From their beginnings as one of the most successful family bands in the world in the early 1960s, the Osmonds went on to become a global musical phenomenon. The Osmond brothers and sisters—Alan, Wayne, Merrill, Jay, Donny, Jimmy, and Marie—created a routine that quickly became a mainstay on a wide variety of television programs. The Osmonds, like any other famous family, have struggled through good times and bad. Join FactsVerse as we fill you in on the intricacies of the Osmond family.
How Did the Osmonds Become Famous?
The children of George Virl Osmond Sr. and Olive Osmond, the Osmond siblings, were born and raised in Utah. Along with musicians Alan, Wayne, Merrill, Jay, Donny, Jimmy, and Marie, the couple also welcomed children Virl and Tom, who both have hearing loss due to birth. Brothers Alan, Wayne, Merrill, and Jay Osmond formed a barbershop quartet that became known as “The Osmond Brothers”. Donny and Jimmy, their younger brothers, also became successful musicians in their own right after joining the group. Donny’s inclusion in the group solidified their identity as the Osmonds, and from 1971 to 1975, they enjoyed tremendous success as teen idols and as a rock band. In 1970, shortly after the band had signed a recording contract with MGM Records, they made a recording of the song “One Bad Apple.” Their breakthrough single became an instant phenomenon, quickly rising to the top of the Billboard charts. After seeing the success of songs like “Down by the Lazy River” and “Crazy Horses” in Europe, they decided to take their show on the road and tour the United States. Marie, their only sister, rarely performed with her brothers before she established a successful solo career and duet career with Donny in 1973. Their mother strongly influenced her to seek a solo career after hearing her perform with her brothers in the band’s early stages. After a string of successful singles in the early ’70s, the band became dormant in 1976. However, in that same year, they launched Donny & Marie, a successful variety program that aired on television until 1979.
In the 1980s, a reformed lineup of the Osmond Brothers had moderate success in country music, and by the late ’80s, both Donny and Marie had made successful comebacks in their respective solo careers. Up until now, more than 77 million records by the Osmonds have been sold around the world. In 2007, the group celebrated their 50th anniversary together as a quartet, but Alan and Wayne had to resign owing to health problems, so the remaining members brought in a new member, Jimmy. They began playing as a trio until Jimmy’s stroke forced him to retire in 2018. However, in 2019, Alan Osmond’s son, David Osmond, joined the band, which made the band a trio once again. On Marie Osmond’s 60th birthday, October 14, 2019, the original Osmond Brothers lineup reunited for what was described as their final appearance on CBS’ The Talk. The brothers sang their farewell song, “The Last Chapter,” which was released that year. On November 16, 2019, Donny and Marie finished up their 11-year Las Vegas residency. Merrill and Jay are still actively performing and touring, and Donny continues to do so as a solo artist. However, Merrill has stated his intention to retire this year.
Donny Osmond
Donny married Debra Glen in 1978, and the two have been together ever since, during which time they raised their own family and eventually welcomed Donny’s children into the world. Donald Jr., Jeremy, Brandon, Christopher, and Joshua are the five boys the marriage welcomed. In 2008, Donny and Marie performed together at the Flamingo Hotel & Resort in Las Vegas as part of a residency. The year after that, he became the winner of the ninth season of Dancing With the Stars. In 2019, the presenter of Pyramid also appeared on The Masked Singer, where he finished in second place. Donny’s health declined during the November 2019 Las Vegas residency finale he shared with his sister Marie. He revealed to the media source that he had tingling and numbness in his limbs during the performance, but he chose to keep his condition a secret. Even though Donny’s operation was successful, he discovered that he had contracted a secondary infection that had rendered him temporarily paralyzed. Fortunately, after months of rehabilitation, he is finally able to walk again.
Donny admitted that the thought had crossed his mind, but he wasn’t about to take “no” for an answer when asked whether he was concerned about never walking again.
In September of 2021, he released album number 65, titled Start Again.
Donny stated in the interview that his Mormon faith and his wife, Debbie were the two main factors in his recovery. \
Marie Osmond
Marie, like her renowned brothers, moved on to pursue her own interests even as she reconnected with them on multiple occasions over the years. She released more albums, had film and Broadway appearances, and kept performing in country music concerts. Once famous, the former presenter of “The Talk” started a family and eventually had eight children. It was with Stephen Craig that she had her first child, a son named Stephen Jr., in 1983. They married in 1982 and divorced in 1985. The Dancing With the Stars alum and her husband, Brian Blosil, are the proud parents of Rachael, Matthew, Jessica, Brandon, Briana, and Abigail. The couple also had a son named Michael, who committed suicide when he was 18 years old in February 2010.
In 2011, Marie married Stephen for the second time. They have since become doting grandparents to several little grandchildren. Marie Osmond recently opened up in an interview about the current health challenges her family has faced, saying that their religion has helped them get through it.
During an interview with People Now, the 59-year-old actress opened up about the current state of health issues that her brothers have been battling. Marie said that she had been through much worse in her life and that she is still convinced that she will be okay, despite the fact that the current situation is much direr than she had ever imagined. The celebrity continued by talking about how her faith helped her deal with the loss of her son, who committed suicide in 2010 at the age of 18. She says the death of her child made her realize that experiences like that were crucial in revealing her inner self and the beliefs she had.
Jay Osmond
Jay and his first wife, Kandilyn Harris, had three kids together: Jason, Eric, and Marcus. In 2014, he tied the knot with his second wife, Karen Randall. In 2022, he penned a musical called The Osmonds based on his childhood memories of performing with his siblings in a band. Jay had health problems, just like his other brothers. His blood pressure was over 200/120, and he had a mini-stroke as a result.
After his health scare, the 65-year-old former drummer for the family band The Osmonds shared his story on Facebook. He posted on Facebook that the main reason he hadn’t told anyone about his illness was that he didn’t want to alarm anyone. He elaborated by claiming he was feeling this way due to stress in his life generally and in his job specifically. Further explaining that he was already on several meds that would have him feeling great in no time, he said. Finally, he thanked his lovely wife, Karen, for being there for him as he dealt with his illness.
Wayne Osmond?
Wayne was confirmed with ependymoma in 1994 after he had felt discomfort in his head while on tour with his siblings. The cerebellar carcinoma was removed surgically. Six weeks of radiation later, the musician was told his cancer was in remission. He was diagnosed with cancer, but his wife, Kathy White, was there for him every step of the way, and he returned to the stage six months later. They’ve raised five wonderful kids together. Even though it’s been almost 30 years since Osmond’s initial diagnosis, he acknowledges the positive impact his illness has had on his life.
According to him, the bright side of everything is that he’s grown closer to his wife, Kathy. He called her an “angel” and admitted that he felt fortunate to have her in his life.
The celebrity even goes so far as to declare he’s “happy” he got the once-devastating illness. Wayne claims that because of his experience, he has gained insight and realized the true value of life.
Jimmy Osmond
Jimmy Osmond is the youngest of the Osmond siblings. He has amassed six gold records, two gold albums, and one platinum record during his career as a solo performer. Together with his wife, Michelle Larson, he has produced four children: Sophia Michele Osmond, Arthur Wyatt Osmond, Isabella Olive Renee Osmond, and Zachary James Osmond. When Jimmy became ill during a performance at the Birmingham Hippodrome in 2018, he “pushed through” the rest of the show and met with fans to sign autographs before being taken to the hospital. There were reports of improvement in the American actor’s condition in January following his stroke, which occurred during his run as Captain Hook in Peter Pan. Even though he hasn’t seen his family in over two months, his brother Merrill said he asked them to give him space to heal after the tragedy. Moreover, he said, because Jimmy’s doctors refuse to communicate with the family, none of the brothers knows the full extent of his stroke.
There you have it, it’s now time to hear from you. Which did you like better, the Osmonds as a band or as individual performers?
