Alan Osmond, Oldest Brother in 'The Osmonds,' Dead at 76: 'He Truly Was a Saint'

Alan Osmond, the eldest member of The Osmonds, has died at the age of 76.

A spokesperson for the family told local media that Osmond passed away Monday night with his wife and children at his bedside.

His longtime bandmate Merrill announced on Facebook, “My brother has now stepped into the presence of our Father in Heaven with honor and peace. His life was not measured in years, but in love, sacrifice, and purpose.”

“He gave everything he had to the Lord, to his family, and to all of you. He truly was a missionary. He truly was a saint,” the younger sibling continued. “So please, don’t let your hearts be heavy. Don’t weep for him. Rejoice, knowing that your brother, your friend, your hero is no longer in pain. He is free. He is whole. He is home.”

Osmond was born on June 22, 1949, in Ogden, Utah. He was the third of nine children in a devout LDS household. When two of his older brothers were found to be hearing impaired, Alan and his brothers — Wayne, Merrill, and Jay — began singing as a barbershop quartet to raise money for their brothers’ hearing aids.

The group quickly and improbably rocketed to global stardom. Despite getting rejected by The Lawrence Welk Show, the Osmond brothers landed a stint performing at Disneyland that led to a seven-year run on NBC’s The Andy Williams Show. After deciding to shed their variety-show image and try their hand at popular music, the band renamed itself as “The Osmonds” and added younger brother Donny as a lead vocalist.

Though Donny would become the group’s most recognized face, Alan co-wrote major hits including “One Bad Apple” and the rock hit “Crazy Horses,” co-produced most of their recordings, and choreographed their stage performances. Reflecting on their success, Donny called Alan “the leader of the band” and “the cornerstone of our achievements.”

In 1987, Osmond was diagnosed with progressive multiple sclerosis (MS). He largely stepped back from performing after 2007, though he continued writing music and published an autobiography in 2024.

He is survived by Suzanne, his wife of more than 50 years, their eight sons, 30 grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.