Sound Advice with the Osmonds

Growing up with famous brothers wasn't always easy for Marie Osmond.  When mega-success did come with her brother on the “Donny & Marie” show, her parents' blue-collar work ethic kept Marie from feeling entitled.  Years later, when financial hard times hit, that work ethic paved the way for a return to the top of the country music charts and so much more.

After setting world records in the triathlon, James Lawrence attempted to do the unthinkable--100 full triathlons in 100 consecutive days.  On Day 59 he suffered a catastrophic bike crash.  Here's how family inspired the Iron Cowboy to fight through the pain and get back on the bike.

Losing a son or daughter isn't something a parent ever wants to experience.  Merrill and Mary Osmond lost their youngest son, Troy, to an undiagnosed heart condition two years ago. Step inside their grief, their hope, and their will to "Troy" a little harder to help other people.

As a 6'7" eighth-grader, Thurl Bailey was cut from his school's basketball team and the coach told him to never come back. The next year, a new coach offered him a spot on the team because of the potential he saw in Thurl. Within eight years, Thurl Bailey had won an NCAA Championship at North Carolina State and was drafted by the NBA's Utah Jazz--in large part because one coach saw in him what others couldn't.

Thomas R. Osmond is the second-born son of George and Olive Osmond. Like his older brother Virl, Tom was born with profound hearing loss. With unwavering support from his parents, and seven brothers and a sister rallying around him, Tom looks back on a life rich with learning and blessings.

In the mid-1980's, Mark and Sally Dietlein helped convert an old factory with a leaky roof into a theater with a round stage.  They opened up to a paid attendance of 25 people.  Over time, sold-out crowds forced the Hale Centre Theatre to knock out walls, add seats, and twice build bigger, newer venues.  Today, they continue to host sold-out performances every year to over a half million theatergoers on one of the world's most technically-advanced stages.  For the Dietleins, finding joy in others' happiness never gets old.

Merrill Osmond's family moved around a lot in the early years, and with it, his children became best friends. His sons Justin & Shane talk about this "bond of brothers" while each pursued an MBA at Western Governors University.

GENTRI (short for "The Gentlemen Trio") was formed in 2014 by tenors Brad Robins, Casey Elliott and Bradley Quinn Lever. What started out as a simple idea to just produce values-based music has led to several #1 albums and tour dates all over the world--all because they dared to dream.

Married in 2013, Justin & Kristi Osmond tried for years to start a family. After painful treatments and multiple miscarriages, the couple navigated through grief to find two little angels through the miracle of adoption.

Almost twenty years ago,  Chad Hymas was living his dream with his wife and two small boys on their ranch in rural Utah.  A blinking red light on the dashboard of his tractor was about to change the course of his life forever.  Named one of the "Ten Most Inspirational People in the World" by the Wall Street Journal, Chad has turned tragedy into triumph with the help of his amazing family.  This is his story.

Raised in Orem, UT, Gary Herbert grew up painfully shy and grounded in sports. After a mission for his church and service to his country, he set up a real estate firm and lost his first political race by 36 votes. His eventual road to the governor's mansion is a testament to service and hard work. This is his story.

Merrill Osmond began singing with his big brother Alan when he was four years old. For the next couple decades, they literally sang side-by-side. In 1987, Alan was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. Out of the spotlight, he helped raise eight boys with his wife Suzanne. About 20 years later, his son David was diagnosed with the same disease. Both of them have battled MS, truly, like rock stars.

In March of 2003, Elizabeth Smart was rescued after being held captive for nine months.  In the years since, she has testified to put her captors behind bars, helped promote a national Amber Alert system, and worked with the Department of Justice to create a survivors guide for victims.  Even with the titles of “advocate" and "best-selling author", this mother of three talks about one of her favorite titles of all.  

Jon Schmidt began composing his own music in elementary school, and by 1991 he'd released his first studio album.  Over the past 30 years, he and his wife Michelle raised five children and became part of The Piano Guys—four musicians with over 2 billion YouTube views.  While faith has always been a part of the Schmidt's life, it was never tested the way it was when their daughter Annie disappeared in 2016.  This is their story.

Alex Boyé first jumped on the music scene as part of a boy band opening for the likes of George Michael, Simon & Garfunkel, MC Hammer and others.  Striking out solo, Alex's Africanized pop style has garnered over one billion views on YouTube.  Alex's story BEFORE the success, though, is both heartbreaking and inspirational.  This is Alex's story.

Clint Pulver is a globe-trotting public speaker, licensed pilot, amazing drummer, and a great friend.  At an early age, Clint's high-octane energy at school repeatedly got him in trouble or sent to the principal's office—until one teacher looked beyond the surface.  Here's Clint's story.

Whether they are the master-of-the-corny-joke, or whether you've never even met them, we can all appreciate a dad and learn something from them.  Merrill and Justin Osmond talk about their own fathers, what it was like growing up in an Osmond household, and what fathers can do to make a positive impact on their children.

Surrounded by screaming fans at Madison Square Garden, Justin Osmond watched his dad and uncles onstage perform some of the hits that made the Osmonds mega-stars of the 1970's.  However, Justin's profound hearing loss prevented him from understanding what his own father was singing about.  In the middle of 20,000 people, Justin had never felt more alone.  

One of the requirements for the Osmond Brothers to perform on "The Andy Williams Show" was to do something new each week. One particular week, the show centered on ice skating and featured Olympic Gold Medalist Peggy Fleming. Wanting to perform, the brothers spent the next week learning to skate, and on set pulled off a spectacular routine in one take.

In the early years, Olive Osmond spent countless hours with her older two sons helping them adapt to profound hearing loss. Later on, when the younger sons and daughter achieved worldwide success, she set up a foundation to help children everywhere find the tools and education to better adapt to hearing loss. Today, Justin continues her work with others in the Olive Osmond Hearing Fund--a labor of love that's brought as much joy to him as it has to the recipients.

In the early 1970's, Elvis Presley recommended that the Osmond brothers get ahold of a friend of his--Chuck Norris. The brothers began to learn Tang Soo Do karate, and during one of their workouts Norris did a roundhouse kick that accidentally struck Merrill--shattering his back. And through it all, a powerful lesson learned.

Born with profound hearing loss into a very musical family, Justin Osmond immediately had his work cut out for him.  He was told there was no way to play a musical instrument.  One day, after turning off his hearing aids, he put a violin up to his chin and discovered he could "hear" the violin through the vibrations of the strings.  That, coupled with hard work and help from others, allowed Justin to defy the odds and master the violin.

One of the Osmond family's close friends was the King of Rock and Roll himself, Elvis Presley. He treated Olive Osmond as if she were his own mother—calling her at all hours. When Elvis and the Osmonds were both performing in Las Vegas, he offered the brothers a bit of advice that has stuck with the entire family in the five decades since.

When Justin Osmond was born, it wasn't common to screen newborns for hearing loss.  It wasn't until he was almost two years old that doctors told Merrill and Mary Osmond that their son had profound hearing loss.  After being fitted for bulky hearing aids, Justin began the long process of trying to catch up with his peers.   Along the way, he became aware of his deaf accent and longed to sound "normal" like other kids.  His mom taught him to pay more attention to WHO he was, not WHAT he was.     Justin doesn't just call his parents his heroes, he calls them his "hear-oes".    

When George and Olive Osmond's first two sons were born with profound hearing loss, doctors cautioned the couple to not have any more children.  George and Olive's next four sons were blessed not only with full hearing, but excellent voices as well.  Alan, Wayne, Merrill and Jay Osmond began singing to raise money for hearing aids for their older two brothers, Virl and Tom.   As Donny, Marie, and Jimmy joined their brothers, the Osmonds began a six decade journey that included over 100 million records, sold-out concerts around the world,  and a charity organization that has raised over $6 billion to support children.

Justin Osmond was born with profound hearing loss into a family known around the world for their musical talents.  Through countless hours of speech therapy and hard work, Justin was able to overcome enormous obstacles to become a noted author, motivational speaker, and yes, musician.  A few years ago, when he heard about 25 students in southern Utah needing new hearing aids, Justin knew he wanted to do something to help.   With the help of his father Merrill Osmond, his mom, family, and aunt Marie Osmond, Justin ran over a marathon a day in order to raise money for the hearing impaired.  This is his story.

You would think that an entertainment career spanning six decades and 100 million records sold would have begun with a little more glory.  For the Osmond Brothers, however, it began with an audition snub from a popular TV show and a father's decision to go to Disneyland.   Through a series of "flukes", that family trip to The Happiest Place on Earth ended up catching the attention of Walt Disney himself.  A summer gig at the theme park led to an appearance on a TV special that caught the attention of Andy Williams' father, and a one-week appearance on The Andy Williams Show turned into an 8-year run--including the new additions of Donny, Marie, and Jimmy Osmond.

  Whether they are the master-of-the-corny-joke, or whether you've never even met them, we can all appreciate a dad and learn something from them. Merrill and Justin Osmond talk about their own fathers, what it was like growing up in an Osmond household, and what fathers can do to make a positive impact on their children.

Surrounded by screaming fans at Madison Square Garden, Justin Osmond watched his dad and uncles onstage perform some of the hits that made the Osmonds mega-stars of the 1970's. However, Justin's profound hearing loss prevented him from understanding what his own father was singing about. In the middle of 20,000 people, Justin had never felt more alone.

One of the requirements for the Osmond Brothers to perform on "The Andy Williams Show" was to do something new each week. One particular week, the show centered on ice skating and featured Olympic gold medalist Peggy Fleming. Wanting to perform, the brothers spent the next week learning to skate, and on set pulled off a spectacular routine in one take.

In the early years, Olive Osmond spent countless hours with her older two sons helping them adapt to profound hearing loss. Later on, when the younger sons and daughter achieved worldwide success, she set up a foundation to help children everywhere find the tools and education to better adapt to hearing loss. Today, Justin continues her work with others in the Olive Osmond Hearing Fund--a labor of love that's brought as much joy to him as it has to the recipients.

In the early 1970's, Elvis Presley recommended that the Osmond brothers get ahold of a friend of his--Chuck Norris. The brothers began to learn Tang Soo Do karate, and during one of their workouts Norris did a roundhouse kick that accidentally struck Merrill--shattering his back. And through it all, a powerful lesson learned.

Born with profound hearing loss into a very musical family, Justin Osmond immediately had his work cut out for him. He was told there was no way to play a musical instrument. One day, after turning off his hearing aids, he put a violin up to his chin and discovered he could "hear" the violin through the vibrations of the strings. That, coupled with hard work and help from others, allowed Justin to defy the odds and master the violin.

One of the Osmond family's close friends was the King of Rock and Roll himself, Elvis Presley. He treated Olive Osmond as if she were his own mother. When Elvis and the Osmonds were both performing in Las Vegas, he offered the brothers a bit of advice that has stuck with the entire family in the five decades since.

When Justin Osmond was born, it wasn't common to screen newborns for hearing loss. It wasn't until he was almost two years old that doctors told Merrill and Mary Osmond that their son had profound hearing loss. After being fitted for bulky hearing aids, Justin began the long process of trying to catch up with his peers. Along the way, he became aware of his deaf accent and longed to sound "normal" like other kids. His mom taught him to pay more attention to WHO he was, not WHAT he was. Justin doesn't just call his parents "heroes", he calls them "hear-oes". :-)

When George and Olive Osmond's first two sons were born with profound hearing loss, doctors cautioned the couple to not have any more children. George and Olive's next four sons were blessed not only with full hearing, but excellent voices as well. Alan, Wayne, Merrill and Jay Osmond began singing to raise money for hearing aids for their older two brothers, Virl and Tom. As Donny, Marie, and Jimmy joined their brothers, the Osmonds began a six decade journey that included over 100 million records, sold-out concerts around the world and a charity organization that has raised over $6 billion to support children.

Justin Osmond was born with profound hearing loss into a family known around the world for their musical talents. Through countless hours of speech therapy and hard work, Justin was able to overcome enormous obstacles to become a noted author, motivational speaker, and yes, musician. A few years ago, when he heard about 25 students in southern Utah needing new hearing aids, Justin knew he wanted to do something to help. With the help of his father Merrill Osmond, his mom, family, and aunt Marie Osmond, Justin ran over a marathon a day in order to raise money for the hearing impaired. This is his story.

You would think that an entertainment career spanning six decades and 100 million records sold would have begun with a little more glory. For the Osmond Brothers, however, it began with an audition snub from a popular TV show and a father's decision to go to Disneyland. Through a series of "flukes", that family trip to 'The Happiest Place on Earth' ended up catching the attention of Walt Disney himself. A summer gig at the theme park led to an appearance on a TV special that caught the attention of Andy Williams' father, and a one-week appearance on The Andy Williams Show turned into an 8-year run--including the new additions of Donny, Marie, and Jimmy Osmond.