The Osmonds singer Alan Osmond has died aged 76 after battling a chronic autoimmune disease for four decades.
The legendary musician passed away with his wife, Suzanne, and their eight sons at his bedside.
Alan’s cause of death has not been revealed but he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1987.
His family said in a moving 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."
Alan rose to fame on The Andy Williams Show, singing as a barbershop quartet with brothers Alan, Wayne - who died in January 2025 - Merrill and Jay.
Their younger siblings Jimmy and Donny later joined and the group became The Osmonds, enjoying global stardom as teen pop heartthrobs in the 1970s with hits like One Bad Apple and Love Me for a Reason.
Alan was a major songwriter and composer in the group and helped write some of The Osmonds’ hits, including One Bad Apple and the critically acclaimed Crazy Horses.
The band originally started performing to raise money for hearing aids for their older brothers, Virl and Tom Osmond, who were not in the group.
Speaking about their musical talent, Alan once said: "It was given to us for a purpose, and when you get a gift, it’s expected that you use it properly. Family is everything, and music helped us put out that message.”
The group became known as the "One Take Osmonds," perfecting their performances and recordings quickly to work within 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."
Speaking to The Standard, Donny previously recalled the “hysteria” the group experienced at the height of their fame in the 1970s.
After their first flight into Heathrow, The Osmonds were banned from further landings there when part of a balcony collapsed beneath the sheer number of fans who had shown up to see them. Gatwick wouldn’t have them either, so they had to fly to Scotland and take a train down to London.
“I always go back to the memories of Osmondmania in the early 70s. It was hysteria on steroids,” Donny told The Standard.
“It was pretty cool, the screaming and the adulation, but I remember a moment right after the Heathrow experience where the balcony collapsed and we were banned from the airports.
“I was in the hotel room with my brother Alan and we turned the television on that night and there was this programme with three people on – the presenter, a person from Scotland Yard and a child psychiatrist and they were debating whether or not Donny Osmond should be deported from England because of what he’s doing to all of our young kids.
“My brother turned to me and said, ‘You remember this moment because this never happens’. It was such a cool moment.”
Donny later left the group to go solo and attained new levels of fame.
With his own songs and duets with his sister Marie, Donny sold more than 77million records worldwide.
In the 1980s, the original quartet reunited and went on tour - but Alan was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1987.
It is a chronic autoimmune disease which impacts the central nervous system, brain, and spinal cord, and often leaves patients unable to move.
Discussing his diagnosis, he said: "I was on stage and couldn’t raise my right hand. I trusted my Heavenly Father. You have to have opposition in life - this was my test."
As he battled the condition, he was encouraged by his mother’s motto: "I may have MS, but MS does not have me!"
Alan left the group in 2007 and his brothers went on to have solo careers.
He and his brother Merrill founded the Stadium of Fire in Provo, Utah, a major Fourth of July celebration. He also co-founded and ran the OneHeart Foundation.
The singer published his memoir, One Way Ticket, in 2024.
He is survived by his wife, their eight sons, 30 grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.
