Why The Osmond Family Isn't As Close As They Used To Be
Before there were today's boy bands and glitzy pop groups, there were the family bands of the 1960s and 1970s. Among them was The Osmonds, a popular rock band comprised of five brothers: Alan, Wayne, Merrill, Jay, and Donny Osmond.
The Osmonds exploded into popularity with the release of "One Bad Apple," a groovy track made even more popular by the brothers' Jackson 5-esque dance moves. With the crooning vocals of young Donny Osmond at the helm, the family band quickly became all the rage in the '70s, even spawning their own cartoon in 1972. The closeness that audiences saw onstage between the siblings wasn't just a front for the sake of the cameras, either. One of the most heartwarming facts about the Osmond siblings is that they each learned ASL to better communicate with their two oldest siblings, Virl and Tom, who were born hard of hearing. It's truly a testament to how much they care for one another.
Nowadays, it seems like the family act has become more of a solo venture for each of the Osmond siblings. Famous families often branch off into their own careers so they can create their personal brand of music — see the Jacksons — but not all of them make the transition intact. The influx of money, success, and added responsibilities of fame can sour the strongest of relationships, and rumor has it that these would be the undoing of one of America's favorite family of performers.
They don't have as much time for each other
Familial relationships, just like any other kind, can take a hit when you don't take the time to nurture them. If you're as busy as the Osmonds, you might not have that much time to spare. Jimmy Osmond, the youngest of the talented siblings, has admitted that this lack of time is what has caused their family to drift apart over the years. Speaking with Radar Online, Jimmy claimed that as each of the siblings met their spouses and began families of their own, the Osmond clan stopped being as involved in each other's lives as they once were. He called their growing distance something every family faces in their lifetime.
However, a serious medical episode revealed that there might be more to the story than just a natural "growing apart." In December 2019, Jimmy had a stroke onstage while performing in a live production of "Peter Pan." His brother Merrill Osmond told the Daily Express that each of the siblings was very worried about their little brother and made an effort to see him, but he claimed their efforts were denied, according to the Daily Mail. According to Merrill, Jimmy's wife and children "banned" them from visiting. "It's the way his family wants it. Jimmy has been through a lot and he just wants to be all by himself right now," Merrill informed the news outlet. "We're all giving him space. It's just his wife and his children with him right now."
The family became more like a 'business'
Honestly, fighting with your family seems like a part of nature, but the bickering turns tragic when it goes so far as to tear a family apart. Unfortunately, the Osmond family seems to have fallen victim to this as their rising fame proved too much for the siblings to handle. Something began to change, and sources close to the Osmonds claim it was their bond with one another. An insider with Radar Online says the relationship between the Osmond siblings has continued to deteriorate the longer they stay in the spotlight. "Back [in the beginning] they were a family," the insider divulged. "Now everything's strictly business."
Speculation that the siblings lost the joy of performing with one another would only grow when Donny and Marie Osmond made a shocking announcement in 2019. Ever since the brother and sister hosted the popular '70s variety show "Donny & Marie," they have been lauded as a duo act. They've performed more than 1,000 shows together during their Las Vegas residency, but in 2019, they announced they were ending their partnership. This quickly sparked rumors that there was a feud brewing between the two. A source with Radar Online claimed that Marie was the one who pushed to end their long-running Las Vegas show. The source stated that the only Osmond daughter was tired of performing with Donny and is highly unlikely to do so again. The siblings' publicist has denied the rumors, and Donny has told Entertainment Tonight that the reason the siblings ended their residency is because they have their own projects to work on. We'll just have to wait and see if the Osmond siblings will surprise us with a reunion show and finally put the rumors to rest.