Inside Donny Osmond’s Life and Career: His Family and Late Brother Wayne, Advice From Elvis and More
Plus, what the singer and TV host is doing now
Everyone knows Donny Osmond. Whether it’s from his singing or his time as a television host, he certainly has made quite a name for himself. Here, we look back on Donny’s career highlights—including what he remembers about his time with Elvis—his personal life and more! Keep reading for more.
The early career of Donny Osmond
Born in 1957 in Ogden, Utah, Donny was one of eight kids, some of whom (Alan, Merrill, Jay, Wayne and Donny) banded together to create a singing group called the Osmond Brothers.
The group would go on to perform on various stages, including Disneyland’s TV special, Disney After Dark. This event paved the way for the siblings to audition for The Andy William Show, which they would soon become regulars on during the 1960s.
Donny Osmond goes solo
After a very successful run as a member of the Osmond Brothers, Donny decided that it was time to go solo in the 1970s. During that time, he released several hit songs, including a cover of Roy Orbison’s “Sweet and Innocent,” Paul Anka’s “Puppy Love” and “Hey Girl/I Knew You When.”
Also, in the 1970s, the singer appeared on several magazine covers, including Tiger Beat and Flip. However, according to former Tiger Beat editor Ann Moses, Osmond began to resent the title of a teen idol.
“There was a period in the early ’80s, shortly after Donny got married, where he didn’t want anything to do with Tiger Beat,” Moses told Woman’s World in 2024. “He had the feeling that Tiger Beat had just put him in a box as a teen idol and he couldn’t break out of it. So he was very angry about being a teenybopper star and wanted to move on and progress.”
Despite his disdain for the teen idol title though, Donny never wavered in his love and support for his fans, a trait that he claims came from the late Elvis Presley.
“I remember when we were talking to Elvis one day, our family even said, ‘If I could do it all over again, I’d get closer to my fans,'” the former teen idol told PEOPLE earlier this year. “I was 14 at the time when he said that. And it really, really influenced me that a guy this big, you know, the King of Rock and Roll, says he wishes he could get closer to his fans ’cause he was so isolated.”
“That’s one of the reasons why I do it; because that came from the King.”
Donny Osmond becomes a TV legend
Aside from his music, Donny is also quite well-known for his various TV appearances.
Initially, he appeared on The Mike Douglas Show alongside his sister Marie in 1974. The two siblings were then offered their own show—The Donny & Marie Show—in 1976 and remained there until 1979.
“We did a total of 78 episodes,” Donny said in 2023. “What a wonderful experience to share with my sister.”
Following that, Donny and Marie went on to host another show entitled Donny & Marie from 1998 to 2000 and received several Daytime Emmy Award nominations for their work.
The singer’s time as a TV host didn’t stop there, though. From 2002 until 2004, he hosted the game show Pyramid, which he then brought to Britain in 2007, making him just one of two game show hosts to bring their show to a foreign country.
Donny was also on the hit reality show Dancing With the Stars in 2009 and, to this day, remains the show’s oldest winner.
What Donny Osmond is doing now
Currently, Donny is in the middle of his Las Vegas residency, which is set to continue until June 2025.
“I’m just having the time of my life on stage,” Donny said of his residency. “I’ve always said if I can’t give a hundred percent on stage like I do every night in Las Vegas or what I’m doing out here if I can’t come up to that bar that I’ve set for myself, that’s the time to stop.”
The personal life of Donny Osmond
Donny has been married to his wife, Debbie, since 1978, and they have five children together.
“She’s not only the love of my life, but she’s also my best friend and greatest confidant,” the showman said in 2020. “I’m deeply grateful for a wife who is my teammate in every sense of the word. She is the glue that holds us all together.”
The early days of 2025, sadly, brought loss to Donny’s life, as he lost his brother Wayne on January 1.
“Wayne brought so much light, laughter, and love to everyone who knew him, especially me. He was the ultimate optimist and was loved by everyone,” Donny wrote on Instagram of his brother, who died from a stroke. “I’m sure I speak on behalf of every one of us siblings when I state that we were fortunate to have Wayne as a brother.”
“Even though we are separated in this mortal life, I know that by the grace and resurrection of our Savior, Jesus Christ, we will have the opportunity to be with Wayne for eternity. I love you, Wayne.”
Osmond is currently 67 years old and has 14 grandchildren.
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