Wayne Osmond, 73, Singer and Guitarist of the Osmonds, Passes Away

NEW YORK—Wayne Osmond, a singer, guitarist, and one of the original members of the chart-topping family ensemble The Osmonds, famed for their 1970s hits like “One Bad Apple,” “Yo-Yo,” and “Down By the Lazy River,” has passed away at the age of 73.

His brother Merrill Osmond shared the news on Facebook, revealing that Wayne died this week in a Salt Lake City hospital following a “massive stroke.”

“I’ve never known a man with more humility. He had an incredible lack of guile,” Merrill expressed. “He was quick to forgive and possessed an extraordinary ability to demonstrate unconditional love to everyone he encountered.”

Wayne Osmond was the fourth of nine children raised in a Mormon family in Ogden, Utah, and was the second oldest among the musical siblings. Their journey in music began during the 1950s when Wayne, along with Alan, Merrill, and Jay, performed as a barbershop quartet.

The Osmonds gained fame in the 1960s with the support of singer Andy Williams and reached their peak as a quintet in the early 1970s, with younger brother Donny Osmond emerging as the standout star. Hits such as “One Bad Apple” drew comparisons to the sounds of The Jackson 5, with Donny often seen as a white counterpart to Michael Jackson’s lead in the Jacksons.

The group’s popularity declined by the mid-1970s, yet both Donny and Marie Osmond enjoyed successful careers, both individually and as a duo.

In the 1980s, Wayne rejoined Alan, Merrill, and Jay as a country group, achieving several hits, including “I Think About Your Lovin.’”

However, in the mid-1990s, he was diagnosed with a brain tumor, which resulted in significant hearing loss from surgery and treatment. A stroke in 2012 hindered his ability to play the guitar.

“I’ve had a wonderful life. And honestly, being able to hear isn’t all it’s made out to be,” he stated in a 2018 interview with the Deseret News. “Now, my favorite thing is to tend to my yard. I switch off my hearing aids, become completely deaf, tune everything out, and find real joy in it.”

Wayne Osmond married Kathlyn White in 1974, and together they had five children.