When Donny Osmond's Career Lagged in the 1980s, Michael Jackson Gave Him This 'Very Offensive' Advice
Michael Putland/Getty; Frank Edwards/Fotos International/Getty Donny Osmond reflected on the "very offensive" advice Michael Jackson gave him in the 1980s when he was searching for more musical success Osmond admitted Jackson's advice ultimately proved true and was part of how he found success with 1989's "Soldier of Love" Osmond said he and Jackson bonded over their childhood spent performing in family boy bands Donny Osmondgot some major advice fromMichael Jackson— but that didn't mean he liked it. On July 30, Osmond shareda clipfrom his appearance onThe Adam Carolla Showwhere he talked about his career transition in the 1980s. Osmond, 67, broke out as part ofThe Osmonds, a group withhis brothersAlan, Wayne, Merrill and Jay (and later sister Marie), in the 1970s. He also hada thriving solo career as a teen idoland starred in the popular variety seriesDonny & Mariewith his sister. But that made transitioning into adult radio (and adult audiences) challenging for the singer. "The name Donny Osmond was a joke, years ago," Osmond said in the clip. "I mean, if you said you like Donny Osmond music, you were ousted." "In fact, WPLJ in New York, they got a hold of 'Soldier of Love' as an import," he remembered. "Soldier of Love" was Osmond's 1988 single that had more adult lyrics and a disco-inspired beat. The song was originally not released in the U.S. because he didn't have a record deal in the country at the time, but a fan sent a cassette to the station. Michael Ochs Archives/Getty "They played the record to test it because they liked the song," the singer said, "but they just didn't want to say my name." The problem of his name, Osmond said, was something that had come up for him around 1983, when he was speaking to Jackson, who had just left his own family-based group and found massive success withThriller. Osmond remembered asking him, "Mike, how do I get back on the charts?" "He said, 'Your name's poison, Donny. You gotta change your name," he said, laughing. "It was very offensive," Osmond said. "It was tough to hear that. But he was right, because in '89, radio stations all across the country played my music, but didn't say my name." "And they did me a favor by not saying who I was, and it became a hit. Then they found out it was me," he said. Frank Edwards/Fotos International/Getty "Soldier of Love" ended up hitting No. 2 on theBillboardHot 100. It was his sixth (and last) top 10 hit. 1989's "Sacred Emotion" hit No. 13, and both songs were included on his 1989 albumDonny Osmond, his first since 1977'sDonald Clark Osmond. His last major chart success was 1990's "My Love Is a Fire," which reached No. 21. But Osmond has continued to perform. He provided the singing voice of Captain Li Shang in Disney's 1998 filmMulan, and in 1999, he starred in the beloved filmJoseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. He's performed in Las Vegas for 11 years with his sister and, last year, he returned toJoseph, this time as the Pharaoh, at the Edinburgh Playhouse. Back in November, Osmond opened up in the documentaryLarger than Life: Reign of the Boybandsabout how he and Jackson,who died in 2009 at age 50, related to each other. "If you look at the Osmonds andthe Jackson 5, the comparisons of the two families are just uncanny," Osmond said. "There are nine children in each family. Mike and I are both the seventh child of nine. Our mothers' birthdays are on the same day. Michael and I are the same age." He also thought his dad, George Osmond, and Jackson's dad, Joe Jackson, instilled a similar work ethic in their kids. "We would get together and just laugh and reminisce about the comparisons and the similarities," Osmond said of his bond with the "Billy Jean" singer. "Michael said something to me one day, and he said, 'Donnie, you're the only person on this planet that knows what my childhood is like.' " Read the original article onPeople
When Donny Osmond's Career Lagged in the 1980s, Michael Jackson Gave Him This 'Very Offensive' Advice Michael Putland/Getty; Fra...
