Wayne Osmond, co-founder of The Osmonds, dies aged 73 – brother pays tribute
He rose to stardom as a member of the music group in the 1960s.
Musician Wayne Osmond has passed away aged 73, his brother has confirmed.
The singer and guitarist was one of the original members of The Osmond Brothers, a band comprised of himself, Alan, Merrill and Jay, which specialised in barbershop music in their hometown of Ogden, Utah.
Eventually, brothers Donny and Jimmy joined the group, which became known simply as The Osmonds, and they achieved stardom following early appearances on The Andy Williams Show and The Jerry Lewis Show in the 1960s.
They achieved chart success in the 1970s, ultimately selling almost 80 million records worldwide since their formation, but their popularity began to wane by the end of the decade – making 1979's Steppin' Out their final release.
In the years that followed, Wayne continued to perform with his brothers until retiring in the late noughties, but did make two additional on-stage appearances in 2018 – one of which was a birthday present to his sister, Marie.
Wayne's brother Merrill said in a statement that the cause of death was a stroke.
Merrill's statement reads (via Facebook): "When I learned that my dear brother Wayne had a massive stroke my immediate response was to fall to my knees and pray for him to receive the assurance that his mission had been accomplished, and he was successful in this endeavour in many ways.
"I immediately drove to the hospital in SLC to see him and I was able to say my goodbyes.
"My brother was a saint before he came into this world, and he will leave as an even greater saint than he came in. I've never known a man that had more humility. A man with absolute no guile. An individual that was quick to forgive and had the ability to show unconditional love to everyone he ever met.
"His departure from this earth will be a sad moment for some, but for those who are waiting for him on the other side, there will be a massive celebration beyond anything we can imagine.
"My brother Wayne endured much. He gave it his all. His legacy will go down as someone who was not only a genius in his ability to write music, but was able to capture the hearts of millions of people and bring them closer to God.
"I will miss him tremendously. I am so grateful to have grown up with one of heavenly father‘s greatest sons. Until I see him again, know that he was loved."
Authors
David Craig is the Senior Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest and greatest scripted drama and comedy across television and streaming. Previously, he worked at Starburst Magazine, presented The Winter King Podcast for ITVX and studied Journalism at the University of Sheffield.
