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Golden memories: The Osmonds 150 150 mhamer

Golden memories: The Osmonds

Jimmy Cricket has known and worked with many great fellow entertainers across nearly five decades in showbusiness - including the Osmonds

Jimmy Cricket has known and worked with many great fellow entertainers across nearly five decades in showbusiness.

In a special series of monthly articles, Jimmy is taking a trip down Memory Lane to recall some of the special people with whom he has shared the stage.

Our second feature in the series is about The Osmonds, an American family music group with a long and varied history as star performers.

They started their musical careers as children and achieved further success as teen-music idols, going on to produce a hit television show and also perform as solo and group artists.

The group first comprised brothers Alan, Wayne, Merrill and Jay Osmond. They were later joined by younger siblings Donny – the most famous of all of them – and Jimmy. Their only sister Marie, who rarely sang with her brothers at that time, launched a successful solo career in 1973.

Jimmy, 74, supported the world-famous Osmonds on their pre-Christmas tour around the UK towards the end of 2015.

‘Dream gig’

He was a special guest for the Andy Williams Christmas Spectacular which ran for 15 shows, several of them sellouts.

Jimmy appeared on what was a wonderfully creative and slick show, which featured Jimmy, Jay and Merrill Osmond.

It included a video screen transmitting footage of the late American popular singer Andy Williams and images of Christmas, a set of green Christmas trees around the stage and even snow fell during the finale!

Here, Jimmy remembers the Osmonds in his own special way:

“Touring with the Osmonds was what you would call in this business a dream gig.

“It happened four years ago and the show consisted of Jimmy, Merrill and Jay.

“We did a 15-day tour up and down the country and played to sellout crowds.

“As well as the boys, we had a live band, dancers a  Russian quick-change act and a young English vocalist.

‘Stayed loyal’

“The show was actually a tribute to the great singer Andy Williams, whose Christmas TV specials enthralled American viewers for many years.

“Andy was also the one to give the Osmonds their first break in television when they were just babies.

“Indeed, I did the warm-up for the show and introduced those very appearances to the audiences on a large screen on stage.

“I was always amazed how many of the Osmond fans stayed loyal over the years and came to so many of their shows during that tour.

“It was a pleasure to work with this special showbiz family.”

Also read: Merrill Osmond told me: ‘You’re one of our family’

Click on either of the arrow-shaped play buttons above to watch a slideshow of pictures from the 2015 tour. All the photos were taken during the last tour date at the Winding Wheel concert venue in Chesterfield.

Golden Memories: Norman Barrett MBE

If you have any special memories of the Osmonds or would like Jimmy to feature somebody in our series, you can do this in several ways:

Find out where Jimmy is performing and his other forthcoming shows by viewing all his tour dates on this website.

 

A special guest on tour of world-famous Osmonds 150 150 mhamer

A special guest on tour of world-famous Osmonds

Jimmy Cricket will be teaming up with the world-famous Osmonds for a special Christmas tour later this year

Jimmy Cricket is teaming up with several of the world-famous Osmonds for a special tour of the UK later this year.

The well-known Northern Irishman comedian will be a special guest for the series of shows, called the Andy Williams Christmas Spectacular, throughout the month of December.

The Osmonds are an American family music group with a long and varied history as star performers.

They started their musical careers as children and achieved further success as teen-music idols, going on to produce a hit television show and also perform as solo and group artists.

The Osmonds group first comprised brothers Alan, Wayne, Merril and Jay Osmond. They were later joined by younger siblings Donny – the most famous of all of them – and Jimmy. Their only sister Marie, who rarely sang with her brothers at that time, launched a successful solo career in 1973.

Jimmy said: “The month of December has traditionally meant pantomime time and this tour will be quite a departure for me.

“Nonetheless, it is an exciting prospect and I cannot wait to team up with the Osmonds, who have a global following and reputation.

“Although I love the art form of pantomime and the attraction it holds for children and families, I have thought for some time that there should be an alternative offering out there over the Christmas period.

“This show fits the bill perfectly and the atmosphere at each venue will be so uplifting that those in attendance will definitely leave in the Christmas spirit!”

Tickets for the tour will go on pre-sale from Wednesday morning (March 25), with tickets on general sale from Friday.

Full list of dates and venues for the Andy Williams Christmas Spectacular are as follows:

DECEMBER

TUES 8 – MALVERN Theatres 01684 892277 www.malvern-theatres.co.uk

WED 9 – GUILDFORD G Live 0844 7701 797 www.GLive.co.uk

THURS 10 – WORTHING Assembly Hall 01903 206206 www.worthingtheatres.co.uk

FRI 11 – HARROGATE International Centre 01423 502116 www.harrogatetheatre.co.uk

SAT 12 – CROYDON Fairfield Halls 020 8688 9291 www.fairfield.co.uk

SUN 13 – WATFORD Colosseum 0845 075 3993 www.watfordcolosseum.co.uk

MON 14 – MARGATE Winter Gardens 01843 292795 www.margatewintergardens.co.uk

TUES 15 – EASTBOURNE Congress Theatre 01323 412000 www.eastbournetheatres.co.uk

WED 16 – LONDON Indigo2 08448 244824 www.axs.com

THURS 17 – WOLVERHAMPTON Civic Hall 0870 320 7000 www.wolvescivic.co.uk

FRI 18 – BRADFORD St George’s Hall 01274 432000 www.bradford-theatres.co.uk

SAT 19 – BURNLEY Mechanics Theatre 01282 664400 www.burnleymechanics.co.uk

SUN 20 – NEWCASTLE City Hall 0191 277 8030 www.newcastlecityhall.org

MON 21 – EDINBURGH Queens Theatre 0131 668 2019 www.thequeenshall.net

TUES 22 – CHESTERFIELD Winding Wheel 01246 345222 www.chesterfieldtheatres.co.uk

The tour is promoted by Tony Denton Promotions and  for more information about the show and for links to each individual venue, please go to the Tony Denton Promotions website at www.tdpromo.com