Q and A With Jay - 50 Years

Is there any one moment or event in your performing career you would want to live again?

There are so many shows that came off well, except for one. I'll never forget the show in Puyallup, Washington back in the 60s. Everything that could have gone wrong-did! From the sound to the facilities, to a bull getting lose, to falling down in the mud. It all happened at this show! Alan had one of his funniest days. He was wearing tap shoes and the stage was wet. He grabbed the microphone, stepped in a puddle, and strummed his electric guitar all at once. Wow! It was like something out of the movies! His stood up, I saw a spark on the mic, he must have jumped three feet in the air, and I heard him say welcome all at the same time. Now that was funny!

On second thought, I don't think I want to live that one over again!

Is there such a place as the Osmonds Vault? A place preserving wonderful memories and artifacts of the Osmonds for the last 50 years?

The problem is that these wonderful artifacts are scattered everywhere. Right now we are trying to get a handle on all those rare photos that will be going into our 50th anniversary book.

You've worked with so many celebrities over the years, did you learn anything valuable from any of them that has stayed with you throughout your career?

I learned that the ones who had staying power were almost always cool and nice to everyone. The ones that were rude, or took this business way too serious, didn't stay around too long.

Do you remember your first rehearsal? First show?

Yes, I have already described the very first, but the first rehearsal and show on TV, completely freaked me out! Walt Disney was right there, and coaching me on the side lines. We put together a song called, "I Want a Girl." He added some things, and insisted we put this in our act. Knowing it was on TV, just overwhelmed me. What is interesting to me is, I recently saw an old video of the brothers and I doing this number for a special we did with Bob Hope. It was strange, because I taught Bob my part (which messes up the whole number).

Did you enjoy acting as a child, when you and your brothers were in the show, "The Travels of Jamie McPheeters" with Kurt Russell?

That has to be one of my happiest memories. Kurt was really cool, and became friends with all of us. We kind of took him in as a brother. (I'll never forget the monopoly game we had with him. Talk about intense!) Anyway, those shows were challenging and exciting for me as a kid. Acting was harder than it looked.

What is your earliest personal memory, either of an event or a feeling, of when you started to perform?

I will never forget that day, when Father came out to the sandbox, and said, "Jay, I want you to come inside now, and practice with your brothers." I couldn't believe it! I just was organizing my farm set, and oh, I remember the thought that went through my head about singing! I also remembered the one word I said:

"Yech!"

Do you gave a favorite memory you would like to share?

A favorite memory is when we went to Canada to film the movie about our family. It was so cold, everything seemed like it was in slow motion. After we thawed out, we met the actors playing us. It was so cool. I gave "Jay" a few tips, and then really felt dejavu when he did a few scenes and said some of the things that I told him to say. Even though it was not in the script, they left it in.

I know this is your 50th year of performing, and I was wondering what the actual first performance was, and where it happened?

It was right outside of Ogden, Utah. It was for Wheeler Machinery. They asked us to perform for their people. They had tables set up and microphones plugged in. As we got up on stage, there was a lot of laughing. I figured out they were laughing at me. Of course, I was just a novelty at age two, but I could sing! I also knew what money was, and as those coins came at me, I was picking them up as fast as they could throw them. The big joke was how many coins I could get in my pockets.

Do you have any particular song that you did during Andy’s shows, or later in your career, where you really enjoyed the choreography? And do I remember correctly, didn’t you work with the choreography for the Donny and Marie shows?

I used to love to choreograph! I staged all of the opening numbers of the old Donny and Marie shows. I also choreographed and created all the crazy things Donny did, the concert spots (little bit country/little bit rock 'n roll). In addition, I was the music programmer for those two segments of the show. It was one of the most fun times of my life. My favorite song I sang on and danced to was, "Check It Out." I loved to choreograph the songs the brothers did on The Donny & Marie Show.

Which has been your favorite decade of performing, and why?

Starting with the year 2000 has got to be my favorite decade so far...even though we haven't finished it yet! We get to do the old songs of the 50s and 60s. plus the hip songs of the 70s and the harmony of the 80s. It will be like the Branson era of the 90s all wrapped up in one show in 2007!