WASHINGTON, Jan 3 — Wayne Osmond, the singer of the American family pop group the Osmonds, has died at the age of 73, his brother said yesterday.
Osmond passed away at a hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah, after suffering a “massive stroke,” his brother Merrill Osmond said in a Facebook post.
“I’ve never known a man that had more humility. A man with absolute no guile,” the post read. “An individual that was quick to forgive and had the ability to show unconditional love to everyone he ever met.”
Wayne Osmond was the fourth of nine siblings raised in a Mormon household in the city of Ogden, Utah.
The siblings’ career began in the 1950s when Wayne, Alan, Merrill and Jay sang as a barbershop quartet.
In 1961, the four brothers were discovered singing at Disneyland. They gained exposure on television shows and their popularity grew. Brothers Donny and Jimmy eventually joined, as well as sister Marie.
In 1971, the group reached the height of their fame after the release of One Bad Apple. The song spent five weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 100, according to People magazine.
Shortly after, the band went their separate ways. Jimmy pursued a solo career, while Donny and Marie, now aged 67 and 65, began singing as a duo.
Wayne Osmond married Kathlyn White, a former pageant queen, in 1974. They had five children together.
Wayne Osmond experienced a number of health problems over the years. In 1997, he was diagnosed with a brain tumor and lost nearly all of his hearing as a result of the treatment, People reported.
Then, in 2012, he had a stroke that left him unable to play guitar.
“My brother Wayne endured much,” Merrill Osmond said in his Facebook post.
“He gave it his all. His legacy will go down as someone who was not only a genius in his ability to write music, but was able to capture the hearts of millions of people and bring them closer to God.” — AFP
