Donny Osmond pays tribute to ‘our leader,’ brother Alan

Alan Osmond was the oldest of the performing Osmond Brothers, steering the act to worldwide fame.

Osmond’s younger brother, Donny Osmond, still a Las Vegas Strip headliner at Harrah’s Showroom, remembered his sibling’s mentorship in a social media post Tuesday.

Donny posted a scrapbook photo of the two as little boys, Alan holding his little brother tightly. It was among Donny’s earliest photos of the two.

“Even back then, you can see that he had his arm around me, watching over me. That’s who he was. My protector. My guide,” Osmond wrote. “The one who quietly carried so much responsibility so the rest of us could shine.”

Alan Osmond died Monday night in Salt Lake City at age 76. He had battled multiple sclerosis for four years.

The Osmond Brothers’ act coalesced around the elder Osmond, a soaring singer and guitarist. The original Osmond quartet was Alan, Wayne, Merrill and Jay. Donny was added later, and the group recorded such top-40 hits as “One Bad Apple,” “Love Me for a Reason,” “Crazy Horses” and “Down by the Lazy River.”

“Alan was our leader in every sense of the word. His tireless work helped build everything we became,” Donny said. “I will always be grateful for the sacrifices he made and the love he showed—not just to me, but to every member of our family. I owe him more than I can ever fully express.”

The late Andy Williams, enormously instrumental in the Osmonds’ early success on his network-TV variety show, was first to feature the brothers in Las Vegas. The first version of the act, sans Donny, opened for Williams at the just-opened Caesars Palace Circus Maximus in April 1967.

Donny Osmond joined later that year. Nancy Sinatra then recruited the Osmond Brothers to open for her at the International Hotel (today’s Westgate) on Aug. 29, 1969. Sinatra was the third headliner, following Barbara Streisand (opening July 2), Elvis Presley (July 31), and leading to Sinatra and the Osmonds.

The brothers donned Elvis-style jumpsuits while performing on their own, and singing and dancing behind Sinatra.

The family’s first Las Vegas headlining show was back at Circus Maximus in March 1973. Marie Osmond soon joined the act. By the late 1970s, she and Donny had taken off with a series of hit singles and their TV variety series.

The Donny and Marie stage show headlined at the Flamingo for 11 years, ending in November 2019. Donny opened solo at Harrah’s in September 2021.

The remaining Osmonds, including the youngest brother, Jimmy, frequently headlined on their own in Las Vegas, at such venues as the Orleans Showroom. Founding member Wayne Osmond died in January 2025, at age 73.

Donny Osmond closed is message simply, “I love you, Alan. Thank you for always being there for me.Till we meet again, Brother Donny.”

John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on X, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.