Alan Osmond, Oldest Member of the Osmonds, Passes Away at 76

Alan Osmond, the eldest member of the Osmond family, has passed away at the age of 76. A family spokesperson confirmed the news, stating he died on Monday night, surrounded by his wife and children.

The announcement was made by his longtime bandmate Meryl, who shared on social media, “My brother has now stepped into the presence of his Heavenly Father with honor and peace. His life was not measured by years, but by love, sacrifice, and purpose.” He continued, expressing that Alan dedicated everything he had to the Lord, his family, and to the world. “He was truly a missionary. He was truly a saint. So please, don’t let your heart be heavy. Don’t cry for him. Rejoice knowing your brother, your friend, your hero is no longer in pain. He’s free. He’s whole. He’s home.”

Born on June 22, 1949, in Ogden, Utah, Osmond was the third of nine children in a deeply religious LDS family. When it was discovered that two of his older brothers were deaf, Alan and his brothers Wayne, Meryl, and Jay began performing as a barbershop quartet to help raise funds for their siblings’ hearing aids.

The group quickly gained global fame. Despite initial rejection from shows like the Lawrence Welk Show, the Osmond brothers performed at Disneyland, leading to a significant seven-year run on NBC’s Andy Williams Show. Later, they transitioned from variety shows to mainstream music, rebranding themselves as “The Osmonds” and bringing in their younger brother Donny to take on lead vocals.

While Donny became the most recognized member, Alan contributed significantly by co-writing hits like “One Bad Apple” and “Crazy Horse,” as well as co-producing most of their music and choreographing their performances. Donny praised Alan as “the leader of the band” and “the cornerstone of our accomplishments.”

In 1987, Alan was diagnosed with progressive multiple sclerosis (MS). Though he had largely stepped back from public appearances since 2007, he was still working on publishing his autobiography, set for release in 2024.

He is survived by his wife Suzanne, whom he was married to for over 50 years, along with eight sons, 30 grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.