Jeffrey Osborne

Jeffrey Linton Osborne born March 9 1948 is an American singersongwriter musician and lyricist He began his professional singing career in 1969 with a popular funk and soul group called Love Men Ltd The band moved to Los Angeles in 1970 and changed its name to LTD Osborne was originally brought on as the drummer and eventually became the lead vocalist After more than ten years with the band he decided to pursue a solo career which produced such Top 40 hits as Dont You Get So Mad Stay With Me Tonight and Love Power which he performed with Dionne Warwick Born in Providence RI Jeffrey Osborne was the youngest of 12 children and was constantly bombarded with music as he was growing up He had five brothers and six sisters some of whom went on to have music careers His father Clarence Legs Osborne was a popular trumpeter who played with Lionel Hampton Count Basie and Duke Ellington and died when Jeffrey was only 13 His mother Wanita is ancestored by a Pequot Indian sachem His oldest brother Clay Osborne is a singer and pianist and Billy another brother is a songwriter and producer in Los Angeles But Osbornes father had the greatest influence on his musical career Clarence Legs Osborne turned down many top band offers during his career to be with his family It was only after receiving his mothers encouragement that Jeffrey left for Los Angeles to play with LTD At the age of 15 he sat in with the OJays when the drummer was too tired to play and went on to play with them for two weeks It was at a Providence nightclub that fate brought him together with the band Love Men Ltd in 1969 Osbornes solo career has brought him five gold and platinum albums including Stay With Me Tonight Aymuk and Only Human He also recorded an album of duets with popular singer James Ingram and scored an international hit with On the Wings of Love in 1982 Osbornes touring and recording continue to keep him busy much of the time but he also devotes some of his time to charity work