Introduction:
As a member of the family pop group The Osmonds, Donny Osmond was its youngest and most popular member. As the group grew in popularity, it was decided that Donny would take over some of the lead vocals from his brother Merrill Osmond, and soon thereafter, he found himself squarely in the Top 10 with his first solo record, “Puppy Love.”
On July 8, 1972, Donny was at the top of the UK singles chart with his version of the Paul Anka song. This was the first of three solo number-one songs for Donny, including “Too Young” and “Why.”
In the United States, the singer placed at the top spot one year prior with 1971’s “Go Away Little Girl.” Ultimately, “Puppy Love” placed at number three on the Billboard charts, followed by “Hey Girl” at number nine.
In a 2022 interview with Express, Donny shared details of the year his career exploded, and the impact it had on his personal and professional life. “I had no idea of the impact ‘Puppy Love’ was having until I did it live,” he recalled. “Keep in mind, I’d only previously sung it about three times.
“So the intro came in, and everyone was screaming already, and I sang the opening line, and then I forgot all the words. But, here’s the thing, nobody could tell the difference because of the screaming! I was just making up words.”
Despite his sudden rise to international fame, Donny wasn’t an overnight success story. By the time he hit the number one spot on the charts as a solo artist, he was already a showbiz veteran.
The Osmonds began their show business journey in the early 1960s as a barbershop quartet made up of the four oldest brothers, Alan, Wayne, Merrill, and Jay. Their big break came when they were discovered by Andy Williams’ father and invited to become regulars on The Andy Williams Show.
Donny joined the group at the age of five and quickly captured audiences with his charm and vocal talent. He eventually helped catapult the group to greater fame, leading to a successful pop music run for the family group with the addition of younger siblings Marie and Jimmy Osmond to the act.
At the time of his solo success, the entertainer was just 14. As the band supported Merrill as a front man, they were encouraged to do so with their younger brother.
According to History, family matriarch Olive Osmond once said, “We push whoever is in front. The rest of us divide the work necessary to keep the front runners in first place and the family strong.”