The Osmonds

The story of the devoutly religious Osmond family's emergence from Utah to become one of the great teen pop sensations of the 1970s - including a hit TV show and various offshoot projects - is one of the most fabled in music history. The original line-up featured brothers Alan, Merrill, Jay and Wayne Osmond performing in 1958 as a barbershop quartet raising money for their church. Their big break came on the Andy Williams TV show, on which they performed regularly through the 1960s and were joined by younger brother Donny. Touring as a variety act with Andy Williams and also featuring regularly on the Jerry Lewis TV show increased their popularity, after which they embraced pop and rock'n'roll to give them more contemporary appeal. The result was a name change from The Osmond Brothers to The Osmonds and they achieved their first pop success in 1971 with One Bad Apple, a US Number 1. Other hits followed and, as Donny emerged as the focal point, the brothers enjoyed their golden age with songs like Love Me For A Reason, The Proud One, Goin' Home, Let Me In and the outright rock'n'roll song Crazy Horses. On the back of teen angst solo hits like Puppy Love, Go Away Little Girl and 12th Of Never, Donny became a superstar, also teaming up with sister Marie for duet records and a hit TV series; while yet another younger brother, 9-year-old Little Jimmy Osmond emerged in 1972 to become the youngest artist ever to have a Number 1 hit with Long Haired Lover From Liverpool. By the end of the decade their momentum had faded, but they continue to perform separately and together.

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