Wayne Osmond, original member of family band The Osmonds, white America's answer to the Jackson 5 – obituary

About the Song

“Darlin'” by The Osmonds is a tender ballad that showcases the group’s softer side and their ability to deliver heartfelt performances. Released in 1973 as part of their concept album The Plan, this song stands out for its sincere lyrics and gentle melody, offering a moment of quiet reflection amidst the album’s broader themes of spirituality and purpose.

While The Osmonds were known for their energetic pop hits and catchy tunes, “Darlin'” reveals a different facet of their musicality. It’s a song that focuses on the simple yet profound emotion of love, expressing deep affection and commitment in a direct and honest way. This sincerity is a key element of the song’s appeal, allowing listeners to connect with the emotions being conveyed on a personal level.

The lyrics of “Darlin'” are straightforward and heartfelt, expressing deep love and devotion to a significant other. The song speaks of finding a missing piece in another person, of understanding oneself better through their love, and of a commitment that extends beyond earthly bounds. This theme of eternal love fits well within the context of The Plan, which explores spiritual themes and the search for meaning in life.

Musically, “Darlin'” is a gentle and melodic ballad. The arrangement is relatively simple, with a focus on acoustic instruments and soft harmonies. This understated approach allows the lyrics and the vocal performances to take center stage, creating an intimate and emotional listening experience.

The vocal performances on “Darlin'” are particularly noteworthy. While the song features the group’s signature harmonies, it’s Merrill Osmond’s lead vocal that truly shines. He delivers the lyrics with a tenderness and sincerity that is both captivating and moving. His voice conveys the deep emotion of the song, drawing the listener into the intimate world of the lyrics.

As part of The Plan album, “Darlin'” contributes to the album’s overall exploration of spiritual themes and the search for meaning. While the album features a variety of musical styles, “Darlin'” provides a moment of quiet reflection, emphasizing the importance of love and connection in the broader context of life and spirituality.

In conclusion, “Darlin'” by The Osmonds is a beautiful and heartfelt ballad that showcases the group’s versatility and their ability to connect with listeners on an emotional level. It’s a song about deep love and devotion, delivered with sincerity and tenderness. It remains a fan favorite and a testament to the enduring appeal of The Osmonds and their ability to create music that resonates with the human experience. It is a beautiful example of their ability to create heartfelt and moving music.
Home | The Osmonds : A New Musical

Video 

Lyrics: Darlin’

Darlin’, I look into your eyes
And see what words could never tell
Darlin’, you’ve made me understand
The me, I thought I knew so well

Like an angel sent from up above
You came and touched my life with love
Oh, Darlin’, I’d love to make you mine, I would

Darlin’, each time I look at you
I see a missing part of me
Darlin’, if you will walk with me
We’ll step toward eternity

And when the world is finally through
I’ll still be ever loving you
Oh, Darlin’, there is no end if I’m with you
Oh, Darlin’, there’s really nothing we can’t do
With you…

You Missed

THE CHAOS STOPS. THE NOISE FADES. AND IN THE FINAL SECONDS, TOBY KEITH STEPS BACK INTO THE LIGHT. For most of the video for “Think As You Drunk,” Riley Green leans into the kind of high-octane, rowdy trouble that country music fans have been raising hell to for decades. He’s losing boots, stumbling through bars, and ending up in handcuffs—with his corgi, Carl, watching the whole mess with a look of pure, sober judgment. It’s the kind of reckless, fun-loving anthem that keeps the honky-tonks loud on a Friday night. But then, just as the dust settles, the mood completely shifts. As the track winds down, the familiar, unmistakable roar of Toby Keith’s voice cuts through, playing “As Good As I Once Was.” The camera stops following the chaos and lingers on a framed photo of Toby, center stage, holding a red Solo cup high in the air—a classic pose for the man who turned that cup into a national symbol. In that quiet moment, the jokes fall away. Riley Green doesn’t need a tearful monologue or a scripted tribute; he lets the music and the image do the heavy lifting. It is a masterful, respectful tip of the hat from one generation of country stars to the man who laid the blueprint for the modern drinking anthem. The tribute is more than just a nod in a video; it’s a commitment. A portion of the proceeds from the song is headed to the Toby Keith Foundation, directly supporting children fighting cancer and their families. While Carl the corgi might win the “funniest moment” award, Toby Keith gets the final word—a hauntingly perfect reminder of the legacy he left behind.

SHE STEPPED UP TO THE MICROPHONE TO SING A LOVE SONG WITH A MAN WHO WAS ALREADY GONE. When Lorrie Morgan walked into the studio to record “‘Til a Tear Becomes a Rose,” she wasn’t just performing a track for a Greatest Hits album. She was stepping into a haunting, high-stakes duet with her late husband, Keith Whitley, who had passed away just a year earlier. The technology was simple, but the emotional weight was crushing. Keith’s voice was already on the tape, preserved from an old demo he’d recorded with his friend Ricky Skaggs. There was no studio collaboration, no sharing a smile between takes, and no husband to hold once the final note faded. Lorrie had to stand in the silence, put on her headphones, and wait for Keith’s voice to come through—then harmonize with a ghost. When the song was released in 1990, it didn’t just climb the charts; it hit a nerve that few country songs ever reach. It felt raw, immediate, and painfully real. That fall, when the industry gathered for the CMA Awards, the song took home the trophy for Vocal Event of the Year. The two names—Lorrie Morgan and Keith Whitley—were etched together on the award, a cruel reminder of a partnership that had been tragically severed in its prime. While Lorrie stood alone to accept the honor, the recording remained a permanent monument to what they had been. It wasn’t just a song about sorrow or a performance about heartbreak; it was a widow using her own voice to reach across the silence and sing one last time with the man she couldn’t hold again. It stands today as a testament to the fact that while death can end a marriage, it can’t always silence the music that two people built together.

A PERFECT FINALE: ALAN JACKSON HANGS UP HIS HAT AND WELCOMES HIS FIFTH GRANDCHILD.For a man who built a career on songs that capture the milestones of life—the memories, the heartbreaks, and the quiet joys—the timing of Alan Jackson’s latest chapter feels like something written into a country standard.On June 27, 2026, Alan Jackson took the stage at Nashville’s Nissan Stadium for his final, massive farewell concert, “Last Call: One More for the Road – The Finale.” With over 50,000 fans in the stands and a roster of country’s biggest names joining him, the mood was one of celebration and reflection. During the show, Alan shared a sweet, prophetic moment with the crowd, pointing out his daughter Dani, who was heavily pregnant at the time. “We have three wonderful daughters and sons-in-law, and now we’ve got 4.75 grandchildren,” he joked. “One’s due any minute. She’s out there… I feel sad for her being here tonight, she’s about to go into labor with all this sound going on.” He wasn’t off by much. Twelve days after that final bow, the Jackson family grew once more. On July 9, 2026, Dani and her husband, Sam Carrington, welcomed Samuel Hudson Carrington—”Hudson”—the couple’s first child and Alan and Denise’s fifth grandchild. Alan shared the news on Instagram with a touching photo of himself and Denise cradling the newborn. It’s a milestone that brings a beautiful full-circle moment to the Jackson household. With all three of his daughters—Mattie, Ali, and Dani—having been pregnant at the same time, this “baby boom” has been the perfect way for Alan to transition from the spotlight of his touring career to the quiet, cherished life of a grandfather. For the man who spent decades singing “Remember When,” this is a new “remember when” in the making: one legendary farewell, one beautiful hello, and a retirement that couldn’t have been timed more perfectly.

PEOPLE SAW WHAT THE CANCER HAD TAKEN, BUT WHEN HE STEPPED TO THE MIC, HE SHOWED THEM THE ONE THING IT COULD NEVER REACH. By the end of 2023, the physical toll was impossible to miss. Stomach cancer had stripped away the frame of the man who once seemed to fill an entire arena just by walking out onto the stage. When Toby Keith stepped onto the boards at Dolby Live in Las Vegas, the audience wasn’t looking at the “Big Dog Daddy” of the 2000s; they were looking at a man who had been through the fires of hell. But then, he started to sing. The voice was different—weathered by pain, tempered by exhaustion, and rougher around the edges. But it wasn’t broken. It carried the same iron-clad authority that had defined his career for three decades. He didn’t try to hide his condition or mask the changes with stagecraft; he stood there, exposed and honest, and let the music do the work. When he performed “Don’t Let the Old Man In,” the atmosphere in the room shifted. It wasn’t just a song anymore; it was a manifesto. Every word felt like a deliberate strike against the inevitable, a defiant declaration from a man who wasn’t done yet. He wasn’t just singing about age; he was singing from the front lines of his own battle. Those shows were meant to be a comeback. Instead, history turned them into a final stand. In the end, cancer succeeded in weakening his body and cutting his time short, but it couldn’t touch the core of who he was. When he began to sing, the noise of his illness vanished, leaving behind only the one thing that had fueled his entire life: an unwavering refusal to back down.