CONCERT
The Osmonds June 14, 8 p.m.
Plenary Hall, Philippine International Convention Center
CCP Complex, Roxas Blvd., Pasay CityThere is no doubt that music runs in the Osmond family. In the 50 years that they have been in the music industry, they have collectively and individually, recorded 142 albums, selling 100 million copies worldwide with 51 gold, and platinum recordings.
Nearly 30 years since they last sang together for a live performance, the Osmonds are reunited for a worldwide concert tour including a one-night-only pit stop at the Philippine International Convention Center tomorrow night (June 14).
The years have added more than a few pounds, wrinkles and gray hairs (with 39 children between them that is hardly surprising). But the dazzling musical talent has remained all these years, making their reunion concert one of the most anticipated entertainment events this year.
Six weeks before the performance this Saturday night, the most expensive front-row tickets worth P15,750 each were sold out, surprising concert organizers who thought the cheaper tickets would sell out first.
But fans of Alan, 58, Wayne, 56, Merrill, 55, Jay, 53, Donny, 50, Marie, 48, and Jimmy, 45, obviously still love them after all these years.
Reuters "We truly want this tour to be a great big thank you to all our fans for their love and support through the years," Jay Osmond said in a statement. "To be back performing together, for the first time in 27 years, is going to be a special thing for all of us," he added.
There are two older Osmond brothers, Virl and Tom, who are both deaf, and do not perform.
"We were brought up strictly by our parents, George and Olive, and we’re grateful for that. Their first two children, Virl and Tom, were born deaf and they were warned not to have any more but, fortunately, they ignored that advice," Jimmy said.
The Osmonds rose to fame in the 1960s as a quartet featuring the talents of Alan, Wayne, Merrill and Jay. Merrill was the group’s lead singer — until younger brother Donny stole his thunder when he joined as the group’s fifth member in the 1970s. With his sweet voice and pretty boy looks, Donny helped in making The Osmonds a popular act, starting in the US, and then the rest of the world.
However, cracks began to appear in the relationship among the brothers when Donny started a solo career.
He then teamed up with their little sister Marie for a prime-time variety show in the US that easily became a hit.
After Donny left the group, their youngest brother Jimmy replaced him as the fifth member in the act. He is best remembered for his solo hit "Long-Haired Lover From Liverpool."
Jimmy may have been the last Osmond to join the group, but he was the first to go gold in Japan, when he was only seven, with "My Little Darling," which he can sing in Japanese.
But soon after, the inevitable happened when The Osmonds officially split up in 1980 amid reports of infighting, jealousy and financial problems. The family was also left close to bankruptcy after losing their fortunes to a string of bad investments.
As if those were not enough, illness and other personal tragedies have also had their way with the Osmonds over the years. The family patriarch George Osmond died November last year. He was 90. Their mother Olive died four years ago.
Donny — whose biggest hit was "Puppy Love" in 1972 — pursued his singing career after Donny and Marie ended (it ran from 1976 to ’79). However, by the time he was 25, his music career had faltered. His popularity nosedived in the 1980s, causing him to have a nervous breakdown. He was later diagnosed with an anxiety disorder.
Donny has since found some success appearing in musicals, and more recently, has started working as a special "correspondent" on a couple of US entertainment news shows.
He married childhood sweetheart Deborah Glenn in 1978 and has five sons.
Marie, on the other hand, faced problems on the home front.
Both her two marriages failed, making her the only divorced Osmond. She has also talked openly about her problems with post-partum depression.
Marie had one child from her first marriage with Stephen Craigh. In 1986, she wed record producer Brian Blosil. They had two children and adopted five more before divorcing last year.
Aside from appearing in TV shows like Dancing with the Stars and Entertainment Tonight, Marie currently sells dolls through her company, Marie Osmond Fine Porcelain Collection Dolls.
While the reunion concert will be a celebration, Jimmy is quick to remind audiences that their performances on this tour will be their last together.
"Our older brothers don’t want to carry on traveling around the world. They miss their families too much," he said.
Here's a video when the Osmonds visited the Philippines' longest running noontime show 'Eat Bualaga' June 13, 2008 (Friday the 13th)
