AUDIO: Donny Osmond reveals how he made golden album in Sheffield and 2017 UK tour details
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Now America's very own Peter Pan of pop is celebrating 50 years in the business with a UK tour of a new life defining album - made in Sheffield.
Sheffield song king Eliot Kennedy, a songwriting partner of Gary Barlow and Bryan Adams - and who Donny is proud to call 'his brother' - produced The Soundtrack Of My Life, his 60th landmark album and latest top 20 hit.
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Hide AdAUDIO: Listen to Donny Osmond's full interview with Graham Walker on his Big Interviews Channel at Audioboom - CLICK HERE.
VIDEO: Watch the trailer or The Soundtrack Of My Life album - CLICK HERE.
The golden anniversary album takes Donny's fans on his own personal musical journey, not of his greatest hits, but songs which have touched and influenced his life.
The album also includes new tracks to take forward an amazing career which has already sold over 100 million records, produced 33 gold records, three UK number ones, nine UK top tens, 13 UK top 40s and seen him spend a staggering 333 weeks in the UK charts,
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Hide AdNow he is returning to the UK for The Soundrtrack Of My Life UK Tour, which he promises will also feature all his greatest hit, in January 2017. Full dates below. For tickets visit www.donny.com and myticket.co.ukDonny is no longer a puppy at 58-years-young but the world is still in love with American singer, actor, dancer, radio personality, Dancing with the Stars champion and former floppy bright coloured hat teen idol.
In an exclusive interview - hear it in full here on line - he told how he spent time in Sheffield at the Steelworks studio during the final stages of making the new album, but how they used latest technology, including Skype, to record vocals while half a world apart - in between his performances in Las Vegas or at home in Utah.
He said: "Life's great right now. It couldn't be better. I can't believe it's 45-years since Puppy Love and this is my 60th album. It's gone by so fast.
"Eliot is like my brother. He and I get along so well. We've worked together for a long, long time. As soon as I met him we hit it off.
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Hide Ad"The way we made this record it was technically a big challenge because I perform so much in Las Vegas, I can't really get away and spend months and months in Sheffield, making an album.
"Eliot couldn't do the same thing, coming to Vegas spending months there. So I would produce my vocals. I have a studio right there at the Flamingo Hotel and one at my home in Utah. We would cut the tracks, he would send it to me. I would send vocals back and forth. We would Skype each other and it was all a high tech album, the way this thing was created.
"You have to be careful you don't let technology take over the heart and soul of your record and Eliot is a master of that.
"This being my 60th album, this one had to be special. I wanted these songs to mean a lot to me. So we did cover versions of songs that really influenced me in my life time. I had a list of over 300 songs I wanted to do. And Eliot said, 'well, we're going to have to cut that list down a little bit'.
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Hide Ad"The criteria was every song had to have a significant story behind it. So one of the first songs I had to do was My Cherie Amour. It was the very first song I ever bought. We thought it would be amazing to get Stevie Wonder himself to play harmonica on this thing. I've know Stevie over the years, so I put a call in.
"I got him on the phone, told him the story, the concept of the album and he wasn't about to commit to anything until he heard it. He said 'send me an MP3'. He heard my vocals. He heard El's track. He called me up immediately and said 'Donny, send me the masters. I got to be part of this project. It's fantastic'.
It also includes the likes of Ben, I've Got You Under My Skin, Baby Love, The Long and Winding Road, Survivor and not least of all Moon River, a tribute to the man who gave him his start in showbusiness, Andy Williams.
Donny was just five years old when he and his brothers toured with the music legend who used to close the show with his signature song.
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Hide AdDonny said: "I didn't want to record any of these songs just as they were originally. Eliot and I weren't interested in doing karaoke. So he came up with this arrangement for Moon Rover. The key was just not quite right for me. But Eliot said push yourself as far as you can. I came up with four or five versions of vocals before Eliot was pleased.
"I'm changing the melody around a little bit, but not too far because you don't want to ruin the original melody. But I took license with it, because I could. We came up with something which I think is a masterpiece."
VIDEO: Watch Donny performing Moon River on our YouTube video player above - or CLICK HEREOf his time in Sheffield Donny, who says he never goes out hiding under a baseball hat and false beard. He said: "I try to lead my life as normal as I can. You get looks and autograph seekers but that's a nice compliment to have. You hear comments like Justin Bieber saying 'I don't want any more selfies or autographs', Grow up will you. Those are the people who put you on the map. Treat them with a little more respect.
"People do respect you. But if you are going to be in showbusiness and a celebrity, then be one. Accept the turf that comes along with it."
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Hide AdHe is back touring the UK with the album and greatest hits next January for the first time in four years with dates in Manchester, Glasgow, Cardiff, Nottingham, Liverpool, London and Birmingham. Full details on our web sites.
Taking time off from his number one Las Vegas show, where he has been awarded Best In Vegas five years in a row, he is bringing his own live band, dancers and multi-media screens to celebrate inb spectacular style.
Donny said; “I am thrilled and delighted to be coming back to the UK to perform in January. The UK audiences have always been very special to me. Once the British people welcome and accept you, they really do take you to their hearts and that is what makes performing a real joy when I come to the UK.On tour he will also be performing all the greatest hits the likes of Go Away Little Girl, Too Young, Twelfth Of Never, Young Love, Crazy Horses and his first UK number one, Puppy Love, with footage on screen of him singing it aged 14.
And he knows not to play around anymore with those hits.
He explained: "I don't poke fun at it anymore because it's a great song and it put me on the map. It was a great song for the time,
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Hide Ad"It was a changing moment in my life, in New Jersey. I wasn't planning on doing Puppy Love, just my new album. I learned a lot from that show because people want to hear the old hits.
"I stopped the band, said guys giv me a heavy metal vesion of Puppy Love and I ripped it apart. I didn;t respect it at all and people were giving me obligatory laughs.
"After the show I was walking out the stage door and a fan stopped me and asked why I made fun of Puppy Love. In a coy sort of way I said it was my song and I culd do what I wanted with it. Then she said something that changed my life.
"She said 'you may have had a hit with that song, but Puppy ove was a big part of my childhood memories and you have no right to mess with my memories'.
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Hide Ad"I'll always be the kid who sang Puppy Love. There was a time I didn't like that. But I love it now."
Listen to our extended interview online where he talks about Osmond-mania, what it was really like being the world's biggest pop star at the age of 14, the price he paid, how Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat revived his career and how, after 38-years or marriage,with five kids and eight grand children he is now loving life and his career more than ever.
BUY THE ALBUM;
You can download Donny Osmond's The Soundrtrack Of My Life by clicking the links here to itunes and www.amazon.co.ukDONNY OSMOND 2017 UK TOUR DATES
JANUARY 2017
Sat 21 Manchester Arena
Sun 22 Glasgow Hydro Arena
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Hide AdTue 24 Brighton Centre
Wed 25 Bournemouth International Centre
Thu 26 Cardiff Motorpoint Arena
Sat 28 Nottingham Capital FM Arena
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Hide AdSun 29 Liverpool Echo Arena
Tue 31 London Hammersmith Eventim Apollo
FEBRUARY 2017
Wed 1 London Hammersmith Eventim Apollo
Fri 3 Birmingham Genting Arena
* Tickets for the forthcoming UK tour are from £40 to £75, available from www.donny.com and myticket.co.uk