Back in the early 70’s, The Osmond Brothers dominated the charts right along with the Jackson Five. Pop back then was certainly eclectic, but there was always a place for the upbeat melodies and rockin’ harmonies, and the Osmonds were among the best and the most popular of the acts defining that particular genre.
The Osmond Brothers - Alan, Wayne,Merrill, Jay and of course Donny - were part of the Olive and George Osmond family of Ogden, Utah. Back in 1959, “The Osmonds” started out as a quartet, consisting of Alan, Wayne,Merrill, and Jay - and they sang mostly religious music and barbershop melodies. Ranging n age from five to ten, the boys were unbelievable crowd-pleasers, performing at fairs and amusement parks, including Disneyland and Knotts Berry Farm. It was at one such venue that the father of singer Andy Williams spotted the quartet and suggested his famous son check them out. Andy, who was headlining his own T.V. variety show at the time, signed up the Osmonds - now including Donny - for a network appearance. This was in 1962. Five years later the boys were still appearing as regular guests on the show, so popular was their appeal. During this time, the boys had added pop songs to their repertoire, and had built an incredible fan base owing in no small part to their winning mixture of talent, energy, and unflappable exuberance.
Their biggest break was yet to come. Mike Curb, then President of MGM Records, signed the act to a long-term recording contract. In late 1970, the Osmond Brothers exploded onto the best-selling record charts with their #1 million-seller, One Bad Apple. From then on, it was one million-seller after another, from Yo-Yo in 1971 to the beautifully harmonic and upbeat Down By the Lazy River in 1972. Hold Her Tight and Crazy Horses followed that same year, all featured in this special collection, along with the top-of-the-chart hits Double Lovin and Goin’ Home.
The Osmonds found themselves much in demand for personal appearances and toured around the world to SRO crowds in concert, on stage, and before television audiences.
There’s a timeless quality about the Osmonds’ music that sets it apart. Perhaps it’s the way they captured the energy and optimism of youth, so wondrously expressed in the lyrics of One Bad Apple, a lovesick boy’s plea to a girl to give him a chance to prove that he’s different from the rest and that “one bad apple don’t spoil the whole bunch”. This special first of its kind, collection of the Osmonds hits will delight baby boomers and new fans alike. After all, optimism never goes out of style. |
