Jimmy Osmond
The youngest Osmond brother who transformed from a child star with a novelty hit into a savvy, enduring show business entrepreneur.
Born 1963 (age 63)·American singer·Birthday: April 16·Baby Boomers
Biography
Jimmy Osmond didn't just join the family business; he was born into a pop culture phenomenon. As the youngest of the performing Osmond brothers, he was on stage almost as soon as he could walk, a tiny fixture in the group's polished, wholesome act. At just nine years old, he seized the spotlight with 'Long Haired Lover from Liverpool,' a chirpy novelty song that defied the glam rock era to become a UK Christmas number one in 1972, making him the youngest artist ever to achieve that feat. Unlike some child stars, Jimmy navigated the transition to adulthood within the family empire. He leveraged the Osmond brand into a multifaceted career, becoming a successful producer, theater performer (notably in 'Boogie Nights' and 'Chicago'), and a sharp businessman. He and his siblings turned their Branson, Missouri theater into a major tourist destination, and he became a respected figure in entertainment marketing, proving there was serious acumen behind the famous smile.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Jimmy was born in 1963, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Jimmy Was Born
The biggest hits of 1963
#1 Movie
Cleopatra
Best Picture
Tom Jones
#1 TV Show
Beverly Hillbillies
Jimmy's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1963Born
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1968Started school
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1976Became a teenager
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1979Could drive
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1981Could vote
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1984Turned 21
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1993Turned 30
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
2003Turned 40
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2013Turned 50
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2023Turned 60
ChatGPT goes mainstream; Israel-Hamas war begins
Gas: $3.52/galHome: $361,600Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Flowers" — Miley CyrusBest Picture: Oppenheimer
2026Age 63 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Became the youngest artist to have a single reach number one on the UK Singles Chart with 'Long Haired Lover from Liverpool' in 1972.
- Accumulated six gold and one platinum record as a solo artist during the 1970s.
- Co-founded and helped manage the Osmond Family Theater in Branson, Missouri, a major live entertainment venue.
- Starred in the West End production of 'Boogie Nights' in London and performed in other musical theater productions.
Did You Know?
He voiced the character of 'Yankee Doodle Mouse' in the animated series 'Osmonds: The American Dream.'
He is a licensed pilot.
He competed on the UK reality show 'The Celebrity Apprentice' in 2013.
He wrote a children's book titled 'Awesome Possum Family Band.'
“I was the cute one. Then I grew up and had to find something else to do.”
