MEMORIES:

Release History:

Members:

Donny Osmond grew up in front of an audience in a way that most kids never do. He was only five when he went on stage with his brothers, the Osmonds, during a performance on The Andy Williams Show in 1963. His jazzy rendition of "You Are My Sunshine" received a tremendous response, and Donny became a regular member of his family’s band. Between 1963 and 1967, he and his brothers appeared regularly on The Andy Williams Show.

 

The Osmonds were positioned as the next Jackson 5, and little Donnie was Michael Jackson’s counterpart. Their 1970 bubblegum hit “One Bad Apple” featured Donnie on lead vocals, and only a year later he embarked on a solo career. “Sweet and Innocent,” his first single, went to #7, and the follow up, the Steve Lawrence hit “Go Away, Little Girl,” made it all the way to #1 where it stayed for three weeks.

 

Donny was by now a young heartthrob, taking after earlier teen idols like Paul Anka and Frankie Avalon. His warm, tenor voice made little girl hearts melt all over the world. 1972 saw the release of the double-sided top 10 hit “Hey Girl” and “I Knew You When.” That was followed by another release – Paul Anka’s “Puppy Love,” which went to #4. Donnie was still performing and touring with The Osmonds as well, and they put out three cover song hits - "Why," "Too Young" and "Lonely Boy."

The hits kept coming. His cover of the Johnny Mathis tune, “The Twelfth of Never,” went to #8 in 1973, and a year later he released a double-sided hit with of "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" and "When I Fall In Love", which went to #14. He teamed up with his sister Marie that year as well, and released a version of the old song, "I'm Leaving It All Up To You."

 

That duet with Marie led to the 18-year old Donnie becoming the youngest-ever host of a TV variety show in 1976, along with Marie, with The Donny and Marie Show. It ran for four years, and was one of the most successful variety shows in history. During that time, Donny earned a top 40 solo hit with the Four Seasons’ song "C'mon Marianne" and in 1978 he and Marie appeared in the feature film Goin' Coconuts.

Donny continued his career in the 80’s, appearing on two episodes of The Love Boat and appearing in Broadway’s Little Johnny Jones. When Peter Gabriel suggested he go back to releasing pop albums, he did so in 1989 with the release of Donny Osmond, working with musicians who had played with Sting and Tears For Fears. It featured a modern, electronic pop sound, producing the hit single "Soldier of Love."

In 1990 Donny released the album Eyes Don't Lie, which contained the top 40 hit "My Love Is A Fire." He also appeared on stage again in the 1992 Canadian production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. The cast album from that show went quadruple-platinum, and Donnie toured with that production for five years.

 

Donny joined his sister Marie again in 1998 for an updated version of The Donny and Marie Show. Instead of ice skaters and disco songs, they worked within a modern, talk-show based format. Despite it’s success, it was expensive to produce, and was cancelled in 2000. But after five decades, Donny Osmond remains one of entertainment’s most enduring performers.