Press Releases

Why little Jimmy's still singing that song
Apr 5 2007
Gavin Allen, South Wales Echo

"IT'S better to have been Bob The Builder than not" is how "little" Jimmy Osmond summed up still singing Long Haired Lover From Liverpool 35 years later.

It was 1972 when the most junior member of the Utah pop dynasty became the youngest artist ever to score a UK number one.

Having since built the Osmond business empire - real estate, merchandising, theatre management and TV production - no-one could begrudge him refusing to play that song from his past, but he does it because the fans love it.

"Last year we did two Wembley dates and I wasn't going to play the song but seeing the reaction it got from people, how they were all singing along with their hands in the air, I had to," said Jimmy, now 43.

"I used to be embarrassed about it (the song) but as I get older I just think it was a cool thing to be part of.

"It was one of the biggest selling Osmond records - and just to put that in context, we sold over 100 million records - but it was kind of a cheeky song, a novelty song. I guess Bob the Builder would be a modern comparison.

"I'm just lucky now to be able to pick and choose what I do and the biggest rush is still performing live on stage."

Jimmy is currently on the road with some of his siblings (Wayne and Jay) on the Once In A Lifetime tour with fellow bygone icons David Cassidy, David Essex and Showaddywaddy.

And after all this time together, Jimmy believes there is still no better place to be than deep in the Osmond family bosom, the unit that protected him from the pitfalls of fame.

"Back in the '70's a lot of music was about the rock and roll lifestyle of drugs, which a lot of our peers were into, and as a family we helped keep each other away from that," said the father of four, via mobile phone, en route to see his son Zachary perform as the Big Bad Wolf in a school play staging of Three Little Pigs.

"I think when you realise you are part of something bigger than just yourself, it helps you to discipline your life.

"I've had friends who got really messed up by fame because in this business. One minute you're a star and the next minute people are asking 'who are you?'

"We've had our problems as a family, of course we have, but we keep each other grounded. You have to remember this business is fleeting and as a family we never took it too seriously.

"Perhaps over the years we haven't actually taken enough time to reflect on our achievements.

"You go to some entertainers' houses and they have shrines to themselves, but at our house if you find a gold disc it's probably being used as a coaster."