Today we turn our spotlight on an artist that has proven over the years that she is more than just "a little bit country". An artist who in 1973 became the youngest artist to ever hit #1 on any music chart, an honor she still holds today. She is an artist who has been successful as a recording artist, television star, on Broadway, a talk show host, as an author and as a champion for those who suffer postpartum depression.

Broadcast Television Journalists Association's Third Annual Critics' Choice Television Awards - Arrivals
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Olive Marie Osmond is the only daughter of nine Osmond children, with 6 of her brothers performing at one time or another as members of The Osmonds. The two exceptions are her two oldest brothers, Virl and Tom, who are both deaf. She made her professional debut at age four, performing with brothers Alan, Wayne, Merrill, Jay and Donny on the Andy Williams Show, though she rarely performed with her brothers during her career.

One exception to that rule was during the 1970's, when Marie co-starred with brother Donnie on a weekly variety show. The show, which was on ABC, ran from 1976 to 1979. But by the show hit the airwaves, Marie had already made history, at age 13, becoming the youngest performer ever to have a #1 single, when she hit the top of the country and adult contemporary charts in 1973 with "Paper Roses". Concurrently, her debut album of the same name also hit #1 on the album chart, making her the youngest artist to have a #1 album. These are marks that still stand to this date.

Premiere Of Universal Pictures' "Jason Bourne" In Las Vegas
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During the run of the TV show, Marie would have two number one singles, duets with brother Donnie, "I'm Leaving It Up To You" and "Morning Side of the Mountain." After the show wrapped up, Marie returned to her solo career, but it seemed as if the public became disenchanted by her songs without her brother. Four straight singles from 1982 to 1985 failed, but later that year, she was asked to guest on Dan Seals' single "Meet Me In Montana" which hit #1. Two more chart toppers followed for Osmond, "There's No Stopping Your Heart" later in 1985 and 1986's "You're Still New To Me", a duet with Paul Davis.

Family Grin
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Marie continued to record through out the eighties and nineties, but her singles fell short of her earlier releases. In 1992 she headed to Broadway to perform in the long-running The King and I, returning to television in 1995 for the short lived sitcom Maybe This Time, where she starred with brother Donny. In 1998, Marie and Donny returned for a daily talk-show. Marie also appeared in several movies, including two family bio-pics, one in which she portrayed her mother Olive, and the second, produced by younger brother Jimmy, which focused on the family's internal strife, leading to their downfall. Marie played herself in the second film.

"Donny And Marie: Christmas In Chicago" Opening Night
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In the interim, Marie has written several books, including Behind The Smile: My Journey Out in 2001, in which Marie documents her struggles with postpartum depression. She followed it up in 2009 with Might As Well Laugh About It Now, which talked about her missteps in life. In 2013, Osmond released her third book, The Key Is Love: A Mother's Wisdom. She re-teamed with Marcia Wilkie for this book; she had also worked with Wilkie on her 2009 release.

Marie and Donny are again performing together, as the Donny & Marie Show became a show in residency at the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas in 2014; they are currently scheduled to run through November at the Flamingo. Marie has also found time to head into the studio releasing her first album in six years back in April. We have the second single from the album, titled Music Is Medicine, in our spotlight today. Marie Osmond and "Baby You're Crazy" is today's Catch of the Day, new music you haven't heard, but you'll want to hear it again.

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