Introduction:
There are moments from my past that still stand out vividly—memories from a life built within the music business during a time when the world was shifting rapidly. We were young, navigating an industry filled with noise, freedom, rebellion, and movements that often pushed against everything we believed in. Yet, in the middle of that chaos, we carried a simple but powerful message: be good. It was more than a motto—it was woven into our family name, our upbringing, and the way we approached the world.
As a young boy, I spent countless nights lying in bed, reading A Marvelous Work and a Wonder and later The Book of Mormon. Those pages rooted me in the conviction that gospel principles were true. Before I ever wrote music, I wrote poetry—journals filled with thoughts, questions, and reflections. Over time, those thoughts transformed into songs. Looking back, I realize that the desire to be an instrument in the Lord’s hands shaped everything I created. Music became my way of doing good.
Working on the Andy Williams Show taught us discipline and exposed us to brilliant minds—writers, arrangers, mentors who helped shape our sound. But when we left the show, we faced a new challenge: we had to speak for ourselves. As the leader of the group, I felt deeply responsible for the message behind our music. What did we stand for? What fueled our drive? The answer, time and again, returned to the gospel.
A scripture in Doctrine and Covenants 60:2 struck me profoundly: “The Lord is not pleased… for they will not open their mouths, but they hide the talents the Lord has given them.” I took that personally. If I was given a voice, I wanted it to mean something. I wanted to share truth, goodness, and purpose—not just melodies.
The music industry during our rise was overflowing with free love, drugs, and lifestyles that contradicted everything we believed. And yet, there we were—sharing messages of faith, family, commitment, and Christ. We stood on the same stages as Led Zeppelin, Paul McCartney, and Elton John, without letting go of who we were. Many admired that. They saw that we were not ashamed of our values.
This book I’m writing is not just another history of the Osmonds. It is the “why” behind the music—the reasons we stayed close as a family, why we chose marriage over the trends of the time, why we rejected destructive habits, and how we navigated fame without losing our foundation.
More than anything, I want readers to know this: you can be happy, grounded, faithful, and true to yourself while still finding success in the world. You don’t have to be of the world to thrive in it. And if you use your God-given gifts with purpose, you can harmonize your way through life with joy, conviction, and light.