Wayne Osmond, Founding Member of The Osmonds and 1970s Hitmaker, Passes Away at 73

Wayne Osmond, a founding member of the iconic family band The Osmonds, known for 1970s hits like “One Bad Apple,” “Yo-Yo,” and “Down By the Lazy River,” has died at the age of 73. His brother Merrill Osmond confirmed the news on Facebook, sharing that Wayne passed away this week at a Salt Lake City hospital following a “massive stroke.”

“I've never known a man that had more humility. A man with absolutely no guile,” Merrill wrote. “An individual that was quick to forgive and had the ability to show unconditional love to everyone he ever met.”

Wayne, the second oldest of nine siblings raised in a Mormon household in Ogden, Utah, began his musical career as part of a barbershop quartet with his brothers Alan, Merrill, and Jay in the 1950s. Their fame soared in the 1960s after gaining support from singer Andy Williams.

By the early 1970s, The Osmonds reached superstar status as a quintet, with younger brother Donny Osmond becoming the breakout star. Their music, often compared to contemporaries like the Jackson 5, positioned Donny as the white counterpart to Michael Jackson.

While the group’s popularity waned in the mid-1970s, Donny and Marie Osmond enjoyed successful careers as solo artists and as a brother-sister duo. Wayne later regrouped with Alan, Merrill, and Jay in the 1980s to form a country act, scoring hits like “I Think About Your Lovin.’”

Wayne’s health challenges began in the mid-1990s when he was diagnosed with a brain tumor, which resulted in significant hearing loss after treatment. Despite these setbacks, he remained positive. Reflecting on his life in a 2018 interview with the Deseret News, he said, “I’ve had a wonderful life. And you know, being able to hear is not all that it’s cracked up to be, it really isn’t. My favorite thing now is to take care of my yard. I turn my hearing aids off, deaf as a doorknob, tune everything out, it’s really joyful.”

Wayne Osmond is survived by his wife, Kathlyn White, whom he married in 1974, and their five children.

The Osmonds’ legacy as music icons endures, with Wayne remembered for his talent, resilience, and the unconditional love he shared with those around him.