Jeffrey Osborne
Jeffrey Linton Osborne
March 9, 1948
Providence, Rhode Island, United States
- Singer-songwriter
- musician
- drummer
- Vocals
- drums
1970–present
Biography[edit]
Early life and family[edit]
Osborne was born in Providence, Rhode Island.[1] Born the youngest of twelve children which consisted of six brothers and six sisters, Osborne's family was musically inclined. Some of Osborne's siblings went on to have music careers as well; his brother Billy Osborne was his band-mate in L.T.D. Osborne's father, Clarence "Legs" Osborne, was a popular trumpeter who played with Lionel Hampton, Count Basie and Duke Ellington. Osborne's father died in 1961 when Osborne was thirteen.[2]
L.T.D.[edit]
Osborne began his music career in 1970 becoming a member of the American soul band "Love Men Ltd.", who would later become known as L.T.D.[1] The band recorded hit singles such as "(Every Time I Turn Around) Back in Love Again" (1977), "Concentrate on You," "Love Ballad" (1976) and "Holding On (When Love Is Gone)" (1978). At first, Osborne served as only a drummer, sharing lead vocal duties with his brother Billy Osborne but, by 1976, he became the group's primary lead vocalist. Osborne and his brother both left the band in late 1980 to start solo careers.[1] Osborne sang lead vocals on L.T.D.'s three No. 1 songs on the U.S. R&B Chart and for the band's three gold and platinum albums.
Solo career[edit]
In 1982, Osborne sang the opening song "I Just Want to Be Your Friend" for the comedy film The Toy. Osborne later released his self-titled debut album in 1982, which featured two hit singles, "On the Wings of Love" and "I Really Don't Need No Light" (1982),[1] peaking at No. 29 and No. 39, respectively, on the pop chart. It was followed the next year by Stay with Me Tonight, his first solo gold album, which spawned four more hits, "Don't You Get So Mad" (No. 25), the title track (No. 30), "Plane Love" (No. 10 R&B, No. 6 dance), and "We're Going All the Way (No. 48). "Stay with Me Tonight" (May 1984, No. 18) and "On the Wings of Love" (August 1984, No. 11) would belatedly reach the UK Singles Chart.[1]
In 1985, Osborne wrote the lyrics to the Whitney Houston hit "All at Once" (music by Michael Masser). He appeared on USA for Africa's fundraising single, "We Are the World" in 1985. Osborne sang the unreleased single "Everything Good Takes Time" which was part of a video tribute to Julius Erving ('Dr. J') in 1987. He would later appear on Celebrity Duets in 2006, performing "On the Wings of Love" with Alfonso Ribeiro. Osborne lent his vocals to the theme song of the soap opera, Loving, from 1992 to 1995[2] as well as the first-season theme song for the Kirstie Alley comedy Veronica's Closet.
Osborne had two more gold albums, Don't Stop and Emotional, the latter of which had his highest-charting solo pop hit, "You Should Be Mine", which peaked at No. 13 in 1986.[1] The following year, Osborne had the highest-charting hit of his career duetting with Dionne Warwick on "Love Power",[1] which reached No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 and also topped the Adult Contemporary singles chart. It was a turning point in his pop success, as his albums and singles began charting lower and lower.[1] Osborne's 1988 single "She's on the Left" would be his final Hot 100 entry, as well as his only No. 1 R&B hit.
Later career[edit]
In the new millennium, he returned with a series of albums that, while far from the success he enjoyed in the 1980s, returned him to Adult R&B radio, scoring modest chart singles such as "Rest of Our Lives" (No. 75, 2003) and his cover of Barbara Mason's classic "Yes, I'm Ready" (No. 64, 2005). In 2008, Osborne sang the national anthem before game 4 of the NBA Finals at Staples Center in Los Angeles, a feat which he repeated in 2009 before game 1 of the 2009 NBA Finals, and also again in 2010 before game 1 of the NBA Finals, all at Staples Center. He also performed the national anthem prior to game 3 of the 1988 World Series, a feat he repeated two years later at game 3 of the 1990 World Series, both at the Oakland Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, California. He also regularly sang the national anthem before Hartford Whalers games. On March 1, 2010, Osborne appeared on The Bachelor: On the Wings of Love season finale, "After the Final Rose", singing his hit "On the Wings of Love" while Bachelor Jake Pavelka took to the dance floor with his newly announced fiancée, Vienna Girardi.
In 2019 Osbourne was recognized with the Wheeler community Spirit Award, given to a member of the Providence, RI community who advocates for those who have fewer opportunities. Recipients are recognized for their efforts in four key areas:
Osborne received the 2014 New England Pell Award for Artistic Excellence from Providence (Rhode Island)'s Trinity Repertory Company in honor of his artistic achievements and philanthropic work in Rhode Island.[14][15]