Trying to maintain a stable human life can be taxing enough even when you’re not required to be entertaining 24/7 and are constantly being examined by the media. Marie knows that all too well. Often credited with the most difficult life, she and some of her family members had to go through a fair share of hardships there’s a rumor they are cursed.
This was further demonstrated when Marie’s adopted son Michael took his own life in 2010. He was struggling with his mental health and with some substance abuse issues. She almost did the same as her son in 2006. Rumors swirl about an Osmond family curse and whether it has been passed down to the next generation after having such difficult childhoods themselves.
Good Influences
Nowadays, every person can be as eclectic as they want with their musical taste and have a playlist ready to be shown off at the drop of a hat. In the 70s, however, things were a little different, and curating a playlist or being exposed to new influences was a lot harder.
Some people think that it may have been difficult for artists like the Osmonds to have musical influences because of how close-knit they all were and how they didn’t have CDs or MP3s back then. The way they did it was by soaking up and appreciating all the music they heard on the numerous variety shows they went on. They paid attention to all genres and incorporated them all into their act.
Trying to Sing Opera
Opera and pop music rarely share the same fanbase. However, for a brief period in 2010, they overlapped! Jimmy Osmond, the youngest of the original nine children, was on a British reality television show called "Popstar to Operastar," a program where they make known pop singers sing opera songs.
The challenging competition had Jimmy eliminated third but he was a good sport about it. He stated that it was one of the most challenging things he has ever done, but also that he absolutely loved it. He sang the same way since he was three years old and said it was awesome to hear his voice in a different way.
The Family Tree
Branches of the Osmond family tree can be traced back to the early 1100s Osmond and the family are very proud of their family tree. In fact, they have published an entire website — The Osmond Family Organization — dedicated to their family history.
The majority of the Osmond family tree originated in the United Kingdom. In fact, Donny Osmond calls the UK his second home. BBC ONE Wales premiered a two-part special called "Donny Osmond Coming Home" where local genealogists traced his Merthyr Tydfil ancestors and Welsh roots clear back to 1585. He and his brothers also performed for the Queen of England at the Royal Variety Performance in 2003.
The Formula of Success
Throughout their years of making music together, the Osmonds have had a lot of opportunities to look into each other's strengths and weaknesses and know what each of them was best at. That kind of research helped them stay on top of their game and play to each other's strengths.
This is how they came to the formula that helped them create light R&B hits like "Yo-Yo" and "Double Lovin." The formula included lead vocals by Merrill and a chorus or hooks sung by Donny. How good was the formula? Well, good enough to place "Yo-Yo" at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100.