Sunday, March 30, 2008

News from Nathan



Nathan called to give us a heads up that he will be performing at a special benefit concert that Jared is putting together Monday, May 5th in Provo, Utah. This is a fund-raiser for the Utah Valley Family Support & Treatment Center (UVFSC) which benefits abused children. According to Nathan, Merrill will also be appearing at this event.

To learn more about the organization, read the article about Jared and his CD from The Daily Herald: http://www.heraldextra.com/content/view/254632/149/

For more details on the event, visit the following websites:
UVFAC
InnocentOnes.org


Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Message from Jay


TheFamily.com has received the following message from Jay Osmond, and he has given us permission to share it with all of you. You will also find this message on his blog.

"When it's all said and done, the most important thing we can do down here on earth, is to be spiritually directed. This entails being in tune enough to hear the right messages (called
inspiration), so we can be guided in making decisions that will not only bless ourselves, but others as well.

"When I was in Branson, a few years ago, there was a time that I got pretty lazy about setting things up (like checking drum stands, saxophone reeds etc.) before the shows. Apparently, one of my boys was playing around one night with my saxophone before one of the shows, and didn't tell me.

"When it came time for the show and play our saxophone number, I (without warming up) started blowing, and let out a major squeak, that was not only out of tune, but also ear piercing!

"It taught me a good lesson in two ways: first, to always check my instrument before a show, and secondly, to realize that we, like instruments, need to be in tune if we are to be instruments in the hands of the Lord!

"As Christians, we are taught to pray, read the scriptures, keep the Sabbath Day Holy, etc., so we can enjoy the Spirit, be happy, and help others! But when we don't do these things, we find ourselves out of tune, out of sync, and distant from God. When we get out of tune, it's because we have become lax. We have moved--not Him!

"Striving to live the Gospel is something that takes effort on a consistent basis and requires checks periodically. Though we are not perfect (nor will we be in this life), the willingness to
apply the principles of the Gospel to our everyday lives, is a sign to God that we love Him, and are trying to be intelligent and tune in to His Spirit!

Love, Jay"

Keep in touch with Jay via his blog: jayosmond.com

The Osmonds Invade Disney World!


DONNY and MARIE OSMOND joined their fellow siblings as the Osmond clan took over DisneyWorld in Orlando to celebrate their 50 years in show business as well as the 25th anniversary of the Children's Miracle Network, which they co-founded with actor JOHN SCHNEIDER.

"The Insider" was also backstage with the famous family as they prepared to take to the stage for a reunion concert in front of an enthusiastic crowd.

To watch the video clip, click here for THE INSIDER.

Sunday, March 23, 2008

KOSY 106.5 WIN A DONNY OSMOND AUTOGRAPHED CD



Visit KOSY 106.5 Radio to play the album covers game for your chance to win!
Winners contacted March 28th, so enter soon!

Monday, March 17, 2008

Convention Countdown: Marie Osmond to Speak at ForeverGreen Event!


ForeverGreen is excited to announce that Marie Osmond will be speaking at the 2008 JUMP! Convention in Salt Lake City, April 2008.

As a child and a teenager, Marie Osmond endeared herself to an entire generation. That bond with her audience not only continued, but grew stronger through the years as Marie’s career blossomed into hit records, network television shows, Broadway musicals, movies-of- the-week, world-wide concert tours, a top ten New York Times best selling book author, television commercials, lecture tours and an extremely successful Marie Osmond Collector Dolls business. With all her successes over 40 years in the entertainment industry, Marie’s legion of fans now spans generations.

In addition to being an international celebrity, Marie Osmond is also a savvy businesswoman. In 1991, she launched the “Marie Osmond Fine Porcelain Collector Dolls” line on QVC and at Disney theme parks. It has become QVC’s top selling doll line, was nominated for Trendsetter of the Year in the collectibles industry and has moved into the retail and direct response markets.

Recently, Marie has expanded her business activities to include a wide range of products for the home sewing and crafting market. With national exposure on QVC Network’s “Crafting with Marie” programs, she continues to inspire consumers nationwide.

But perhaps her proudest achievement, besides motherhood, has been her role as co-founder/co-host, with John Schneider, of Children’s Miracle Network, a project of The Osmond Foundation. The largest annual broadcast in fund-raising history, it has raised in excess of 3.4 billion dollars since 1983 for children’s hospitals throughout the U.S. and Canada. She is the proud mother of eight beautiful children, which she considers her greatest achievement.

To register for the conference, visit Forever Green.

For more information on Marie, please visit her website by clicking here: Marie Osmond


Sunday, March 16, 2008

Osmonds Perform Together for First Time in Almost 30 Years to Mark 50th Anniversary in Showbiz



Press Release from ABC News Internet Ventures

Mar. 14, 2008—

America's first family of music performed live on "Good Morning America" this morning to celebrate their 50th anniversary in showbiz.

The nine Osmond singing siblings Donny, Marie, Alan, Wayne, Merrill, Jay, Jimmy, Viril and Tom  were joined by their 150-member extended family onstage at Walt Disney World after performing their hits "We're Having a Party" and "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother."

What started as a Las Vegas anniversary concert has now turned into a worldwide tour, PBS special and charity campaign to raise awareness for the Children's Miracle Network.

It was the first time the all siblings appeared together on stage in more than 27 years. They enjoyed it so much, that now Donny and Marie are planning to perform together again in Las Vegas when the tour is done.

"We're going to work together after 20 years & pray for me," joked Marie on GMA.

"She keeps making fun of me that I can't dance as well as she can &" Donny replied, referring to Marie's recent appearances on "Dancing With The Stars." The Osmonds say Disney World is the appropriate place for their 50th, since they credit Walt Disney himself for discovering them.

The tour also marks the 25th anniversary of the Children's Miracle Network, which the Osmond siblings helped establish with their parents to raise funds for children's hospitals around the country.

"We are very grateful for the legacy our parents left us & we inherited their hearts & we have aligned with 170 of the premier hospitals across the nation & this year is huge because we're launching it worldwide," said Marie.


Saturday, March 15, 2008

Donny and Marie to Host 2008 Miss USA Pageant April 11

AMERICA'S BELOVED BROTHER & SISTER DUO, DONNY AND MARIE OSMOND, TO HOST THE 2008 MISS USA® PAGEANT TELECAST LIVE ON NBC FROM PLANET HOLLYWOOD RESORT & CASINO IN LAS VEGAS ON APRIL 11
Released by NBC


BURBANK March 14, 2008

She's a little bit country -- and he's a little bit rock 'n' roll -- which make Marie Osmond ("Dancing with the Stars" finalist) and multi-hyphenate Donny Osmond ("College Road Trip") the perfect duo to host the 2008 Miss USA Pageant live on NBC from the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in one of the world's hottest cities, Las Vegas, on Friday, April 11 (9-11 p.m. ET).

This is the first time since 2000 that the Osmond brother-sister duo has hosted a primetime special together and the third time that they're hosting a pageant together. Donny and Marie are also of course well known for hosting their own primetime variety and daytime talk shows, "The Donny & Marie Show," (1976-79), and "Donny & Marie" (1998-2000).

Donny & Marie are reuniting on stage as well, performing eight sold-out shows at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas in July.

"Watching the pageant was an anticipated yearly event when Donny and I were growing up," said Marie Osmond. "We are honored to be a part of this U.S. tradition and to hopefully make Miss USA a memorable night for millions of new viewers."

"We are so excited to have such television icons as Donny and Marie host our show," said Phil Gurin, executive producer of Miss USA Pageant 2008. "Their natural gifts as performers and hosts, along with their incredible relationship, will help ensure that this is our best Miss USA show ever!"

Rachel Smith, Miss USA 2007, will crown her successor at the conclusion of the two-hour primetime telecast of the 57th Miss USA Pageant that is being held in the Theatre for the Performing Arts at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino.

Marie Osmond, the baby sister of the Osmond brothers, started her over 40-year career on the "Andy Williams Show" at the age of 3. She has since become an international celebrity whose resume includes hit records, network television shows, Broadway musicals ("The Sound of Music" and "The King and I"), world-wide concert tours, New York Times best selling author, television commercials, lecture tours, radio host, children's advocate, founder of Marie Osmond Collector Dolls business, and most recently a finalist on "Dancing with the Stars." Marie is also well-known for her country singer status in which she debuted the song "Paper Roses" at #1 on the charts and was one of the youngest people to host a television show, "The Donny & Marie Show," with her brother Donny. Marie's proudest achievement, aside from being a mother of eight children, is her involvement as co-founder and co-host of Children's Miracle Network, which has thus far raised over $3.4 billion for children's hospitals throughout the U.S. and Canada.

Donny Osmond, a teen heartthrob performing with his brothers "The Osmonds," began his illustrious career in entertainment at the age of 5, and by 13 had already collected 18 gold records, eventually earning a grand total of 33 throughout his career, with sales of over 80 million albums. He recently released his 55th record, "Love Songs of the '70s," which shipped gold in the United Kingdom. Donny has also had starring roles on stage as "Joseph" in Sir Andrew Lloyd Weber's "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat," and last year on Broadway as "Gaston" in "Beauty & the Beast." In over 40 years in entertainment, Donny has been a singer, actor, triple-threat television series host (talk show, game show, variety show), best-selling author (his autobiography entered the UK bestseller chart at #1 last year), commercial spokesman, motivational speaker -- and even a racecar driver. Donny and his wife Debbie of 29 years have five children and two grandchildren.

Miss USA travels the nation as an advocate for breast and ovarian cancer awareness, education, research, and legislation. Each contestant from 50 states and the District of Columbia will be judged in three categories: swimsuit, evening gown and interview.

The MISS UNIVERSE, MISS USA and MISS TEEN USA Pageants are a Donald J. Trump and NBC Universal joint venture. Utilizing its nationwide grass roots infrastructure, the Miss Universe Organization is committed to increasing awareness of breast and ovarian cancers. By forging relationships with organizations committed to research and education, such as Susan G. Komen for the Cure and Gilda's Club, Miss USA is armed to educate women today.

Thursday, March 13, 2008

Osmond 2G Good Morning America

Alan sent along this message:

Tomorrow Morning! (Friday March 14, 2008)
2nd Generation singing live! on Good Morning America.

Monday, March 10, 2008

Sunday, March 09, 2008

The Osmond Eagle Scouts


The Osmonds Second Generation is not only a performing group with a well known name, but they are also all Eagle Scouts.

These eight boys, Michael, Nathan, Doug, David, Scott, Jon, Alex and Tyler are the sons of Alan and Suzanne Osmond. Alan and Suzanne have completed training in Scouting and have served as Cubmaster, committee chairman and in Varsity Scouting leadership.

They took very seriously what Ronald Regan said about Scouting: “Scouting and receiving an Eagle Scout Award is one of the best things a young man can have on his résumé showing leadership skills in his youth.”

“We did NOT want our sons to work hard just to get the badges and an Eagle rank but, to learn the values that Scouting teaches! What better program is there than this to teach how to be Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Friendly, Courteous, Kind, Obedient, Cheerful, Thrifty, Brave, Clean and Reverent?”

Seven of these sons have gone on to teach others those values and use skills they learned in Scouting as they served full-time missions for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Michael served in the Denmark, Copenhagen Mission; Nathan in Chile, Santiago North; Doug
in South Africa, Johannesburg; David in Spain, Madrid; Scott inParaguay, Asuncion North; Jon in Brazil, Brasilia; and Alex is currently serving in Georgia Atlanta North Mission. Tyler is currently still in high school, but plans on serving a mission in the future. Each of them feel Scouting helped them to “Be Prepared” for these experiences and their futures in many ways.

Those that are married have been married in the temple. Scott is currently serving as a Scoutmaster and all are teaching their own children and families Scouting values.

“We believe in the values that Scouting teaches and encourage all families to get behind this program,”

Article submitted by Alan Osmond
LDS RELATIONSHIPS NEWSLETTER
Boy Scouts of America

Friday, March 07, 2008



Catching Up on Osmonds on TV and the Web

Oprah is rerunning her 100 + Osmonds Show on Tuesday of next week.

The Osmonds 50th Reunion Special is still playing on some PBS stations. Be sure to check your local PBS listings. http://www.pbs.org

Donny Blogs on the Insider: http://www.theinsideronline.com/news/2008/02/15922/

Marie Interview American Hearth Association: http://youtube.com/watch?v=bsBQVYAITfw

Is Marie the Next Oprah?: http://www.celebritymound.com/?p=9594

Boogie Wonderland: http://youtube.com/watch?v=7PvEUhzdY8s

Osmonds: Showtime: http://youtube.com/watch?v=HUOqVPi5YsE

Marie Dancing the Mambo: http://youtube.com/watch?v=zB_IjypM9kM

Cooking with the Osmonds: http://dvo.com/osmonds.html?CID=osmond_msg

Donny in the Spotlight: http://www.whatsgottastay.com/donny-osmond-in-the-spotlight/

Nathan Sings "Go the Distance": http://www.sharkle.com/video/132299/

Donny on the Red Carpet: http://www.insidesocal.com/outinhollywood/2008/02/chatting_up_donny_osmond_on_th.html

Donny Answers Questions on Rachel Ray Show: http://youtube.com/watch?v=UYCec9SaIY0

Donny and Mini-Me: http://thebuzz.sheknows.com/stars-spotted/donny-osmond-has-a-mini-me

Monday, March 03, 2008

The Effects of Music in Our Lives

By

Amy Osmond

Have you ever protested a song your child was singing, and you heard him say, “Mom, it’s just a song?” That happened to me with my five-year-old! The other day, my little kindergartener, Maia, was narrating her life in song. While I can’t remember the exact words, she sang something like “I’m mad that you won’t let me stay up late; some people don’t like me, and my mom punished me.” I walked into her room, heard the song, and said, “Maia, that’s not true at all!” She replied matter-of-factly, “Mom, it’s just a song.” Then she went back to singing her sad, sad autobiographical narrative.

Well, as adults, we know that music is not “just a song.” In academic journals, music has been found to affect everything from listening to reading comprehension to stress to brain activity to blood pressure to depression—and the list goes on and on (Palmer et al., 1991; Angelucci et al., 2007).

But how does music affect the lives of our children? When we think of music in the context of our children, we often think about the deleterious effects that it can have in their lives. From my perspective there are a few things we can do to help our children choose good music.

First, remember that music can have multiple interpretations. My father is Wayne Osmond, one of the Osmond family. In the 1970s, the Osmond Brothers’ musical career reached its peak with several hit records. One of the most influential songs of their career was a song that the brothers wrote called “Crazy Horses.” Considered heavy for its time, it was banned in Africa because it was thought to be about drug abuse. In reality, “crazy horses” was about fast cars, with “horse” referring to horsepower.”

It can work the other way, however. I remember one of my favorite songs a couple of years ago was an R&B song called, “Suga Suga, How you get so fly.” I even put it on a CD that I made for my husband, Jeff. As I listened to the song more, the lyrics started becoming more clear--and they were really risque. Now I can’t hear the song without thinking about those lyrics; and if I, as an adult, am affected by musical lyrics, our impressionable children and teenagers most certainly are.

Like my previous example, in today’s age, lyrics are often sexually explicit and thinly veiled, if at all. But there is still some room for interpretation, and different music can affect different people in different ways. An interesting study in 2007 reported that listening to self-selected or classical music, after exposure to a stressor, significantly reduced negative emotional states and physiological arousal compared to listening to heavy metal music or sitting in silence (Labbe et al., 2007). It actually didn’t matter what kind the music was, as long as it was self-selected. So when your children say that rock music helps them relax, maybe it actually does.

Second, you can find good and bad music in every genre. My father is a pop-turned-rock-turned-country-turned-variety music singer. My mother is an opera singer. Between the two of them and my own training as a classical musician, I have been exposed to practically every type of music possible. I have to admit that I find some rock music to be absolutely beautiful, some hip-hop music to be politically and socially profound, and some modern instrumental music to be—dare I say it---absolute garbage. The key is being able to differentiate between the good and the bad. By bad, I mean degrading to the soul.

So how do we help our children avoid degrading music? Former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture and President of the LDS Church, Ezra Taft Benson, in a 1979 address at Brigham Young University, offered some guidelines to help us evaluate whether media is degrading. While he was speaking mostly of books in this address, it applies to music, as well. I quote:

Today, with the abundance of books available, it is the mark of a truly educated man to know what not to read [or listen to] … As John Wesley’s mother counseled him: ‘Avoid [1] whatever weakens your reason, [2] impairs the tenderness of your conscience, [3] obscures your sense of God, [4] takes off your relish for spiritual things, … [5] increases the authority of the body over the mind. . . Do not make your mind a dumping ground for other people’s garbage. It is harder to purge the mind of rotten reading than to purge the body of rotten food, and it is more damaging to the soul. (Benson, 1980)

Third, consider the culture and the context in which music is performed. I currently teach an American Pop Culture class at Arizona State University. Music is obviously a very important part of popular culture. One of the most interesting things about music in pop culture is its ability to be mainstreamed and co-opted by the public. Jazz, for example, was once considered a degenerate form of music. Even the term “Jazz” was a slang term for “sex.” Over time, however, the word lost its connotative meaning and became mainstreamed into larger segments of society. Now, Jazz is a part of high culture, often associated with the intellectual and upper class.

Other music can take more degenerate turns. Hip hop music, for example, began in the black community as a musical outlet to promote political and social change. In recent years, however, as hip hop music has, again, become mainstreamed, much of the positive social message is gone from its lyrics, replaced by a dominant focus on the party scene, with sex, drugs, and violence being key features.

When considering what music to allow in your home, I believe it is very important to determine what the culture surrounding it promotes. One example is an emerging form of music, called Hyphy, which is a type of hip-hop music based largely in the San Francisco Bay area. This type of music is fun to listen to with its up-tempo beat, but it is heavily associated with the party scene. One particular feature of hyphy culture is a “sideshow,” where one or more cars does multiple doughnuts by braking and turning at high speeds. Hyphy participants also practice “yoking,” or driving while quickly alternating between stomping on the gas and brake, and “ghost riding the whip,” where a driver walks alongside a slow-rolling car with the door open, while passengers leap out of moving cars and dance on the hood. Hyphy culture also focuses heavily on alcohol use, as well as drugs like cannabis and ecstasy. Dancing and partying almost always occurs while intoxicated.

So, if your teenager starts sporting saggy jeans, white t-shirts and “stunna shades” and says to you, “Mom, we’re gonna take the scraper and go to the yay to get stupid with grapes and rippers,” say “Absolutely not!” And take away their hyphy music.

My point is that, as parents, we need to educate ourselves about our children’s music and the culture it is associated with, so we can help them make good judgments about their music.

Finally, remember to focus on the beauty that music can bring to our children’s lives, as well as our own. In 1939, French composer Oliver Messiaen was taken prisoner by the Germans and sent to a war camp but managed to keep his music bag. In the camp, he found moments for reading in the Revelation of St. John, the story of the angel who, his head surrounded by a rainbow, his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot upon the earth, announced the end of time. So Messiaen, to whom a non-Nazi officer occasionally gave a piece of bread, music paper and pencils, wrote a quartet called the Quattuor pour la fin du temps. It was even performed in the camp, on a piano with jamming keys, a cello with only three strings, and a clarinet with a molten key, and a violin. The quartet was an action which maintained dignity—a real action, written and performed, but at the same time also a symbolic one, integrating past with present, defying barbarism, transforming ugliness, maintaining a framework of subjective values against deficient reality” (Boesch, 1997, pp. 428-29). In short, Messiaen’s musical gifts combined with religious commitment allowed him to bring beauty to an ugly place.

In conclusion, music has the ability to affect our children’s lives significantly. And in helping them decide and monitor their music selections, we should remember that music can have multiple interpretations; good and bad music can be found in every genre; the culture and context in which the music is performed is perhaps even more important than the music, itself; and a positive and proactive approach to music can help us find and create music that uplifts us and brings beauty to our lives.

References

Angelucci, F., Ricci, E., Padua, L., Sabino, A., & Tonali, P. (2007). Music exposure differentially alters the levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and nerve growth factor in the mouse hypothalamus. Neuroscience Letters, 429 (2/3), pp. 152-55.

Benson, E. (1980). In His Steps. In Speeches of the Year. Provo: Brigham Young University Press, p. 61.

Boesch, E. (1997). Reasons for a symbolic concept of action. Culture and Psychology, 3.

Palmer, B., Sharp, M., Carter, B., & Roddenberry, Y. (1991). The effects of music and structured oral directions on auding and reading comprehension. International Journal of Listening, 5, pp. 7-21.

Labbe, E., Schmidt, N., Babin, J., & Pharr, M. (2007). Coping with stress: The effectiveness of different types of music. Applied psychophysiology and biofeedback, 32 (4), pp. 163-68.

Bio

Amy Osmond (Ph.D., a.b.d.) is a mass media instructor at Arizona State University. She teaches courses such as “Media and Society,” “Media Issues in American Pop Culture,” “Political Communication,” “War and Mass Media.” She has published articles relating to social justice, online teaching, and abuse of women and children and has presented at academic conferences on subjects such as women and child abuse, terrorism, and sociopathy. As a speaker for large civic and religious organizations, Amy has spoken on subjects such as teamwork and effects of music. Her academic interests center around two topics: abuse of women and children, and effects of mass media in society.

In addition to teaching mass media, Amy has some experience participating in mass media-related industries. The daughter of Wayne and Kathy Osmond, Amy has toured and performed for multiple years with the Osmond Brothers. A professional studio and solo violinist, she released her debut album, Nativity (a collection of traditional Christmas songs performed on the violin and harp), in 2004. Amy was also the national winner and spokesperson of America’s Junior Miss Scholarship Program in 1994. Amy has been featured in print publications such as People Magazine and USA Today and on television programs such as Good Morning America. She is currently the regional music director of her church and continues to perform on a regular basis.

While Amy is interested in numerous aspects of mass media, her favorite part about living in the digital age is being able to take advantage of new technology to fit a mother’s lifestyle. Fortunately, the classes she teaches are online, allowing her the opportunity to be at home full time with her children. She is married to Jeff Cook and is the proud mother of three (and a half!) beautiful children.

(This article will soon also be available on thefamily.com)

Saturday, March 01, 2008

Donny Guests on New Raven Music Video

Check out Donny's appearance on the new "Double Dutch Bus" music video by Raven Simone, star of the upcoming film College Road Trip, with guest star, Donny.

To see the music video, visit:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_5dyIH6MoA

Photo hosted by IMDB.com