Meet Donny Osmond's Five Sons
When someone who's lived through the 1970s thinks back to the pop culture of that decade, the Osmond family often comes to mind. The Osmond Brothers were a popular singing group, with Donny Osmond eventually moving to the forefront, becoming a teen idol. He and his sister Marie Osmond soon became a singing duo, and their cover of the Dale & Grace song, "I'm Leaving It (All) Up to You," was a hit in 1974, reaching fourth place in the Billboard Hot 100, cementing their place as pop stars.
The Osmond family has famously been generous, with ten percent of their profits going to their church to help citizens worldwide. While Marie has advocated for the Children's Miracle Network, Donny has been in charge of the Osmond Foundation for the Children of the World. As the Osmond family transformed over the years, their talents and generosity were also passed down. In 1978, Donny married actress Debbie Glenn, and together they had five children, all boys. Meanwhile, Marie would go on to have eight children of her own, although she wasn't the same after the death of her son, Michael.
Along with generosity, Marie has explained that she won't be leaving her money to her kids, telling Us Weekly in 2023, "I don't know anybody who becomes anything if they're just handed money," explaining they should work for success. Donny's sons have all followed that mantra, and each has chosen career paths that include entertainment, art, and business.
Donald Clark Osmond Jr. became a PR guru
As teenagers, Donny and Debbie Osmond met in 1975, and their first son, Donald Clark Osmond Jr., was born in 1979, a year after they wed. Don Jr. grew up to become an entertainer like his dad, pursuing a career as an actor and singer/songwriter. In an August 2016 interview with Spectrum, he explained that having been born after the pinnacle of Don Sr.'s popularity, he missed all the hoopla, stating, "I actually never saw the height of it all, like the crazed fans throwing themselves against the stage."
However, seeing the news media put out reports that were not nice about his dad, he was determined to change things. "I was sick and tired of the media. I just had a lot of bad experiences. It ate at me. So I decided I'd go into PR and become the spin doctor of all spin doctors." He recalled his father's sage words: "I don't hold a grudge against the media. My dad told me: 'Good press, bad press, in the end it's all press. And that's what we want.'"
Working in PR for the entertainment industry proved daunting because the entire narrative for a client couldn't be completely controlled. So, Don Jr. shifted gears and started his own company, OzComm, which caters to the business world rather than entertainment. He and his wife Jessica have been married since 2010 and have four kids of their own.
Rebellious Jeremy James Osmond eventually became a physical therapist
Donny Osmond's second child, Jeremy James Osmond, did not like the wholesome Osmond family image and went in the complete opposite direction in his earlier years. Donny told The Guardian in a March 2001 interview that son number two had rebelled by getting eyebrow and tongue piercings, repudiating the Mormon faith, and even getting his hair dyed with a wacky leopard spot pattern. Dad explained, "I think a lot of the rebellion came from the fact that he was my son — you know, this whole Osmond thing."
But worst of all for Donny, Jeremy separated from his family for a long time. "Jeremy and I didn't communicate for four years," he said, adding, "But in the end, he realized: 'You know what, I don't need to do this.' He came back. And now he is serving a mission in Italy." In 2002, Jeremy married Melisa Osmond, and they have three children.
In June 2023, Melisa posted family photos from a trip to Italy on Instagram, captioning it, "Ciao!! From Venice!! I love this amazing city! Oh my goodness!! Jeremy served his mission in Italy and lived in a city right by Venice! It's so beautiful!!" Jeremy has gone on to become the executive director at Pointe Meadows Health and Rehabilitation after previously running his own physical therapy practice.
Brandon Michael Osmond is a creative director
Donny Osmond's third son, Brandon Michael Osmond, was born in 1985, and while having musical talent like his dad, he decided to put those skills in the hobby category and focus on business. The middle Osmond put his creativity to good use as a designer, creative director, and media director, among many other things. In 2022, he joined the board of directors for Friends of the Salt Lake City's Children's Justice Center, which helps victims of child abuse.
That same year, Brandon explained to Fox 13 News that he had difficulty reconciling Donny the star versus Donny the dad. He was blown away once when legendary pop icon Michael Jackson phoned his father to offer condolences about his grandfather's death. The realization eventually set in, as he stated, "Donny Osmond and my dad were now the same person, and it really wrecked me. It really was a hard thing for me to see."
"But when he was at home, he was wearing Grinch pajamas and [a] floppy shirt," Brandon continued, adding, "And that was my dad. And I loved that man. And I loved the Donny Osmond. But they were two separate people." In 2008, Brandon married a woman named Shelby after wooing her with an original song about her titled "Bring Me Home." He told DeseretNews, "I guess it was daring, a little forward, but it worked, and now we're married." The couple has four kids.
Christopher Glenn Osmond is also a musician
Christopher Glenn Osmond, Donny Osmond's fourth son, was born in December 1990. Unlike some of his siblings who stay out of the limelight, Chris' website explains that after seeing his dad enthrall the world, he was inspired to join the entertainment industry. He started playing piano as a kid and became a DJ as a teenager, eventually studying audio engineering and ultimately landing a job at Disney's Burbank, California location.
With three singles under his belt, the musician also joined the TV game show "Claim to Fame," in which contestants try to figure out what famous person each other is related to. Knowing that younger audience members probably hadn't heard of him, Donny told People in an August 2023 interview that Chris was "making the show interesting because they [couldn't] figure out who he is." He added "This dynamic of having Chris on the show, that's what's making it exciting because the older generation, they know exactly what it is. And the younger kids, they have no idea."
Chris and his wife, Alta Osmond, married in 2017 and reside in Utah with their two children, Aussie and Dune. Chris told Entertainment Weekly in 2023 that he wasn't born with a silver spoon in his mouth and works to care for his family, explaining, "I still got to work, I still got to put food on the table just like anybody else."
Joshua Davis Osmond studied business
Joshua Davis Osmond, the fifth son of iconic pop singer Donny Osmond, was born in February 1998. In January 2019, Josh attended Utah Valley University, where he received his Associate's Degree in Business Management. He worked several jobs to pay his way through school, including as a Medical Technician and Digital Marketing Specialist.
In December 2018, Donny posted a video to Instagram from 2016 in which Josh read aloud a letter stating that he was accepted to become a missionary in Italy, which had everyone in the room erupting in cheers. Donny wrote, "It's a remarkable and humbling experience to witness the growth I've seen in my son Josh, as well as in each of my sons as they've served full-time missions for the @ldschurch."
Josh and his childhood friend, Summer Felsted, lost contact when he went to Italy but reconnected upon his return. After a year of dating, they got engaged. The two eventually tied the knot in June 2020, after their wedding had been postponed due to the pandemic. "The Temple and our venue were canceled, so we had a small ceremony instead," he told Closer Weekly afterward, explaining that they moved the event from their church to their home with a limited number of guests. The weather was great for their nuptials, and Josh stated, "It was such a fun celebration of this new step we're taking in life."