I could write a book – but no one would believe it
How do you top being in one of the biggest boy bands in the world? Merrill Osmond tells MARION McMULLEN the real story has yet to come out
AUDIENCES still scream when Merrill Osmond takes to the stage to sing classic hits like Crazy Horses and Let Me In.
“We were called the Osmond Brothers and now it is Brother Osmond,” he laughs. At 68, he is still carrying the flag for the Osmond family and is heading back to the UK for the tour that was cut short by Covid restrictions last year.
“Last year we were trying to figure out if I should play a concert in London or if I should get out,” he says. “I ended up on the last flight to leave before the shutdown and that was a bit frightening.
“I’ve always complained over the years – this is my 64th year performing – that I’ve never had a vacation. Boy, I can’t say that any more. I’ve spent time with my family like I’ve never been able to before and I’ve been painting and writing and reading. I’ve taken it one day at a time and I’ve spent time with my wife. But it’s now a year and a half later and I cannot wait to get back.”
Merrill laughs: “I think I have forgotten how to perform. It’s been forever. It’s been crazy. I just want to get back to performing those songs that people loved so much when they were kids and that I love singing. That’s what audiences want to hear along with some new material. On tour it is consistently hit after hit. Sometimes when I perform Let Me In the audience sing all the words back to me and I just fall silent. It always brings a tear to my eye.”
The Osmonds were arguably the first and one of the biggest boybands in the world in the 1970s and saw Merrill touring the world with his brothers Donny, Jay, Alan, Wayne and later Jimmy. Sister Marie also enjoyed solo success and as a duo singing with brother Donny.
The Osmonds band enjoyed 47 platinum records worldwide with Merrill producing and writing the music and lyrics for five of their number one hits.
Their fandom hit Beatlemania level at the height of their fame and Merrill says: “I wrote a book years ago, but the real book, well, that’s still to come out, I don’t think anyone would believe it. The death threats, dealing with all the mania and that level of experience. It’s only people like Paul McCartney who have experienced that kind of level in the music industry. I’m humbled by it.”
He laughs: “You know people still want to know if my favourite colour is purple. When we were kids Mum gave us all different colours that she could put into our shirts and pants.
“She always used to make our clothes exactly the same so we mirrored each other. My colour was purple but then Donny was interviewed for a magazine and was asked what his favourite colour was and he got flustered and said purple... that ended all my shirts and pants overnight. That’s how quickly my colour disappeared.” He adds with a smiles: “It’s now black.”
Merrill grew up as part of a family of nine. His brothers Virl and Tom were deaf and singing began as a way for Merrill’s parents, Olive and George, to raise money for hearing aids for them. By the 1960s the Osmonds were appearing on US television on The Andy Williams Show.
“They would have a different star guest on every week from John Wayne to Elvis Presley,” remembers Merrill. “Everyone came on the Andy Williams show so it became something of a routine to meet these people every week.
“I think I was more starstruck when I later met Elvis one-on-one and he knew my name. And then meeting Paul McCartney was great. He was a bass player and I was a bass player and he gave me one of his guitars. That was one of the highlights of my life.”
Merrill’s own son Justin was born deaf and Merrill is also a spiritual healer and plans to host a serenity weekend in the UK this summer.
Music has always been a part of his life. “I started when I was four and the work ethic – my father was a sergeant in the military – was extreme. There were structures in my life and to experience the pandemic last year, when there was no structure, I didn’t know what to do with myself.
“I have suffered with anxiety most of my life and what made it worse with Covid was you had nothing to do. It fuelled my anxiety so I had to reprogramme myself. I thought ‘You’ve got to go through this, deal with it.’ I had to find the balance and it brought me a lot of peace to my soul. I’m much more relaxed. It’s a positive.
“It’s also been hard because I’m a hugger – ‘Here I come with a bear hug’ – and I’ve not been able to do that. We’re not completely out of the woods, but it looks like we are getting there pretty quickly. I’m looking forward to the tour. I’m ready to rock ‘n’ roll.”
■ Go to merrillosmond. com for tour and ticket details for An Evening With Merrill Osmond