Singer Donny Osmond performs at Mershon Auditorium on June 22
When you mention the name Donny Osmond, you’re likely to hear about various incarnations of the artist, reflecting the many facets of his 61-year career.
Those of a certain age remember him as the adorable, wide-eyed little brat who made his debut on The Andy Williams Show at age five with “You Are My Sunshine.”
Others (including the author of this article) associate him with his family group, the Osmonds, their Saturday morning cartoon, his status as a dreamy teen idol belting out “Puppy Love” and wearing purple socks, and, of course, his TV variety show with his sister Marie.
Then there is a much younger legion of admirers who know Osmond simply as “Peacock.” (More on that later.)
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However he is remembered, it is obvious that Osmond’s appeal transcends age and generation.
In addition to the above-mentioned accomplishments, he has entertained audiences on Broadway, outshone the younger generation with his victory on Dancing with the Stars in 2009, and recorded 65 albums.
In the 1990s, he starred in the title role of “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” during a record-breaking six-year run. He returns to the musical in December, this time playing the Elvis-inspired role of the Pharaoh.
Osmond is currently headlining a solo show at Harrah’s Las Vegas, which was voted Best New Show, Best Artist, Best Resident Headliner, Best Family-Friendly Show and Best Production by the audience in the Las Vegas Review-Journal’s Best of Las Vegas awards.
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Now he’s embarked on a two-month tour with the show, stopping in over 40 cities, including Columbus, where he’ll perform at Mershon Auditorium on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. Ticket prices start at $67.50 at ticketmaster.com.
The affable, eternally youthful Osmond discussed his long career, his upcoming show and more in a recent conversation with the Dispatch.
Question: What are you most looking forward to on this tour?
Donny Osmond: Besides bringing my award-winning Las Vegas show to Columbus — now this sounds like I’m bragging — I’m excited to show people why it’s an award-winning show, because not everyone comes to Las Vegas. I want as many people to see this as possible!
Columbus has a very special place in my heart. It was the very first concert (by The Osmonds) after “One Bad Apple” in the early ’70s and after the release of the (late ’80s hit) “Soldier of Love.” WNCI was the driving force behind that whole campaign.
Question: How do you bring the atmosphere of a Vegas show to Columbus, Ohio?
Osmond: That’s what you call 61 years of experience in show business – I know what I’m doing, baby! (laughs)
Question: Your show received silver and gold ratings on Best of Las Vegas. Why do you think it has such a broad appeal?
Osmond: I think it speaks to so many generations because if you look at my career, it’s 61 years in show business, so it speaks to so many different demographics.
Younger people hear me singing “I’ll Make a Man Out of You” (from the Disney movie “Mulan”) and say, “I had no idea that was you.”
Question: How much of your show is devoted to older material versus newer work?
Osmond: It’s balanced, not chronological. Different songs are sprinkled in as we go through my entire career. I start with “Soldier of Love,” then “Puppy Love,” which is what I’m really known for with a certain generation, and then “Who” from my last album. In the first three songs, you get the whole thing.
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Question: Your latest album is called “Start Again”. Is there a meaning behind the title?
Osmond: If you read the lyrics of the song “Start Again,” it says that we all make mistakes in life. I keep hearing that this song has become a mantra for many people who have made bad choices in life. It’s OK, whatever it may be. Get up and start again.
I suffered from anxiety, especially in my thirties, which was reflected in my autobiography. People who went through the same thing would reach out to me and say, “Thank you for helping us start over.”
Question: How did you start the section of your show where you take audience requests? What do the audience members ask for?
Osmond: Many, many years ago I had this idea: “Wouldn’t it be great if the audience controlled the show?” You need a great band – and I have one! It lasts about 20 minutes.
The requests depend on the age group. I had these young kids, they couldn’t have been more than 10, 12, 13. They were wearing T-shirts that said “Peacock” – they had seen me on “The Masked Singer”! (Osmond came second on the singing show for costumed celebrities in 2019.) So they wanted me to sing newer songs, something from (“Start Again”).
The older generation likes songs like (the 1971 No. 1 hit) “Go Away Little Girl.”
I tell a lot of backstories to the songs that people are asking for. Maybe they heard “Ben” (1972) on one of my albums; that song was written for me, but I was on tour, so they offered it to Michael Jackson and it was his first No. 1 solo hit. “One Bad Apple” was offered to the Jackson 5, but (The Osmonds) ended up recording it. We sort of swapped.
Question: What can people expect from your show besides your music?
Osmond: Well, when you win Dancing with the Stars, people expect you to dance! (laughs) I also do a rap, which is very popular with fans of the show – the first thought is, “This is going to be really weird!” I put my entire six decades in show business into a 10-minute rap and everything I say is visible.
The audience reaction the first time was funny. They looked at me like zombies and I thought, “This act is amazing,” but by the end the crowd was going crazy. I realized that no one had time to react because it was happening so fast. By the time they reacted to something on the screen, I was already moving on.
The pacing and story arc of this show is pretty phenomenal. (Fun fact: Osmond is a techie who helped rewrite the lighting software for his stage show.)
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Question: How do you manage to keep your performances fresh even after 61 years?
Osmond: Once people know you for a certain thing, you get pigeonholed, so it’s a constant education. When I performed “Joseph,” I learned that you have to keep reminding yourself that it doesn’t matter how many times you’ve sung it, you have to keep it fresh.
This has trained me and honed my skills to give 100% to every performance. I will quit the business if I can’t give 100% to every show.
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