Alan Osmond decided to quit the band and go on a Mormon mission as many young adults in the church do, but while on it, something wasn’t feeling right. Just because everybody else in his community could contribute through missionary work didn’t mean it was the right thing for him to contribute through. He fasted and prayed for guidance for several days and after doing some soul-searching, he realized the mission wasn’t for him.
In the end, he didn’t go, instead electing to join the army and serve his country in Vietnam. He served as a Colonel’s secretary at a base stateside.
They Almost Went Bankrupt
In 1975, the family was on the verge of financial collapse, especially after two of their albums flopped. The family built a TV set close to their house in Utah for the Donny and Marie Show in an effort to rebuild their fan base and cash flow. Then that show got canceled by the network and the Osmonds had to do two more albums to cover the costs of their studio.
These, too, flopped, and yet, instead of declaring bankruptcy, they paid back every cent they borrowed and forged ahead. With all the talent flowing in this family's blood, they were bound to land on their feet at some point.
They Only Started Selling CDs in 2008
This is perhaps the most surprising revelation of all. The Osmond family didn’t start releasing their music on CD until the first year of the Obama Administration! Somehow, it took them the longest time possible to evolve from vinyl records and cassette tapes. We wonder if it has anything to do with the fact that most of their demographic features people of a certain age.
That’s right, after 2008, they decided it was finally time to stop with the records and clue into what everybody has been doing since the early 90s. Too bad MP3s had already taken the world by storm.
Boot Camp Awards
During his time in the army, just like any other soldier, Alan had to undergo basic training. You wouldn't expect someone who spent most of his life in entertainment to do well in basic training, but you'd be sorely mistaken. This might sound counterintuitive but as it so happened, his years in the limelight have given him an advantage in boot camp.
His knowledge of choreography helped with bayonet skills, the ruthless road schedule helped prepare him for being sleep deprived in boot camp, and he was great with firearms. He made it out of basic training with three trophies!
David Osmond's Health
At the age of 26, David Osmond was diagnosed with a serious medical condition. Donny's nephew and a singer in his own right, David was bound to a wheelchair for a time and could not walk without a cane. However, he did receive some medical help that got him to walk down the aisle on his own two feet in order to marry his fiancée.
David has felt much better since getting this treatment. Although pain is still part of his life, at least he is out of that wheelchair, and he is happy about it, as is his family.