About Jay

Jay Osmond was born in Odgen, Utah in 1955, the sixth child of George and Olive Osmond and the youngest member of the original group “The Osmonds”. At the tender age of two Jay began singing on stage with his brothers and quickly became a favorite with audiences. At eight years old Jay’s passion for drumming began. He was a natural talent and quickly mastered the drums and became the driving force behind all those great Osmond drum beats. During the 70s Jay was voted one of the Top 10 Drummers in the country. Drumming is still a great passion of Jay's.

In the 60's the family went to audition for Lawrence Welk in California, driving all the way from Utah to California, they were disappointed that they were unable to meet with him that day. Always making the best of all situations the family decided to make it a vacation to Disneyland instead. This turn of events would change their lives when Wayne, Alan Merrill and Jay were discovered by Walt Disney, while singing on the streets of Disney just for fun.

Walt quickly hired the brothers to performed at Disneyland and Disney TV Shows, including "Disney After Dark". Soon after, they were discovered by Andy Williams and he asked them to come on his show in 1962. They were so popular they were asked to come back and ended up performing on the Andy Williams show for eight years. Younger brother Donny joined them on the show when he was six. During the time on Andy's show he labeled them “The one take Osmonds.” Each week they were encouraged to perform a new routine whether it was playing a new instrument, dancing or even ice skating, each week they met the challenge and nailed it. As they continued to work with Andy both on the show and touring The Osmond Brothers also became regulars on the Jerry Lewis Show in 1968/1969.

As the Osmond became teens, Rock and Roll was calling their names. They made the tough decision to leave the Andy Williams show and go out on their own. That was the perfect move as through the 70s Alan, Wayne, Merrill, Jay & Donny traveled all over the world performing to sold out audiences in some of the most iconic venues around the world. Their greatest successes included One Bad Apple, Yo-Yo, Down by the Lazy River, Let me In, Crazy Horses & Love me for a Reason. Collectively The Osmonds were awarded 47 gold and platinum records – Surpassing both Elvis and the Beatles in one year. Their best single year in 1972 honored The Osmond's with eight gold records!

Jay was the group’s drummer and shared lead vocals on the hit song Crazy Horses, a hard-rock track written by the Osmonds themselves. The song perfectly suited Jay’s powerful, more guttural vocal style, and combined with its driving rock sound and his iconic, high-energy dance moves, Crazy Horses remains one of the most requested fan favorites to this day. Jay also contributed lead vocals on other harder-driving tracks, including One Way Ticket to Anywhere and Having a Party.

In the 1980s, the Osmond Brothers transitioned into the country music scene, where they were recognized with a CMA Award. During that decade, Jay stepped away from the group briefly to pursue higher education, earning his college degree from Brigham Young University.

Beyond being a world-class drummer, musician, and recording artist, Jay played a major behind-the-scenes role in shaping the Osmonds’ television and film success. He served as producer on the Osmond Family television specials, The Donny & Marie Show, and Side by Side, the Osmond family movie. He also co-produced albums and music projects with his brothers, authored books, and contributed creatively to numerous Osmond ventures.

In 1976, Jay co-produced The Donny & Marie Show and also served as musical director and choreographer for Donny and Marie’s dance numbers. He choreographed performances for the Osmond Brothers on both television and stage and later became executive producer of The Donny & Marie Show as well as The Osmond Family Hour.

Jay’s most recent and celebrated achievement, The Osmonds: A New Musical, took the Osmond fan world by storm. Written from Jay’s point of view, the musical is based on the life and music of the Osmond family and offers audiences an intimate look at both the triumphs and challenges of growing up Osmond. The story focuses on the 1960s and 1970s, during a period when the group sold more than 100 million records worldwide and earned 47 Gold and Platinum awards.

The musical premiered at the Curve Theatre in Leicester, England, on February 3, 2022, and went on to tour throughout the UK and Ireland. The production is directed by Shaun Kerrison, with choreography by Bill Deamer.

The musical is set for its US debut in Provo, Utah, March 12th -April 4th, 2026. Click for more information and ticket sales.

Jay has said, “I’ve wanted to tell my story for such a long time, and the opportunity to create this beautiful musical—a sort of living autobiography—felt like the perfect way to do so. I’ve spent my whole life performing live, and the energy of live theatre felt like the perfect place to tell it.”

Jay is the proud father of three sons, all of whom share his gift for musical talent. He married his wife, Karen, in 2014, and together they have been busy traveling with The Osmonds Musical as well as supporting Jay’s other musical projects. Combined, Jay and Karen have eight children and ten grandchildren, and they enjoy traveling the world together.

Jay is currently working toward his master’s degree so he can teach and help other children realize their dreams. He feels deeply blessed to continue doing what he loves most—making music, teaching, and bringing joy to others.

Jay is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and his religious values have influenced his career and life.