Donny Osmond and his sister Marie Osmond became worldwide superstars when they formed Donny & Marie in the 1970s. The pop duo then became even more famous following their television show, before the siblings split in a bid to embark on their respective solo careers.
Decades later, Donny and Marie reunited in Las Vegas, holding a residency at the Flamingo for years. In 2019, though, they decided to end their run in “Sin City,” with rumors rife that they were having some sort of family feud.
Last weekend, Donny played a show in Las Vegas, performing in front of many fans. During the act, his sister, Marie, made a surprise appearance – and gave new information about their relationship.
Donny and Marie Osmond were just two of several Osmond siblings to crack the music industry. Thanks to their solo careers, as well as parts of The Osmonds and Osmond Brothers, they became major stars.
Donny Osmond was born in Odgen, Utah, on December 9, 1957. Right from the start, he was an entertainer, performing alongside his older siblings as a part of the Osmond Brothers when he was just a young child.
Two years later, Marie Osmond was born. She was the only girl out of nine children, and still at a young age – after her brothers had been a regular act on The Andy Williams Show – she would be introduced to the world of show business.
Marie’s mother was of the opinion that her only daughter should also pursue a career in music. Donny was, at that point, already a teen star. Before long, Marie would join him on stage.
She signed up with the family music label and became a solo artist. At 12 years of age, she went into her first recording session, an experience she recalls as “the most terrifying.”
“It was a full orchestra and rhythm section. I was the only Osmond girl, what if I failed?” she said in 2015, according to Daily Mail.
“So I threw up! Then I went in and sang.”
Donny and Marie’s parents had always dreamed of having a large family, and their home was a very religious one. The children grew up surrounded by strict discipline, but there was plenty of music as well. Their parents – Olive and George – were singers, and every Friday night, the whole family got together to sing, play saxophone and talk about world events.
When Donny was three, and Marie one, their family left Utah to pursue an extensive career in show business. The next destination was Hollywood, though the move wasn’t all that great for young Donny.
“It was kind of a traumatic day for me, he said. “It was kind of fun at first, but then I got homesick for my sandbox, my truck. But it was a new life.”
“I went from an innocent child to a national television star”
At that point, Donny and Marie’s older siblings Alan, Wayne, Merrill, and Jay had become a real attraction, performing as a child group. Then, in 1962, they were recognized by Walt Disney and got a job at Disneyland, performing on the television show Walt Disney’s Wonderful World of Color.
At five years of age, Donny himself entered the world of show business. The Osmond siblings found themselves singing and performing on The Andy Williams Show, and it was there that Donny got his big moment.
“I went from an innocent child to a national television star. My career took on a life of its own,” he explained.
In contrast to her brothers, who mostly made pop music, Marie Osmond focused on country-style music. In 1973, at only 14 years of age, she released her first single, Paper Roses, which would become a huge success.
The song sent her to the top of the top in music. She became the No. 1 US country hit and reached the Top 5 on the Billboard magazine pop chart. Still a teenager, Marie was also a European star, with Paper Roses reaching No. 2 on the UK Singles Chart.
A year later, Marie released her debut album, My Little Corner of the World, which reached the Billboard country Top 40 the same year.
Donny Osmond & Marie Osmond – combining careers
Donny and his siblings performed in front of thousands of fans all over the US and Europe as The Osmonds. However, life on the road was hard on Donny since he was just a little kid. He missed his toys, and he grew homesick and tired.
“It was a life of extremes,” he recalled. “On stage, twenty thousand girls screaming your name, and then go to a silence hotel room.”
By 1976, The Osmonds were no longer producing hit singles but had already released 16 albums.
When Marie became Donny’s duet partner, a new popularity emerged that would catapult the young brother-sister duo to international stardom.
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