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| While Donny was among the top teen pop artists in the 70's, his involvement with The Osmond Brothers cannot go un-noted. The 5 of 8 brothers in the Osmond family began their success without Donny; Alan, Wayne, Merrill, and Jay were a barbershop quartet and performed on Disney After Dark at the ages of 12, 10, 8, and 6. This is where Andy Williams' father, Jay Williams, saw them and told his son that he thought they'd be good on Andy's show. So, the Osmond Brothers started out as performers that appeared on the Andy Williams show. Being popular on it, they appeared more than once. |
| By the late 60's, they decided to embark on their own career, and so they did. In January of 1971, the Osmond Brothers got a number one in America with "One Bad Apple", and 'Osmondmania' -- if you will -- began. Soon they would become one of the most popular family bands...especially in Europe. It's been said that as far as concert response and popularity went, the Osmond Brothers came close to same amount as the Beatles. |
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| The Osmonds were among the most talented performers of their time, doing tighly choreographed routines to their songs live, and the eldest four carrying on with well-done harmonies practiced by their early years as a barbershop quartet. The oldest three Osmonds, Alan, Wayne, and Merrill, were also talented song writers, and Alan and Merrill wrote #4 in the US, "Down By the Lazy River", which was one of their most popular hits. |
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| The Osmond Brothers penned a total of 5 chart hits in America, such as the anti-enviroment contamination US #14 hit "Crazy Horses", which was sung by 6th-born Osmond, Jay, which was a rarity since mostly all of the songs were sung Merrill, and, in the beginning, Donny had his "song interludes" (this would not last until 1972, when Donny's voice began to change and the high-pitched bits he sang weren't quite so easy). |
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| Unfortunately, the Osmonds' success would begin to decease by the mid-70's, their last big hit being "Love Me For a Reason", which peaked in America at #10. But, not so unfortunately, the Osmond Brothers (minus Donny) would make appearances on the Donny and Marie Show, which was a large success as well. |
| Today, the Osmonds still perform together and still remain one of the best-loved brother-bands of the 70's. |
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