Donny Osmond's first challenge was not just to stand out in a crowd, but in his own family. Born Dec. 9, 1957 in Ogden, Utah, he was the seventh of nine children, most of whom were musically talented.

By the time he was 5, Donny was part of a barbershop singing group that also included brothers Alan, Jay, Merrill and Wayne. That group, known collectively as "The Osmonds," grabbed the attention of Andy Williams when they performed at Disneyland. Donny, as the youngest, charmed the audience with his solo of "You Are My Sunshine."

Williams invited the Osmonds to perform on his show, and the upward curve to celebrity started there. By the 1970s, Donny had branched off into a solo career as a squeaky-clean teen idol. His first recording, "Sweet & Innocent" hit No. 7 on the Billboard charts, a cover of  "Go Away Little Girl" reached No. 1, and Donny became a fixture in teen magazines like "Tiger Beat."

His success even allowed him to avoid the two-year evangelical mission required of all Mormon youth. It was decided by the elders of his church that he could do more to promote the faith by making records than knocking on doors.

When the 1980s arrived, however, Osmond realized that he had become a parody of himself. He became friends with Peter Gabriel of Genesis, and Gabriel helped him to reinvent his image. In 1989, Osmond recorded "Soldier of Love," a song that was hyped on several Southern California radio stations as having been the product of an "unknown artist." That song also went to No. 1, and Osmond stunned the pop music world when he revealed his identity.

"The young ones have never ever heard of him," mused the program director of an LA station, "so there is no image problem."

Obviously, those "young ones" never watched the variety show hosted by Donny and sister Marie from 1976-79. The show thrived, largely on the chemistry between the siblings.

After "Soldier of Love," the energetic Donny continued to seek out new challenges, from driving race cars to appearances on Broadway to hosting game shows (most notably "Pyramid," in both the U.S. and UK).

He brought his talents to a Broadway production of "Beauty and the Beast" and won over reviewers with his performance as Gaston. Earlier, he had starred in "Joseph & the Technicolor Dream Coat."

Over time, Osmond's clean image came full circle and turned into an asset, although he usually declines to perform his early music when he and Marie do concerts together in Las Vegas. Certainly, he has managed to stay out of the supermarket tabloids - his marriage to the former Debbie Glenn is 31 years old and has produced five sons.

During his career, Donny Osmond has sold over 80 million records and CDs. His most recent project is an appearance on "Dancing with the Stars," something sister Marie has already done.