Press Releases

The Osmond's last tour
Oxford Mail
Saturday, February 25, 2006
by Tim Hughes

Jimmy Osmond - Still pulling in crowds

Osmondmania grips Oxford this week, as the fresh-faced brothers arrive for what could be their last ever tour. Singer Jimmy Osmond tells Tim Hughes why it will be an unmissable date. Thirty-three years ago, Britain was gripped by an outbreak of hysteria. Screaming girls yelled, fainted and clawed each other to get close to what were surely the most unlikely bunch of teenage heartthrobs - a clean-cut set of

They were The Osmonds, and the fever surrounding their live appearances became known as Osmondmania.

Now the brothers are back. And while the crowd reaction is expected to be somewhat more subdued this time around, the brothers' show promises to be quite a spectacle - particularly for the groupies of the 70s.

It is also a last chance for fans, nostalgia buffs and observers of the curious and bizarre, to revisit their past, and once again witness a pop phenomenon. For after four decades together, this could well be the last tour. After threatening to do the unthinkable for years, Merrill has decided to follow former member Donny, and quit the band - leaving brothers Jimmy, Wayne, and Jay to face the music on their own.

"This is a big year for us," Jimmy told The Guide. "It is the last time the four of us will be touring together. Merrill insists he is going to retire - but he has said that before!"

Over the course of their careers The Osmonds have shifted more than 77 million records, been the subject of a cartoon series, hosted their own prime-time television shows, starred on the stage and, latterly, built up successful production companies.

They have come a long way since their first shows, performing at DisneyLand in 1962. They have picked up awards for Best Musical Variety Act and been presented with the People's Choice Award as America's Favourite Musical Group.

And if you need any proof as to what a towering presence this family was in its heyday, bear in mind that in 1971, the Osmond Brothers and Donny picked up no fewer than nine gold discs. Not even The Beatles or Elvis got that many in a single year. To date they have accrued more than 30 gold records. Being clean-living guys, the brothers have largely escaped the ravages of rock 'n' roll excess, which means they remain disturbingly fresh-faced and, let's face it, nice.

"I am too young to grow old," joked Jimmy. "And anyway, I'm having way too much fun. I'm alive and want to make the most of it."

Which is not to say Jimmy hasn't tried to walk away from performing.

"A few years ago I bought a ranch up in Utah, but I went nuts. I like being busy and being involved in new things. It is all about making hay while the sun shines."

When not touring, The Osmonds perform, up to six days a week, at Jimmy's two theatres in Branson, Missouri - where the brothers have made their home.

Jimmy confesses he has led a charmed life. "I have been able to do so much since I was a kid," he added. "We have been blessed by having people who love to see what we love to do!"

Jimmy and his brothers play the New Theatre, Oxford, on Tuesday, giving fans, old and new, a chance to hear such schmaltzy classics as Love Me For A Reason, Crazy Horses, Going Home, and, possibly, `little' Jimmy's Long Haired Lover from Liverpool. "People still know our songs and sing them back to us," says Jimmy. "We get all kinds of people coming along, from grandparents who watched us on the Andy Williams Show, through to kids who don't know who we are. But everyone loves it."

"I still get butterflies before I go on stage," he claims, incredibly. "But the more I do of this, the more I enjoy it. For people to want to come and see me is a great opportunity. But I know it doesn't go on forever."

And what does the future hold? Well Jimmy shows no sign of slowing down, and has vowed to carry on touring, even if his brother does stick to his retirement plan.

"You have got to keep pushing yourself," he said. "And I don't want to get old. The younger you act, the younger you feel - and the longer you live!

"I still love going to toyshops and hate that whole `executive' world."

But, behind the image, he remains an astute artist, who never stops looking for new opportunities. "I'd love to do children's books using my illustrations. I may not be the greatest - but I'm not bad, either.

And does he have a message for the Osmonds fans who will, no doubt, be packing out the New Theatre on Tuesday? "It's going to be wild," he said. "You guys keep letting me come back and I love it over here. "I love people, and try really hard to give them a good time, as they have given up their time for us.

"I think it's really important for me to make time for people who have taken time for my family. And, if they have followed us for a while, I hope that when they come along, they'll remember all the great times we had together in the 70s and 80s.

"It will be great to see you all again!"

For tickets, call the New Theatre Box Office on 0870 606 3500.