How did the concept for the radio show come about? Was this something you had wanted to do for a while?
Mike McVay approached me about a year and a half ago. He said, “I was there to help launch Delilah and John Tesh and you’re the next one.” I was honored and told him coincidently I’ve always thought about doing a radio show, but I wanted to do it right, with the right people. So I Googled Mike and found out he knows what he’s doing.  Radio has been a very big part of my career since the “One Bad Apple” days. It was a natural fit and I’m able to do it on top of everything else I’m doing right now, which makes it nice.  

What did you find was the most challenging aspect about doing the radio show?
The presentation and finding my voice. I’m still working on it to be honest with you. I’m almost there, but television presenting and radio presenting, especially the AC/Classic Hits format, are two different animals. With TV, it’s all about the visual and you’ve got to bring your voice up to the same standard. It becomes a little bit game show-ish. It’s a totally different voice and it takes a while to find it. With radio, you’re talking to one person and you become their companion for five hours. Even though we are in different dayparts, the show’s been designed to get you through the work day. So I’m trying to lighten up their day and get them through the work day. If you’re overselling, they’ll turn you off, because they want a companion and you’ve got to treat it as such. So when I do the show and record the breaks, I’m talking to one person. That’s been the biggest challenge for me.

Do you pattern your style after anyone?
No, not really. I’m finding my own niche. I’ve been around radio for so long. I’ve been really listening to a lot of PD’s from around the country and gain their advice. You know, you talk to ten different people and you get ten different opinions. At the end of the day you have to do it the way you want to. I think a lot of people miss the mark by thinking they’ve been in the business a long time. I know what I’m doing. I learned that lesson in ’81 when I went to Broadway for the first time. I thought I was going to blow Broadway away. I had been a successful radio and TV artist, but that show opened and closed the same night. That was a very good lesson for me. You have to do your homework. You can’t just jump into a genre and say you know what you’re doing. We’ve been on the air since mid-January, and so far people are enjoying what they’re hearing.

So PD's can choose the various pieces to put the show together as they desire, making the show truly customized to be local sounding?
That’s what is appealing about it. Where not dictating to the PD’s what the show should be. We give them five hours of programming and you put the music in that you want. Just the other day I finished five-thousand ins and outs for songs that they can pull from. It’s not like I’m programming their station. It’s cleverly written. It can be used in any daypart. It can be used before or after any song. It’s interesting anecdotes and stories…it’s entertaining.

You’re recognized world-wide and have a tremendous global fan base. How have the fans reacted to the radio show?
Really well, actually. I’m coming up with ideas that I’m talking with Mike (McVay) about to possibly incorporate some contests to fly winners out to Vegas to see the show. So far everyone has really liked it and I’m garnering new fans, but primarily it is what I refer to as the “Puppy Lover” generation. They’re the ones who grew up with me in the 70s and that’s the kind of music that I’m playing by and large, so they remember “Puppy Love” and “One Bad Apple.” I would probably say 75-80% of my audience knew me from the 70s.  

How many markets are currently airing the show?
We’re on in about seventy markets in North America currently.

What makes your show special for the listeners?
That’s a loaded question…I’m great (laughs), no honestly it’s the relatability factor. I was talking with my son about this. He’s heavily involved in marketing and distribution of this program. So I said, “Who’s Donny Osmond?” If you can throw a dart and say that’s Donny Osmond, who am I? He said, “You’re not an extremist, but you’re not an average person. You’re right in the middle, which makes you extremely marketable.” I become the access for the normal person into the world of show business. I will be talking with Ozzy Osbourne one day, mowing my lawn the next or going to Scout meetings. I live a very interesting juxtaposition kind of a life. I’m a celebrity, yet I go the grocery store. I go to school with my boys and help out with the teacher. And the teacher likes it because she’s a “Puppy Lover,” too. It all comes back to relatability. I can relate to the average person, yet I’m in the world of celebrity-dom.

Any thoughts on doing interview segments for the show?
We’ve talked about doing that, and it’s a work in progress. I’m not sure when we would implement it, but it’s certainly on the schedule. I mingle with my peers and it’s the perfect opportunity for me to talk to these people who are very popular on AC radio like Lionel Richie or Elton John. We know each other and it just makes sense eventually to get the interview segments involved into the program.

From a performing standpoint, what’s the difference for you being on the radio as opposed to performing on stage?
On stage you have to turn it on and your and entertainer. On the radio, I’m a personality. I’m their friend. Not to say that I’m not their friend on the stage, but the stage tends to elevate you. You are a star on stage. When I first saw Elvis in Vegas ‘74 or maybe ‘73, there was The King on stage. He had the audience in the palm of his hand and he could do no wrong. The next day, we were playing at the same hotel and I’m basically in his dressing room getting ready for our show, and in walks Elvis and he wasn’t Elvis the King of Rock N’ Roll, he was a friend. It solidified in my mind that the stage can do different things to your persona. You’re the King on stage, but on the radio I’m your friend.

You also have a new album coming out with Marie. Tell us about that.
This is the first album Marie and I have done in about thirty years. As it turned out, and I know it’s a bit cliché, it turned out to be a little bit Country and little bit Rock N’ Roll. Richie Sambora played on one of my solo songs and Gavin DeGraw produced it. Buddy Cannon produced the entire album. His forte is in Country, but he also stretched his wings with Gavin and produced some really cool Rock stuff as well. It’s very eclectic. Marie and I are really proud of it, so we’ll see what happens. I think it’s a fantastic album. It’s probably the best one Marie and I have ever done.

With regard to what you’re listening to these days, what would we find in your iPod?
It’s all over the place. I really like the new Muse CD a lot. I think what Lady Gaga is doing is really good and Gwen Stefani’s stuff is good. I love Taylor Swift. She’s so talented. I also go back to Stevie Wonder, Three Dog Night, Parliament, Tower Of Power…it’s really all over the place. I don’t have a lot of Bluegrass or Polka on my iPod.

You and Marie are currently appearing in Vegas, how long will the show run?
We thought it was just six months, but there’s been conversation about eight years. As long as Marie and I want to keep doing it. It’s a great springboard to other things. It’s a lot of work doing five shows a week. Plus, what we do isn’t just singing behind a microphone. It’s a full production variety show.

Did Dancing With Stars open up any new avenues for you?
It was huge. I knew that going into it. I knew how tough it was going to be, but it was a little harder than I thought. I knew if I could get on there and make a good impact, at least third because that’s what Marie was. I couldn’t go below Marie or she would rub it in my face for the rest of my life. It was a good career move and turned out to be huge.

When people think of The Donny Osmond Radio Show, what do you ultimately want them to think of?
It’s not oil and water. It’s a genre or a medium that I’ve been involved with since 1970. When they hear about The Donny Osmond Show it will bill entertaining, fun, informative and personable. I become their best friend. 

After forty-seven years in the entertainment industry you’ve pretty much done it all. So what’s left for Donny Osmond to conquer?
Retirement! (laughs) No, really I can never see myself not doing something. I’m not that kinda guy. I’m concentrating on the radio show. Just like Dancing With The Stars, you can’t set yourself up for failure. You really want to envision yourself winning and holding that trophy. The same thing applies to this radio show. I’m going to do everything I can to see this through and make it successful. Even if it means retooling the way I present myself, doing more research and listening to focus groups, that’s what I’ll do. The bottom line is for me to go out there and be myself. That’s my main focus.