, 2001|access-date=2023-04-25 |website=www.cnn.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121021051303/http://www.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0105/01/lkl.00.html|archive-date=October 21, 2012}}</ref>
=== Donny Osmond === {{Main|Donny Osmond}}
Donny made an effort to continue his career as a solo artist after the end of the TV show, but found that his marriage had suddenly caused bad publicity for him as his teen fans abandoned him over it. Unable to secure another recording contract, he grew increasingly bitter, which began to be reflected in his concert performances by the early 1980s, abandoning the disciplined approach of his youth in favor of a more cynical, self-mocking personality that only drew even more ridicule from both those who took the Osmonds seriously and those who never had.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |last=Blackman |first=Guy |date=July 27, 2006 |title=Donny Osmond |url=https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/music/donny-osmond-20060727-gdo1v8.html |url-status=live |archive-url= |archive-date= |access-date=February 1, 2026 |website=The Sydney Morning Herald}}</ref>
He returned to the pop music scene in 1989; when he released "Soldier of Love" to much success in the United Kingdom, American music industry insiders were wary of the Osmond brand and promoted the song as being by a "mystery artist".<ref>{{cite web|author=Guy Aoki |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1989/04/16/cmon-thats-donny/ |title=C'mon, That's Donny? |website=Articles.chicagotribune.com |date=1989-04-16 |access-date=2016-10-05}}</ref> The song became a success in radio airplay in this manner and, when Osmond's identity as the mystery artist was revealed, "Soldier of Love" eventually rose to number 2 on the US charts and was enough of a success to warrant follow-up singles, including "Sacred Emotion", which peaked at number 13, and "My Love Is a Fire", which peaked at number 21. This brief rebound in his fortunes was short-lived, and he soon spiraled back into a depressive episode that was successfully treated with "therapy and medication (... along with) Jack Daniel's."<ref name=":5" /> He turned his attention to stage and film. In 1998, Donny performed "I'll Make a Man Out of You" for the film ''Mulan''. He performed on Broadway as Gaston in the stage production of ''Beauty and the Beast'', and also gave over 2,000 performances as Joseph in the touring production of ''Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat''. He has hosted game shows in the United States and the United Kingdom (most notably the 2002{{ndash}}2004 revival of ''Pyramid'' and the British version of ''Identity''), continues to appear on television, winning the ninth season of ABC's ''Dancing with the Stars'' in fall 2009, and still tours in the United States and England.
==== Donny & Marie's Vegas residency ==== Following Marie's success on ''Dancing with the Stars'' in 2007, Donny and Marie teamed up for a week of shows in July 2008 at the MGM Grand Las Vegas. It was their first stint together in Las Vegas since 1979.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Fink |first=Jerry |date=2008-05-12 |title=Osmonds, Osmonds everywhere |url=https://lasvegassun.com/news/2008/may/12/osmonds-osmonds-everywhere/ |access-date=2025-04-30 |website=Las Vegas Sun |language=en}}</ref> The 90-minute show's success led to a residency at the Flamingo Las Vegas from September 9, 2008, to November 9, 2019.<ref name="donny-and-marie2">{{cite news|url=http://www.flamingolasvegas.com/shows/donny-and-marie.html/|title=Donny & Marie Live at Flamingo Las Vegas Hotel and Casino|website=Flamingolasvegas.com |access-date=2015-08-25}}</ref> The show was originally scheduled to run for six weeks and ultimately ran for 11 years, with 1,730 performances.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/culture/story/donny-marie-osmond-officially-announce-end-longtime-las-61832215|title=Donny and Marie Osmond announce Las Vegas show will come to an end|website=Good Morning America|access-date=April 21, 2019}}</ref> ''Donny & Marie'' won the award for "The Best Show in Las Vegas" for 2012, 2013, and 2014, according to the ''Las Vegas Review-Journal''. The Flamingo Showroom was renamed "The Donny & Marie Showroom" in 2013, and remained under that name until the show closed six years later.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Forgione |first=Mary |date=2019-11-11 |title=Donny and Marie close their 11-year run in Las Vegas |url=https://www.latimes.com/travel/story/2019-11-11/donny-and-marie-osmond-flamingo-las-vegas |access-date=2025-04-30 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}</ref>
=== ''The Osmond Brothers'' === In response to their father's suggestion, Alan, Wayne, Merrill, and Jay returned to using the name "the Osmond Brothers" and, building on the boom in country pop crossover artists and drawing from the success of the covers of "Rest Your Love on Me" from the previous album, started focusing on recording country music full-time.<ref name="osmondbros.com" /><ref name=stilltheosmondbrothers/> Alan remarked at the time that the genre was a fit for their personal values, which he felt were in line with "the backbone of America" and reflected their patriotism: "We're kind of flag-wavers."<ref name=":23">{{Cite web|url=https://www.wral.com/news/ap/7a31e-alan-osmond-the-eldest-member-of-the-osmonds-has-died-at-76/|title=Alan Osmond, the eldest member of the Osmonds, has died at 76|website=wral.com|access-date=April 21, 2026}}</ref> They had two top-30 Billboard Country hits in the early 1980s: "I Think About Your Lovin'", which peaked at number 17 and "It's Like Fallin' in Love (Over and Over)", peaked at number 28, in addition to a handful that reached the bottom of or narrowly missed the top 40. In 1980, Alan and Merrill established Stadium of Fire, an annual festival in their home state of Utah.<ref name=alans-autobiography/> The brothers paid off their debts by 1983.<ref name=stilltheosmondbrothers/> The Osmond Brothers' record sales were hampered by a reluctance to go on tour after the debts were paid off; the group instead opted to stay in Branson, Missouri and promote their music through promotional music videos.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.bransoninfo.org/#!the-osmonds/c5fj |title=Osmonds Branson Show |website=Bransoninfo.org |access-date=September 18, 2014}}</ref> The brothers continued to perform with various line-ups and sometimes with their children in Branson.<ref name="osmondbros.com" /> Merrill performed and recorded as a solo artist as well; his biggest hit independent of his siblings was a duet with Jessica Boucher, "You're Here to Remember, I'm Here to Forget", a piece Merrill specifically chose to break from his family-friendly image (like Donny, Merrill had to hide his Osmond identity and recorded the song under the name "Merrill and Jessica") and which became a hit on the country charts in 1987.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1987/05/27/a-success-story-from-singing-with-an-osmond/|title=A Success Story From Singing With An Osmond|date=May 25, 1987|website=chicagotribune.com|access-date=March 29, 2018}}</ref> The band largely stopped recording and touring in 1987, after Alan was diagnosed with a progressive form of multiple sclerosis that affected his mobility;<ref name=alans-autobiography/> when the family resumed touring, it was usually without Alan<ref name=squeaky>{{Cite web |last=DeYoung |first=Bill |date=2004-01-16 |title=After 47 years, Osmonds still squeaky-clean |url=https://www.deseret.com/2004/1/16/19806719/after-47-years-osmonds-still-squeaky-clean/ |access-date=2025-01-03 |website=Deseret News |language=en}}</ref> Donny had initially hoped that his return would give the Osmond Brothers an opening to return to recording pop music, reasoning that the success of "Soldier of Love" had resolved the major problem of the Osmond name seeming uncool, but this never materialized, in part due to Alan's illness and because of issues between the Osmonds and Mike Curb, who, in revenge for Donny choosing to sign with another record label, had tried to pit the brothers against each other as Donny attempted his return by having the Osmond Brothers record songs Donny had intended to release on his own album.<ref name=musicconnection>{{Cite magazine |first=Guy|last=Aoki|title=Donny Osmond: The Kid Re-invents Himself |magazine=Music Connection |date=June 26, 1989 |url=http://www.cathynel.com/osmond/article/Reinvents/donny__re-invents_himself.htm |access-date=May 23, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050301040743/http://cathynel.com/osmond/article/Reinvents/donny__re-invents_himself.htm |archive-date=March 1, 2005 }}</ref> Wayne, who survived a brain tumor in 1997, retired from the group in 2012 after treatment for the brain tumor damaged his cochlea and rendered him deaf and a stroke rendered him unable to play guitar.<ref name=stilltheosmondbrothers/> All of the brothers are married, some with large families.
[[File:David Osmond (28001415197).jpg|thumb|right|Alan's son David Osmond, who occasionally appears with the family]]
Alan's four oldest sons started performing in the mid-1980s as "the Osmond Boys", later known as "the Osmonds—Second Generation" and adding his four younger sons later on.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.2ndg.com/ |title=Welcome 2ndg.com - BlueHost.com |website=2ndg.com |access-date=2015-08-25}}</ref> Two of Alan's sons, Nathan and David, have emerged as solo artists, David as a pop musician<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090204/ap_en_ot/tv_american_idol;_ylt=AnVXkM3CsnFSo.3ioNQ.7FBxFb8C|title=For Some, American Idol is a Second Chance at Fame|website=Yahoo News|date=February 4, 2009}}</ref> and as the lead of the Osmond Chapman Orchestra, and Nathan as a country singer.<ref name=nathan>{{Cite web |title=Singer Nathan Osmond Says 'It's Been Fun' to Follow in Footsteps of Donny and Marie (Exclusive) |url=https://people.com/nathan-osmond-fun-foosteps-donny-marie-osmond-exclusive-8548315 |access-date=2024-01-24 |website=Peoplemag |language=en}}</ref> Alan had initially resisted letting his sons follow him into the music business, warning them after they had completed their church missions that the life of a touring musician would be detrimental to starting a family, but eventually relented.<ref name=alans-autobiography/> Merrill's son Travis Osmond joined the backing band as bass guitarist in 1991; he declined to stay with the band full-time because of his dislike of touring but continued to appear occasionally in that position through Merrill's farewell tour in 2024.<ref name=travis>{{Cite web |last=Heaps |first=Julie Dockstader |date=2025-02-02 |title='Growing up Osmond' Star Valley resident shares family legacy |url=https://svinews.com/growing-up-osmond-star-valley-resident-shares-family-legacy/?fbclid=IwY2xjawIOBGVleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHTVCMoSQ4aVQ9Ot48O6V7QdR2c23IEr1SIcx3hP1kYMseeZrAsP841e41g_aem_y3d9L0thqL_T6IE-FmGkmQ |access-date=2025-02-03 |website=SVI-NEWS |language=en-US}}</ref>
From 2007 to 2008, all of the Osmonds went on a tour of Europe to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of their career in show business. A special televised concert in Las Vegas (the only tour stop in the US), commemorating the anniversary, aired on PBS stations on March 10, 2008. It was recorded at The Orleans in Las Vegas.<ref name=":2" /> Alan played piano with the orchestra for most of the show and Virl and Tom provided signed lyrics for two songs. The Osmonds' long-time friend and mentor Andy Williams made a surprise appearance, reminiscing about how his father had told him to put the brothers on his variety show.
Jay Osmond was the primary choreographer for the Osmonds' concerts and some television concerts.
Jimmy worked as a businessman and manager. He eventually moved to Branson, Missouri, and opened the Osmond Family Theater, where he and his brothers performed until 2002. They appear in Branson during the Christmas season.<ref name="osmondbros.com" />
In 2009, Donny and Marie recorded a television special for the British channel ITV1: ''An Audience with Donny and Marie'', part of ITV's long-running ''An Audience with...'' series was based on their Las Vegas stage show.<ref>{{cite web|last=McMahon |first=Kate |url=http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/news/commissioning/osmonds-to-reunite-for-itv1-special/5004457.article |title=Osmonds to reunite for ITV1 special | News | Broadcast |website=Broadcastnow.co.uk |date=August 11, 2009 |access-date=August 7, 2011}}</ref>
Both Donny and Marie tour extensively around the world, with Alan's son David occasionally filling in for Donny. Merrill, Jay, and Jimmy also performed together at the Suncoast Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, along with some limited touring, mostly in the United Kingdom. After Andy Williams's death in 2012, Merrill, Jay, and Jimmy began operating his long-running Christmas show, which they perform in Branson, Missouri in November. In 2012, the trio released their first studio album in 28 years, ''I Can't Get There Without You'', which featured the recording debut of Jimmy as lead singer.
Alan and Wayne rejoined the group for one time only for what was billed as their last performance as the Osmond Brothers at Neal S. Blaisdell Center in Honolulu in October 2018, a concert that also included Marie and David among the performers. Since that time, Merrill and Jay toured as "the Osmonds", sometimes appearing with Marie and David; in these shows (billed as "Marie and the Osmonds"), Jay and Merrill sing many of their old hits and substitute for Paul Davis and Dan Seals on Marie's country duets. Jimmy toured separately with various projects at the time before suffering a stroke in December 2018 while appearing as Captain Hook in the Birmingham Hippodrome's staging of the pantomime ''Peter Pan'';<ref>{{cite web |date=December 31, 2018 |title=Jimmy Osmond treated for stroke |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-46721950 |access-date=December 31, 2018 |publisher=BBC}}</ref> he stated in April 2019 that he was in good health and had decided to take a "long-overdue break" from performing.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.instagram.com/p/BwWPUGvhaky/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/s/instagram/BwWPUGvhaky |archive-date=December 26, 2021 |url-access=registration|title=Jimmy Osmond on Instagram: "Thank you for all of the birthday wishes today I had a great time out with my family. I am enjoying life and this long-overdue break. I…"|website=Instagram|access-date=April 21, 2019}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Alan and Wayne made a second "last ever performance" in October 2019, appearing on ''The Talk'' for Marie's birthday.<ref name="Perform"/> In 2022, Merrill announced his retirement from performing; his final American show was in April 2022 and featured a special appearance by Donny;<ref>{{Cite web |last=Marshall |first=Michelle |date=2022-06-21 |title=Donny Osmond on 'moment I'll never forget' amid final farewell performance with brother |url=https://www.express.co.uk/celebrity-news/1628962/donny-osmond-brother-merrill-osmond-show-farewell-show-las-vegas-news-latest |access-date=2022-07-03 |website=Express.co.uk |language=en}}</ref> he has performed sporadically (roughly once a year) since his retirement, though he stated in 2025 that the Osmonds as a group were effectively over due to his brothers' health issues and the travel difficulties they pose.<ref name=":3" /> The last time the group performed together was in 2022, for a private celebration celebrating Merrill's entry into the mission field; the performance, not shared publicly until after Wayne's death in 2025, featured a lineup of Alan, Wayne, Merrill, Donny, Jimmy and Tom.<!-- https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=3398789696922997 -->
Jay wrote the story for "The Osmonds: A New Musical", which was performed throughout the UK and Ireland in 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Home {{!}} The Osmonds : A New Musical |url=https://theosmondsmusical.co.uk/ |access-date=2025-04-30 |website=The Osmonds: A New Musical |language=en}}</ref> In October 2024, Jay was scheduled to begin a residency in Branson with Nathan Osmond.<ref name=nathan/> This did not occur after Jay was cast as a guest star in ''Now That's What I Call a Musical''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hopkins |first=Phil |date=16 October 2024 |title=Now That's What I Call Irony! |url=https://www.yorkshiretimes.co.uk/article/Now-Thats-What-I-Call-Music |access-date=2024-11-15 |website=Yorkshire Times}}</ref> Alan and Merrill released autobiographies, ''One Way Ticket'' and ''Black Bear'' respectively, in 2024 and 2025.<ref name=autobiography>{{Cite web |last=LIVING |first=FRESH |date=2024-09-24 |title=Alan Osmond shares his life story in new book 'One Way Ticket' |url=https://kutv.com/features/fresh-living/alan-osmond-shares-his-life-story-in-new-book-one-way-ticket |access-date=2024-10-29 |website=KUTV |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Woolley |first=Ian |date=2025-07-29 |title=The Black Bear Of The Osmonds Reveals All |url=https://www.beat-magazine.co.uk/2025/the-black-bear-of-the-osmonds-reveals-all/ |access-date=2025-08-13 |website=Beat Magazine |language=en-GB}}</ref>
Wayne Osmond died on January 1, 2025, following a stroke.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Aniftos |first=Rania |date=2025-01-02 |title=Wayne Osmond, Beloved Osmond Brothers Singer, Dies at 73 |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/wayne-osmond-dead-osmond-brothers-singer-1235868239/ |access-date=2025-01-03 |magazine=Billboard |language=en-US}}</ref> Alan Osmond died on April 20, 2026, following a long, slow decline related to his multiple sclerosis.<ref>[https://www.abc4.com/news/wasatch-front/alon-osmond-dies-77/ Alan Osmond, Eldest Brother of the Osmonds and Renowned Performer, Dies at 76]</ref>
== 21st-century legacy == The Osmonds rank among the poorest performers in terms of having their hits of the 1970s survive in recurrent rotation; classic hits and oldies stations rarely play any of their music, with the occasional exception of "One Bad Apple". According to Sean Ross at RadioInsight, discussing the fifteen popular songs of 1971 that saw the biggest declines in airplay:
<blockquote>Teen acts had been with us from the beginning, of course, but not since the early '60s had they seemed so particularly stigmatized (...) Five songs by teen idols{{snds}}four of them Osmonds-related. We haven't shown individual breakouts for every year of the '70s, but we can tell you that there's an Osmonds-related song every year between 1971 and 1976, except for 1973, when Donny Osmond was being challenged by the DeFranco Family and didn't have a big enough hit.<ref name=radioblackout>{{cite web|url=https://radioinsight.com/ross/197829/lost-factor-1971-some-songs-are-like-a-broken-yo-yo/|first=Sean|last=Ross|title=Lost Factor 1971: Some Songs Are Like a Broken Yo-Yo|work=RadioInsight.com|date=September 21, 2020|access-date=September 23, 2020}}</ref></blockquote>
Ross later noted of the top 100 songs in the 1970 to 1974 period ranked by a drop-off in airplay, the Osmond family had six listed, the most of any collection of acts; this was twice as high as the next two artists on the list—Cher and Helen Reddy, each of whom recorded three.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://radioinsight.com/blogs/201177/top-100-lost-songs-of-1970-74/|title = Top 100 Lost Songs of 1970-74|website=Radioinsight.com| date=December 16, 2020 }}</ref> The Osmond family as a whole ranked the most neglected musical act of the era of the classic hit, from 1970 to 1994.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://radioinsight.com/ross/206164/lost-factors-top-10-artists-of-the-70s-80s/|title = Lost Factor's Top 10 Artists: 1970-94|website=Radioinsight.com| date=April 2, 2021 }}</ref> Broadening to the period of 1960 to 1999, the top 100 most neglected songs (which had a disproportionate number of early 1960s songs largely neglected by modern radio) had three performed by at least one Osmond, tied for the most with Connie Francis on the list; this was especially unusual because other neglected 1970s artists such as Reddy and Barbra Streisand failed to make the broader list at all.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Ross|first=Sean|date=February 9, 2022|title=The 100 Most Lost Songs of All Time|work=Radio Insight|url=https://radioinsight.com/blogs/219384/the-100-most-lost-songs-of-all-1960-99/|access-date=February 14, 2022}}</ref> Such was the Osmonds' fall into obscurity that Donny's son Chris advanced all the way to the final episode of season 2 of ''Claim to Fame'' largely because most of the contestants were repeatedly unaware who Donny was.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gibson |first=Kelsie |date=August 28, 2023 |title='Claim to Fame' Star Chris Says His Relative Has Been 'Laughing [Their] Head Off' at Wrong Guesses (Exclusive) |url=https://people.com/claim-to-fame-chris-talks-season-2-finale-dad-donny-osmond-exclusive-7853576 |access-date=2023-08-29 |website=People |language=en}}</ref> Jay Osmond's second wife Karina had previously claimed that she "didn't know anything about the Osmonds" before meeting him,<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |last=Hardy |first=Jane |date=2022-04-06 |title=Still reason to love the Osmonds |url=https://www.irishnews.com/arts/music/2022/04/06/news/still-reason-to-love-the-osmonds-2633268/ |access-date=2022-07-03 |website=The Irish News |language=en}}</ref> but she retracted this in 2025, noting that it was the Osmonds' fame for being well-mannered that allowed her to trust Jay.<ref name=":22">{{Cite web |last=Nelson|first=Rett|date=2026-02-02|title=After decades in show business, Jay Osmond and wife Karina are radio hosts in eastern Idaho|url=https://www.eastidahonews.com/2026/02/after-decades-in-show-business-jay-osmond-and-wife-karina-are-radio-hosts-in-eastern-idaho/|access-date=2026-03-15|website=East Idaho News|language=en-US}}</ref>
The Osmonds have seen occasional admirers among professional musicians, particularly with a reassessment of their rock era work. Guitarist Paul Gilbert ranked the hard rock ''Phase III'' album as one of his "not-so-guilty pleasures" and stating "Do not underestimate Merrill Osmond in 1971".<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.musicradar.com/news/guitars/paul-gilbert-my-top-5-not-so-guilty-pleasures-of-all-time-568575 | title=Paul Gilbert: My top 5 not-so-guilty pleasures of all time |website=Music Radar| date=16 December 2012 }}</ref> An obituary in ''Forbes'' lauded Wayne Osmond's guitar work with the band and his rock influence, describing him as a "criminally overlooked shredder."<ref>{{Cite web |last=King |first=Darryn |title=Farewell Wayne Osmond, The Osmonds' Criminally Overlooked Shredder |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/darrynking/2025/01/03/farewell-wayne-osmond-the-osmonds-criminally-overlooked-shredder/ |access-date=2025-01-12 |website=Forbes |language=en}}</ref>
==Parents== Olive Osmond, mother of the Osmond siblings, died on 9 May 2004, at age 79. Their father, George Osmond, died on 6 November 2007, at age 90.<ref name='PeoNudd'>{{cite news|title=Donny and Marie Osmond's Father Dies | url=http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20158519,00.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080129205304/http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20158519,00.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=January 29, 2008 |last= Nudd|first=Tim|publisher=People Magazine|date=2007-11-06| access-date=2010-11-30 }}</ref> The couple was survived by their nine children and 55 grandchildren, as well as a number of great-grandchildren. Before George Osmond's death, plans were being made for him and the 120-plus members of the Osmond family to appear on ''The Oprah Winfrey Show'' to celebrate the family's 50th anniversary in show business. He died just a few days prior to the taping. The family ultimately decided to go on with the show as scheduled and, on 9 November, the entire Osmond family appeared on stage with Oprah Winfrey as a tribute to their father.<ref>{{Cite web |title=An Osmond Family Tribute |url=https://www.oprah.com/oprahshow/an-osmond-family-tribute |access-date=2023-03-09 |website=Oprah.com}}</ref> The show aired the following day, the same day as George Osmond's funeral.
== Hollywood Walk of Fame == In 2003, the Osmond Family was honored for their achievements in the entertainment industry with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles, California.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://uk.news.yahoo.com/wayne-osmond-honoured-flower-display-230000771.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAADhCTDn4tbJi-8Em6ooRuUzVMMXy_9aEL3LdhVL3IQ7cnxgDp9Nzilrtt-2XcJXswdSVEA_aCBfyWHkaG3Dxv0l4fyCHrraZ29Yb6m3wxRt4u7PWTUOGTZvtUUFEDJ3DQ5WMbTcdOuEVsL7MubiMw6UXWPOz-91Fqc5FjReJuICc | title=Wayne Osmond to be honoured with flower display on family's Walk of Fame star | date=2 January 2025 }}</ref>
== Band members == The members of the band transitioned from exclusively vocal performance to playing instruments, all around the time that ''Crazy Horses'' was released.<ref>{{Cite web |title=How We Got Started {{!}} The Osmond Store |url=https://theosmondstore.com/about |access-date=2023-03-09 |website=theosmondstore.com}}</ref>{{col-begin}} {{col-2}} '''Band members''' * Merrill Osmond – vocals {{small|(1958–2023)}}, bass guitar {{small|(1970–2023)}} * Donny Osmond – vocals {{small|(1963–1979, occasional afterward)}}, keyboards {{small|(1970–1979)}} * Alan Osmond – vocals {{small|(1958–2007)}}, rhythm guitar {{small|(1968–2007)}} {{small|(died 2026)}} * Wayne Osmond – vocals {{small|(1958–2007)}}, lead guitar {{small|(1970–2007)}} {{small|(died 2025)}} * Jay Osmond – vocals {{small|(1958–2023)}}, drums {{small|(1970–2023)}} * Jimmy Osmond – vocals {{small|(1967–1972, 2007–2018)}} * Marie Osmond – vocals {{small|(1973–1979, occasional)}} * David Osmond – vocals {{small|(occasional, after 2007)}} * Travis Osmond – bass {{small|(occasional, 1991–2023)}}<ref name=travis/> {{col-end}}
=== Timeline === {{#tag:timeline| ImageSize = width:800 height:auto barincrement:22 PlotArea = left:90 bottom:80 top:0 right:10 Alignbars = justify DateFormat = dd/mm/yyyy Period = from:01/01/1958 till:31/12/2024 TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy Legend = orientation:vertical position:bottom columns:4 ScaleMajor = increment:3 start:1958 ScaleMinor = increment:1 start:1958
Colors = id:V value:red legend:Lead_vocals id:LG value:teal legend:Lead_guitar id:RG value:brightgreen legend:Rhythm_guitar id:B value:blue legend:Bass id:D value:orange legend:Drums id:K value:purple legend:Keyboards id:studio value:black legend:Studio_releases id:other value:gray(0.5)
LineData = layer:back color:studio at:01/10/1968 at:01/09/1970 at:14/11/1970 at:19/06/1971 at:29/01/1972 at:14/10/1972 at:30/06/1973 at:02/11/1974 at:30/08/1975 at:18/03/1976 at:18/12/1976 at:31/12/1979 at:31/12/1982 at:31/12/1984 at:31/12/2012 at:31/12/2016
BarData = bar:Merrill text:"Merrill" bar:Alan text:"Alan" bar:Wayne text:"Wayne" bar:Jay text:"Jay" bar:Donny text:"Donny" bar:Jimmy text:"Jimmy" bar:Marie text:"Marie" bar:David text:"David" bar:Travis text:"Travis"<!-- bar:Nathan text:"Nathan" -->
PlotData= width:11 bar:Merrill from:start till:31/12/2023 color:V bar:Merrill from:14/11/1970 till:31/12/2023 color:B width:3 bar:Donny from:01/01/1963 till:31/12/1979 color:V bar:Donny from:14/11/1970 till:31/12/1979 color:K width:3 bar:Alan from:start till:14/11/1970 color:V bar:Alan from:01/10/1968 till:14/11/1970 color:RG width:3 bar:Alan from:14/11/1970 till:31/12/2007 color:RG bar:Alan from:14/11/1970 till:31/12/2007 color:V width:3 bar:Alan from:01/10/2018 till:31/10/2019 color:V width:3 bar:Alan from:01/10/2018 till:31/10/2019 color:RG bar:Wayne from:start till:14/11/1970 color:V bar:Wayne from:14/11/1970 till:31/12/2007 color:LG bar:Wayne from:14/11/1970 till:31/12/2007 color:V width:3 bar:Wayne from:01/10/2018 till:31/10/2019 color:LG bar:Wayne from:01/10/2018 till:31/10/2019 color:V width:3 bar:Jay from:start till:14/11/1970 color:V bar:Jay from:14/11/1970 till:end color:D bar:Jay from:14/11/1970 till:end color:V width:3 bar:Jimmy from:01/01/1967 till:14/11/1970 color:V bar:Jimmy from:14/11/1970 till:31/12/1972 color:V width:3 bar:Jimmy from:01/01/2007 till:31/12/2017 color:V width:3 bar:Marie from:01/01/1973 till:31/12/1979 color:V width:3 bar:Marie from:01/01/2018 till:31/12/2018 color:V width:3 bar:David from:01/01/2018 till:31/12/2018 color:V width:3 bar:Travis from:01/01/1991 till:31/12/2023 color:B width:3<!-- bar:Nathan from:01/01/2025 till:end color:V width:3 --> }}
==Discography== {{main|The Osmonds discography}}
=== Studio albums === * ''The Wonderful World of The Osmond Brothers'' (1968) * ''Hello! The Osmond Brothers'' (1970) * ''Osmonds'' (1970) * ''Homemade'' (1971) * ''Phase III'' (1972) * ''Crazy Horses'' (1972) * ''The Plan'' (1973) * ''Love Me for a Reason'' (1974) * ''The Proud One'' (1975) * ''Brainstorm'' (1976) * ''Osmond Christmas Album'' (1976) * ''Steppin' Out'' (1979) * ''The Osmond Brothers'' (1982) * ''One Way Rider'' (1984)
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{commons category|The Osmonds}} * [http://theosmondstore.com The Osmond Store Official website] * [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61572492838396 Alan Osmond] on Facebook * [https://www.facebook.com/merrillosmond.uk/ Merrill Osmond] on Facebook * [https://www.facebook.com/jayosmond55/ Jay Osmond] on Facebook * {{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p5080|label=The Osmonds}} * {{discogs artist|The Osmonds}} * {{IMDb name|1478739}} * [https://www.youtube.com/user/osmondvideo Osmond Official Videos on YouTube] * [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QHL_h8FbPU The Osmonds Biography] on YouTube * [http://www.bransoninfo.org/#!the-osmonds/c5fj The Osmonds Branson Show]
{{The Osmonds}} {{Authority control}}
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