Jeffrey Linton Osborne (born March 9, 1948) is an American singer-songwriter, musician and lyricist.[1] He is the former drummer and lead singer of the American R&B/soul group L.T.D., with whom he began his musical career in 1970.
Biography
Early life and family
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.
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
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]
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
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.
Personal life
Osborne has been married to Sheri Osborne since 1983,[3] and together they have three daughters: Tiffany Nicole,[3] Dawn and Jeanine Osborne; and a son, Jeffrey Jr.
Pam sang the first bars of "On the Wings of Love" from the album Jeffrey Osborne with Dwight's recorder accompaniment during a bird's funeral on The Office third-season episode "Grief Counseling".
A snippet of "On the Wings of Love" is often played on the E! show The Soup as a recurring joke every time Joel McHale mentions the current Bachelorseason; on March 5 he was nominated for one of the Soup Awards and lost to Heidi Montag; despite the loss, he sang a parody of the song.
Sang the theme song for the ABC Daytime Drama Loving, from February 1992 until November 1995
Sang "Never Met a Woman (Like You)" in Steven Eugene Grove (saxophonist)'s aka: "Euge Groove" (2012) musical CD album House of Groove
Guest-starred on season 2 episode 134 and 135 of the TV series Santa Barbara; he sang "On the Wings of Love" and "Greatest Love Affair".
Awards and honors
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:
Passion for equity and social justice, both locally and globally
Appreciation for and promotion of the benefits of education
Commitment to creating opportunities in the community for those who otherwise might not have a voice or an advocate
Resilience in the face of challenge and adversity. We ask each recipient to attend the annual Wheeler School Community Potluck Dinner, where the award is presented. The Family Potluck dinner is a school-wide event, sponsored by the Upper School's diversity club Students Involved in Cultural Awareness (SICA), the Office of Unity & Diversity, and the Wheeler Parent's Association.[13]
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]
