1962: The Osmonds – Music AmneZia1962: The Osmonds

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The Osmonds are an American family music group with a long and varied career—a career that took them from singing barbershop music as children, to achieving success as teen-music idols, to producing a hit television show, and to continued success as solo and group performers. The Osmonds are devout members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and their religious values have influenced their careers..

In 1962, George took the boys to Los Angeles, hoping to secure an audition for The Lawrence Welk Show; after Welk refused to see the group, their father eased the disappointment with a trip to Disneyland, where the brothers gave an impromptu concert with another barbershop quartet employed by the park. the Osmonds were signed on as regular nighttime performers, and luck smiled on them just a few weeks later when the father of popular singer — and newly minted variety show host — Andy Williams caught their act and recommended them to his son. Five days before Christmas in 1962, the Osmonds made their national television debut on The Andy Williams Show, on which they would continue to appear regularly until its cancellation in 1967. About a year after that initial appearance, younger brother Donny (born December 9, 1957) officially joined the group as well, and the Osmonds soon began to broaden their musical range with clean-cut pop songs.

Following the demise of the Williams series, the Osmonds moved on to The Jerry Lewis Show, where they stayed until 1969. In 1970, the commercial explosion of family bubblegum groups such as the real-life Jackson 5 and the fictional Partridge Family made the Osmonds obvious candidates for pop stardom. MGM president Mike Curb signed the Osmonds and sent them to work with Muscle Shoals studio owner and famed R&B producer Rick Hall. Hall’s staff songwriter George Jackson had penned a sure-fire hit titled “One Bad Apple (Don’t Spoil the Whole Bunch),” which appeared on the group’s debut album, Osmonds.

Released as a single at the very beginning of 1971, “One Bad Apple” shot up the charts and landed in the top spot for five weeks, finally establishing the Osmonds as recording stars after nearly a decade in the public eye. A steady stream of hits continued unabated through 1972, including “Double Lovin’,” the Top Five hits “Yo-Yo” and “Down by the Lazy River,” “Hold Her Tight,” and “Crazy Horses.” Their albums sold well too; Osmonds went gold, as did its four followers: 1971’s Homemade and the 1972 triumvirate of Phase-III, The Osmonds Live, and Crazy Horses. What’s more, Donny’s concurrent solo career was in full swing as well, with “Go Away Little Girl” topping the singles charts in 1971.

426px-Donny_and_Marie_Osmond_Donny_and_Marie_Show_1977

The Planthe Osmonds’ momentum was slowed a bit in 1973 with The Plan, a concept album about their Mormon faith that failed to connect with the record-buying public to the same degree (although it was surprisingly popular in the U.K.). Younger sister Marie Osmond began making public appearances with the group later that year at the age of 13 (although she was never an official member) and scored a solo hit with “Paper Roses.” In the end, changing tastes and an excess of spinoff projects proved to be too much for the original Osmonds to last as a group; 1974’s “Love Me for a Reason” was the quintet’s last Top Ten single, by which point Donny and Marie had established their own separate careers (although they often recorded as a duet act over the next few years). The group didn’t officially disband until 1980, but as a unit they had long since ceased to be a commercial force in pop music.

Live in Las Vegas: 50th Anniversary Reunion Concert

Donny made a brief comeback in the late ’80s as a contemporary dance-pop singer and Broadway performer, as well as reuniting with his sister in the late ’90s for a daytime talk show, Donny & Marie. Marie had a few hits on the country charts in the ’90s and was featured on one season of the ABC television show Dancing With the Stars in 2007. Beginning in the early ’80s, the four eldest members of the Osmonds — Alan, Merrill, Wayne, and Jay — performed together as a country act under the name the Osmond Brothers and achieved respectable commercial success. In 1996, Alan retired from performing, and Jimmy Osmond took his place.

They continued to release albums available through their website and The Osmond Family Theatre in Branson, MO. A new album of sorts, Live in Las Vegas 50th Anniversary Reunion Concert, was released in 2008.

AM Pop
Bubblegum
Country-Pop
R&B
pop
disco
soft rock
blue eyed soul
funk
country

Salt Lake City, Utah, United States

1958–Present

Alan Osmond
Wayne Osmond
Merrill Osmond
Jay Osmond
Donny Osmond
Marie Osmond
Jimmy Osmond

Osmond Family Christmas,
The Osmonds Christmas Album,
Our Best To You,
Phase III,
Crazy Horses,
Osmonds / Homemade,
Osmondmania!
Osmond Family Greatest Hits,
Love Me for a Reason,
The Plan,
The Proud One,
The Very Best of The Osmonds,
Ultimate Collection,
21 Hits,
Around the World: Live in Concert,
Osmonds,
Brainstorm / Steppin’ Out,
Homemade,
All Time Greatest Hits (disc 3),
Brainstorm,
Gospel Favorites,
20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection: The Best of The Osmonds, Family Album (disc 2),
We Sing You a Merry Christmas,
Greatest Hits,
Songs We Sang on the Andy Williams Show,
Live,
Singing More Songs They Sang on the Andy Williams Show

Crazy Horses
Yo-Yo 1972 Live
One Bad Apple 1971 Osmonds
Let Me In 1973 The Plan
The Proud One 1975 The Proud One
Down by the Lazy River 1972 Live
Love Me for a Reason 1974 Love Me for a Reason
He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother 1971 Osmonds
Goin’ Home 1973 The Plan
Gabrielle 1974 Love Me for a Reason
Sun Sun Sun 1974 Love Me for a Reason III
Having a Party 1974 Love Me for a Reason
I Can’t Get Next to You 1974 Love Me for a Reason
I Can’t Stop
I’m Still Gonna Need You 1975 The Proud One
Medley : My World Is Empty Without You / I’m Gonna Make You Love Me / I Can’t Get Next to You, Babe 1971 Osmonds
Hold Her Tight
Ballin the Jack 1974 Love Me for a Reason
Love One Another, God Be With You Til We Meet Again
Friends
Utah
I Can’t Live a Dream 1976 Brainstorm
I Am A Child Of God
Flower Music
Movie Man 1973 The Plan
Business 1972 Phase III
Medley: Intro / Motown Special / My World Is Empty Without You / I’m Gonna Make You Love Me / I Can’t Get Next to You Babe 2008 Phase III
Deep Purple
My Mom
Think About Your Lovin’
Julie