Donny Osmond Recalled Powerful Life Lesson Learned From Brother Alan Osmond in Vintage '70s Interview
The late Alan Osmond had a lasting influence on his younger brother, Donny Osmond, shaping both his career and outlook on life.
In a vintage 1971 interview with Tiger Beat, Donny recalled a powerful life lesson from his older brother, Alan. As the group's de facto leader, Alan was always there to listen and offer guidance whenever his brothers needed support.
Donny once recalled borrowing a cherished item from his brother only to lose it, leaving him afraid to admit what had happened. When he finally came clean, Alan's unexpected reaction became a lasting life lesson his younger brother never forgot.
He explained, "Alan is the oldest, and he's the most like my father, always concerned with my problems and always gentle in his advice to me. I've never been so sad that I couldn't go to Alan, and he's never failed to make me feel better."
Parade Daily🎬 SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox 🎬
"Probably the most vivid memory I have of this is from a few years ago. Alan had a fishing pole that he loved more than anything in the world. He had saved for months to get it, and he oiled and cleaned it all the time, so that it shone like a jewel! He would take it out in the backyard and practice casting for hours."
Donny continued, "My friend Billy and his father asked me to go fishing with them, and I didn't have a pole. I could see that Alan was a little worried about it, but he offered me his anyway. We set off that morning and I felt like I would catch buckets of fish!"
RELATED: '70s Superstar Donny Osmond Shares Nostalgic Look at His Teen Idol Past
"Out in the middle of the lake, I baited the hook and, with some pride, I cast out into the water–but I caught the sinker on the edge of the boat, and the pole flipped out of my hands, and end over end into the deep blue lake! It sank from site, and I got a terrible empty feeling in the pit of my stomach. I was going to have to tell Alan!"
RELATED: Alan Osmond Dies at 76 - Brother Merrill Shares Heartfelt Tribute
Donny concluded, "I got home and told him I was ready to cry–and Alan was more concerned with stopping me than he was about the pole! He cared about the pole, sure, but nowhere near as much as he cared about trying to keep me from being sad! Alan talked to me and made me realize that no pole in the world mattered as much as any person being unhappy–and that's just what Alan taught me! The thing is just a thing, but a person is something precious."
In 2025, Donny Osmond posted a loving birthday tribute to his older brother on social media. He shared that he and his brothers called Alan "the leader of the band."
Alan Osmond died on April 20 at the age of 76. In a statement issued to ABC4 Utah, it was confirmed that the entertainer died at 8:30 p.m. on April 20. He and his wife of 51 years, Suzanne Pinegar Osmond, had eight children; Michael, Nathan, Douglas, David, Scott, Jonathon, Alexander, and Tyler.
MORE: The 1971 Teen Heartbreak Single That Made Girls Swoon Hit No. 1 Twice
Copyright 2026 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved
This story was originally published April 21, 2026 at 8:38 AM.