By 1973, the Osmond family was already one of the biggest acts in American entertainment. The Osmond brothers had scored numerous pop hits, Donny Osmond had become a teenage heartthrob, and the family had built an enormous following through television appearances and live performances.
But 14-year-old Marie Osmond was about to accomplish something none of her famous brothers had done as solo performers: reach No. 1 on the country chart, with a song she recorded when she was just 13 years old.
On Nov. 10, 1973, Marie’s debut single, “Paper Roses,” began a two-week run atop Billboard’s country chart. The achievement was particularly remarkable because the song was not only her first country hit, but her very first single as a solo artist.
And according to Tom Roland’s “Billboard Book of Number One Country Hits,” her journey to the top began with a calculated decision to take her career in a different musical direction from her brothers.
Why Marie Osmond Went Country Instead of Pop
By the early 1970s, the Osmonds had become a major force in pop music. Their success included appearances on The Andy Williams Show, hit records and a dedicated following of teenage fans. Donny had also established himself as a solo star, while even the family’s youngest performer, Jimmy Osmond, had released records.
MGM executive Mike Curb saw an opportunity to introduce another member of the family to the music business, but he recognized that selling another Osmond as a pop performer could be difficult. According to Roland, Curb approached the Osmonds’ mother Olive Osmond about whether Marie could sing. Olive confirmed that she could, but explained that her daughter gravitated toward country music.
That distinction turned out to be crucial.
Rather than trying to replicate the pop success of her brothers, Marie would establish herself in a genre where the Osmond name was less familiar. Curb enlisted country singer and producer Sonny James, whose sensitivity to lyrics and experience in country music made him an appealing choice for the project.
James wanted to hear Marie sing before agreeing to produce her. He received a two-song demo that included her rendition of Dolly Parton’s “Coat of Many Colors.”
“When I heard it, her voice didn’t sound that different,” James recalled in Roland’s book. “She sounded good. She was a child, you could tell, but I’d hear, every once in a while, this cutting sound.”
James ultimately agreed to work with her, and MGM brought Marie to Nashville to record her debut album at Jack Clement’s studio.
How ‘Paper Roses’ Became Marie Osmond’s First No. 1 Hit
“Paper Roses” was not a new song when Marie recorded it.
Written by Fred Spielman and Janice Torre, the song had previously been a major pop hit for Anita Bryant, whose 1960 recording reached No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100. James selected the song as Marie’s debut single, believing it would be a strong introduction to country radio.
According to Roland, Marie recorded the album tracks live with the musicians, with strings added afterward. The decision to release “Paper Roses” paid off almost immediately.
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The single arrived in August 1973 and climbed the country chart during the fall. On Nov. 10, it reached No. 1, where it remained for two weeks. Marie had celebrated her 14th birthday on Oct. 13, meaning she had been 14 for less than a month when her first single reached the top.
The song also became a crossover success, reaching No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100, matching the pop-chart peak of Bryant’s original recording. It also reached No. 1 on the adult contemporary chart and climbed to No. 2 in the United Kingdom.
The success established Marie as a recording star independent of her brothers, and her debut album Paper Roses helped launch a country music career that would continue for decades.
Marie Osmond’s Career After ‘Paper Roses’
Marie followed “Paper Roses” with another song previously recorded by Bryant, “In My Little Corner of the World,” although it did not match the success of her debut. She continued recording throughout the 1970s, but her career soon expanded beyond music.
In 1976, Marie and Donny became the stars of their own ABC variety series Donny & Marie turning the siblings into one of television’s most recognizable entertainment duos.
According to “The Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll,” the show was a major family undertaking, with various Osmond brothers involved in producing, directing and overseeing the program.
Marie later returned to the country charts with additional hits, including “Meet Me in Montana,” her 1985 duet with Dan Seals, and “You’re Still New to Me,” her 1986 duet with Paul Davis. Both reached No. 1.
But “Paper Roses” remains the song that first established Marie as a country star.
What began as a plan to give a teenage member of an already famous family her own musical identity became a remarkable achievement: a No. 1 country hit on her very first try, just weeks after her 14th birthday.
Related: At 15, a ’60s Music Icon Went to the Top 10 With an Isley Brothers Hit; 64 Years Later, She’s Turning 78
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