Not many people could relate to the experiences of an Osmond — performing with your family in front of thousands of people. But there are still those who have lived through the same thing. Believe it or not, Donny, Marie and the rest of the family weren’t the only families performing together in the 70s.
Another one of these extremely talented families was the Jackson Five from Gary, Indiana. The two acts used to coordinate shows together. One time both families stayed at the same hotel in Toronto and the kids from each family played football with each other! How cool!
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.
Jay Osmond Wrote an Autobiography
Have you ever wondered what it's like to be a performing artist on a tour? Well, after reading Jay Osmond's book, you won't have to wonder anymore. Jay Osmond was the drummer in the Osmond family band.
Much later on in life, he wrote an autobiography entitled "Stages" where he takes you, the reader, through the different hardships and successes the family had while on the road together throughout the 70s. There are also anecdotes about people the family collaborated with, such as Elvis and The Beatles. The book was even formatted as a 'play’ on the meaning of stages.
Family Above All Else
The Osmonds have grown exponentially in the last three generations. It all started with Olive and George. Since 2013, the family has exploded to nine children, 55 grandchildren, and 70 great-grandchildren! That's a total of 124 family descendants!
Just imagine all that musical potential! If they were all pursuing the same field that made them so famous, they would have been more of a choir than a band. Not to mention the stage would have to have been MUCH bigger. No one has been pressured into staying in the music business, though. Wayne's kids have become doctors while others have gone on to have successful careers in academics and other areas.
Seeing the Osmonds
It used to be that people would climb over just about anything to get close to the Osmonds. They didn't even know what parkour was but they were doing it in the name of their idols. No fence or door or staircase was a match for a determined fan.
One bizarre story involved someone actually mailing herself to the family’s hotel room where the talented family was staying. What a creative yet psychotic mind. Talk about a fan mail! We wonder how this person pulled it off... We would assume it required a big, durable cardboard box, a call to DHL, and a whole lot of waiting.