Alan Osmond, a founding member of the pop group The Osmonds, has died at the age of 76 after living with multiple sclerosis for nearly four decades. He passed away surrounded by his wife, Suzanne, and their eight sons at his bedside. The cause of death has not been disclosed.
Alan was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1987, a chronic autoimmune disease affecting the central nervous system. His family said in a statement: 'His positive outlook was an inspiration to many, and he donated much of his time speaking at MS events, encouraging individuals like himself on how to mentally and physically deal with the advancement and treatment of the disease.'
The Osmonds rose to fame on The Andy Williams Show as a barbershop quartet with Alan, Wayne (who died in January 2025), Merrill and Jay. Younger siblings Jimmy and Donny later joined, and the group became global teen pop sensations in the 1970s with hits like 'One Bad Apple' and 'Love Me for a Reason'. Alan was a key songwriter, co-writing several hits including 'One Bad Apple' and 'Crazy Horses'.
The group originally performed to raise money for hearing aids for their older brothers, Virl and Tom. Alan once said: 'It was given to us for a purpose... Family is everything, and music helped us put out that message.' Known as the 'One Take Osmonds', they perfected performances quickly due to child labour laws. 'We could only work so many hours a day,' Alan recalled, 'so we’d take the work home and make sure we nailed it on the first take.'
Donny Osmond previously recalled 'Osmondmania' in the 1970s, including an incident where a balcony collapsed at Heathrow due to fan numbers, leading to the group being banned from landing there. After Alan's diagnosis, he left the group in 2007. He co-founded the Stadium of Fire event and the OneHeart Foundation. Alan is survived by his wife, eight sons, 30 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
