Introduction
“Why We Did What We Did” — A Message from Alan Osmond
In a world where the music industry often clashed with morality, Alan Osmond and his brothers made a deliberate choice to stand apart — to be good in every sense of the word. For Alan, that word wasn’t just a moral compass, but a legacy passed down from his parents — George Osmond (G.O.) and Olive Davis (O.D.) — whose initials, when combined, spell “GOOD.” And that’s exactly what the Osmond family strove to be.
During an era dominated by the counterculture of the 1960s and ’70s — with its rebellion, free love, drugs, and anti-establishment ethos — the Osmonds found themselves navigating fame with an entirely different motivation. As Alan recalls, even while surrounded by trends and temptations, he would lie in bed reading A Marvelous Work and a Wonder and The Book of Mormon, finding strength and purpose in gospel teachings. Those spiritual anchors became the foundation of both his personal life and the group’s musical direction.
More than just entertainers, the Osmonds saw themselves as instruments in the Lord’s hands, using music as a vehicle to uplift and inspire. When they parted ways with the Andy Williams Show, Alan took on the responsibility to lead — not just musically, but morally. They wanted to say something meaningful, to use their talents boldly rather than burying them in silence, as warned in Doctrine and Covenants 60:2.
“We were out there pitching songs about being good, about family, about Jesus Christ,” Alan says. “In an industry so often fueled by fame, drugs, and promiscuity, we chose a different path. We weren’t ashamed to be different — we were proud to stand up for our values.”
This legacy — of clean living, strong family ties, and unwavering faith — is what Alan hopes to capture in his book. It’s not just a story of music or fame, but a deeper explanation of why the Osmonds did what they did: why they said no to drugs and free love, why they prioritized marriage and family, why they stayed united, and why, even sharing stages with icons like Led Zeppelin, Paul McCartney, and Elton John, they stayed true to themselves.
Alan’s message is clear: “You can be happy. You can be married. You can have a family. You can be religious. You can be successful — all at the same time. You don’t have to be of the world to thrive in it.”