Have a Blessed Thanksgiving Day

By: Nathan G. Osmond

The month of November rolls around each year
And we go through the same old traditions
We stuff the turkey and we stuff our faces
There’s always leftovers in the kitchen

But more often than not we seem to forget
The reason we celebrate this day
So before we check out all of tomorrows BIG sales
Let us pause for a moment and give thanks

Give thanks to your parents who have given so much
Give thanks for your grandparents too
And how ‘bout your uncles and aunts, nephews, nieces
Think of all of the people who love you

Give thanks for your health and your clothes and your house
Give thanks for the food in your cupboards
When you’re done with that second or third plate that you’re eating
Be glad you’re not starving like so many others

Give thanks for those who put their lives on the line
So that you and I can be free
Let us never forget the ultimate sacrifices
That have been given to you and to me

Give thanks for your teachers; give thanks for your friends
Give thanks for your enemies too
Give thanks for the trials and the lessons you’ve learned
That have molded and shaped the one we call “you”

But most of all let us never forget
The greatest gift ever given
When a child was born in Bethlehem
Swaddling clothes wrapped that gift sent from Heaven

It’s because of Him glad tidings of great joy
Can be uttered in every tongue
As He paid for our sins in Gethsemane
And said, “not my will, but thine be done.”

And because of His great sacrifice
We know that death is not the end
Oh grave where is thy victory? Oh death where is thy sting?
When Jesus is our friend?

We have so much to be grateful for
And yet how often we forget
To recognize the source of all blessings
Are we poor bookkeepers? You bet!

So before we pig out, let us all remember
To bow our heads and pray
The quickest way to get rich is to count all your blessings
Have a blessed Thanksgiving Day!

Feature Photo: Nathan Osmond

Nathan Osmond, the son of Alan Osmond of the 1970s band The Osmond Brothers, has been touring Wal-Marts to acknowledge the company’s staff and customers’ support of the Children’s Miracle Network. Wal-Mart sells red and yellow paper balloons to raise money for the network, which in Montana raises money for Shodair’s Children’s Hospital in Helena. According to organizers, Shodair provided about $4 million in care last year to patients who otherwise couldn’t have afforded it.

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Country singer Nathan Osmond performs at Bozeman Wal-Mart

Wal-Mart shoppers in Bozeman were treated to a surprise Wednesday as country musician Nathan Osmond performed in the store.

Osmond, the son of entertainer Alan Osmond (and nephew of famed 70s duo Donny & Marie Osmond), has been touring the state the last few days, stopping in Great Falls, Helena, and Butte before making his way to Bozeman.

He's thanking Wal-Mart for its support of the Children's Miracle Network.

“My grandma Osmond is the one that had the dream, the vision back 27 years ago around our kitchen table, 'Let's do something that helps all these kids'. And Joe Lake was there, and Shannon, and they put something together. Thanks to these guys, since 1987 Wal-Mart has been a sponsor of Children's Miracle Network,” Osmond said.

Osmond's next stop is in Billings before he returns home on Thursday.

Source

"MEET ME IN MONTANA" - Nathan Osmond Style...

Nathan Osmond flew to Great Falls, Montana last Tuesday November 10, 2009 to thank all the Walmart's/Sam's Club's associates for all their years of support of Children's Miracle Network. Nathan's grandmother, Olive Osmond was the one who started the foundation back 27 years ago around her kitchen table.

Walmart’s partnership with Children's Miracle Network began in 1987 with a three-way handshake between “Mr. Sam” (Walton) from Walmart, the Children's Miracle Network CEO, and Nathan's Aunt Marie Osmond. Since that time they have raised more than $480 million!

Nathan thanked them for giving back to the children in their community and for understanding that their children need and deserve the best health care possible.

More than 17 million children with every imaginable illness and injury are treated each year at Children's Miracle Network hospitals, no matter their family’s ability to pay, gender, race, etc.

Nathan started the tour by singing at the Great Fall's Walmart where he did television and radio interviews. He sang for all the employees and met one of Montana's Miracle Kids, who was treated in Shodair Children’s Hospital, Zachary Bell, Age 11. Zach was hospitalized in Shodair’s acute psychiatric care unit where he was diagnosed with three psychiatric conditions: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and major depression. Zach took a liking to Nathan and wanted to show him all around the store. His grandma, Anna works at there.

Nathan then drove to Butte, Montana where he entertained more Walmart employees at the Butte, MT Walmart. His posters were all over the store and he stayed to sign autographs. Nathan slept in Helena, MT that night.

The next morning, Nathan was privileged to meet the kids at Shodair Children's Hospitals. He visited with the teenage patients in the cafeteria during their breakfast time and even sang them his NEW single, "SWEET." He was a big hit. He left to go sing for the employee's morning meeting at Helena's Walmart superstore and even led the gang in the official Walmart cheer.

Nathan did more radio interviews and headed back to the hospital to meet some of the younger kids. He sang, danced and even did a Sponge Bob Squarepants impersonation for the kids. Nathan was swarmed with a giant group hug which almost brought him to tears. It was hard to leave, but a large crowd awaited him at the Bozeman Walmart Superstore. Nathan sang for the gang and even did a TV interview in the store. He even ran into an old classmate of his there.

After signing autographs, Nathan headed to yet one more Walmart in Billings, MT. This was the biggest turn-out of them all. Nathan presented an award to Robyn Thompson, a cashier who single handedly sold more fundraising balloons than 1,000 stores combined. Nathan had dinner with the manager and several of the staff that night.

Nathan's visit to Montana was a HUGE success and the people of Walmart appreciated his kind words. Nathan fell in love with the state that his aunt Marie and Dan Seal's sang about ("Meet Me In Montana"), especially the kids at Shodair Children's Hospital. Walmart is anticipating some BIG things out of Nathan and are even looking into the possibility of getting his album in their stores. More to come from Country's newest face, Nathan Osmond!!!

Nathan Visits Vanderbilt Children's Hospital

Nathan Osmond Hits Music City USA

Music City USA was officially introduced to Country Music's newest face, Nathan Osmond. Nathan spent three days meeting with record labels, televisions studios and even Vanderbilt's Children's Hospital. Here's how it went down:

(DAY 1)

Nathan and manager, Tom Roach started day one off by meeting with Ann Wilson Music Group (AWMG) where they met with Ann Wilson and Margie Hunt regarding Nathan's career. They received some great tips as to what is currently going on on Music Row and how to best present Nathan's music to the labels. It was a very informative meeting and may even lead to a writing/publishing deal for Nathan.

Next, they visited Gillie Crowder at Live Nation who was the one who personally walked Nathan's album into Show Dog Records (Toby Keith's Label). Nathan thanked her for all her support and made a new friend with the "English Queen of Country Music."

Sony Records was the next meeting for Nathan where he met with Jessica Dock who listened to about four of Nathan's tracks. She really liked his sound and is now sharing it with the rest of her people at the label. It was a great meeting.

Nathan and management then met with Larry Pareigis, president and CEO of Nine North Records at the Edgewood Cafe. Larry was a BIG guy who was wearing a Steeler's jersey. He loves Nathan's song "SWEET", especially the lyric, "Legs as long as a night in jail..." He said his wife can't stop listening to Nathan's album. Nathan's friend's, Due West are on Larry's label.

The final meeting that day was with Cris Lacy at Warner Brother's Records. Cris also listened to several of Nathan's tracks and told Nathan that she loved the songs he picked for his album. She is enjoying a much needed trip in Mexico right now, but promises to follow-up with Nathan's management team as soon as she returns.

(DAY 2)

Nathan started day two off on the Tennessee Mornings Show with the one and only Charlie Chase and Kelly Sutton. They loved Nathan and were impressed with how "techy" he was on the internet. Nathan sang his single, "SWEET" on the show. Half-way through the first verse, the music cut out. Nathan kept on singing a capella till the music started over. He handled it like a pro and sang the song over. The interview went great and Nathan was invited to come back on the show anytime.

Then it was off to meet with Curb Records. Nathan and his brothers were on Curb Records as the Osmond Boys/Second Generation. Nathan met with John Ozier (A&R Director for Curb). John said that he was surprised at how Country Nathan sounded. He listened to about 4 of Nathan's songs. He said that Country music has become so POP sounding that he said they are looking for someone that can help pull Country back a little bit more mainstream. Beck Judd of Curb Records then treated Nathan and Tom to lunch. She hooked them up with tons of CDs on the way out the door. Nathan felt very good about the meeting.

Nathan and his manager Tom then headed back to Music Row to meet with Allison at Big Machine Records (Taylor Swift's label). Allison was very hip and knew a lot of Nathan's friends in town. She listened to "SWEET" and recognized a lot of the writers on Nathan's album. She was very impressed with the songs Nathan selected for his project and complimented him by saying that he was a very good A&R person. She says that's rare to find in an artist. She is sharing Nathan's press kit and CD with Scott Borchetta who helped to get Taylor Swift launched.

Nathan then drove to Show Dog Records offices (Toby Keith's label) to meet with George Nunes. George told Nathan that he will get a deal based on what he listened to on Nathan's album. He said at their label, only Toby decides if you're signed. They had listened to Nathan's album several times and finally took the CD to Toby's home to give it to him. They told him that they really like Nathan's album. They even complimented Nathan's apparel saying it was totally something Toby would be wearing. They were very excited to finally meet Nathan in person.

Nathan's Facebook friend, Will Tennyson emailed Nathan the night before when he heard he was in town and wanted to meet with him. Will just happens to work with CMA. He gave Nathan a application to be part of CMA and also a very cool hat. He offered to help Nathan in any way that he can and has been very proactive in opening up new doors for Nathan.

Nathan and Tom had dinner that night at Pei Wei with his producer, Dean Sams (Lonestar). Dean and Nathan eat their anytime Nathan is in town. After hearing about who Nathan had met with, Dean said, "You've gotten more done in two days than most artists get done in a Summer!" They then sat in Dean's Escalade and listened to some of Lonestar's NEW tunes that aren't even released yet. It was a great reunion and Dean is very excited to help Nathan's career any way he can.

Nathan got a call from a song writer friend (Jason Deere) who invited them to come to the Wild Horse Saloon to hang with Nathan's friends, Due West. The show was awesome and Nathan got to even hang out with Restless Heart backstage.

(DAY 3)

Day three started at Monre Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt. Nathan met with the staff and took pictures. He then sang to the kids and got them dancing and clapping to the music. He signed pictures for the kids and said good-bye. They want Nathan to come back soon for some more events they are planning.

Nathan took Tom out to the Cheesecake Factory, one of Nathan's favorite restaurants. They discussed the best ways to follow-up with these labels to help keep the momentum going.

Margie Hunt was able to lock in a meeting with the folks over at GAC where about 9 executives sat down around the board room table. They each got a copy of Nathan's album and asked him lots of questions. Upon leaving, John, (one of the main people in the meeting) leaned over to Tom and said, "I've got some good ideas. I'll get back to you soon." It was a GREAT meeting. They even offered to show us around the studio.

Nathan and Tom rushed over to meet with Lyric Street Records/Carolwood Records (Rascal Flatts' label) to meet with Kirk Boyer. Kirk gave Nathan some good feedback on his album. It was a very informative meeting and Nathan created yet another friend in Nashville.

Tom rushed Nathan to the airport to catch his flight back to Utah. It was a BIG trip, but Nathan Osmond definitely created some major waves. They now know who he is up on Music Row and they know that they haven't seen the end of him. Nathan has plans to be back in Nashville on a regular basis as it is becoming like a second home.

Be sure to stay tuned for further updates on Nathan's Nashville Experience. Get your autographed CD at Nathan's official website TODAY http://www.NathanOsmond.com or Download it there as well.

A conversation with Second Generation Osmond, singer Nathan Osmond as he gets a little bit country

When you think of famous musical families who've made a lasting impact on American pop culture, the Osmond brood is no doubt bound to be hovering near the top of that list, alongside the likes of The Jacksons. With the release of his first solo project, Feels Like Heaven, Nathan Osmond, who's dad is Alan, one of the founding members of The Osmonds, is keeping the family tradition going strong. I recently had a chance to sit down and talk with Nathan about his famous roots, his strong family ties and his new solo career.

Fans of a certain age can no doubt name each of The Osmond brothers--Alan, Wayne, Merrill, Jay and Donny, who made up the popular singing group. Donny of course later joined sister Marie for a hugely successful variety series, which also featured the youngest sibling, Jimmy. A second generation of fans can also name each of Alan's sons who formed The Osmonds Second Generation or 2ndG as they are also known. While the original Osmonds got their big break by appearing on an Andy WIlliams special, The Osmond Boys, as Nathan and his brothers Michael, Douglas and David were originally known, had a similar start, having been discovered by the late Bob Hope and appearing on his annual Christmas special on NBC back in 1986. It wasn't long before Nathan and his brothers evolved into The Osmonds: 2nd Generation, got a record deal with Curb in the US and Song in Europe. They snagged three Top 40 hits and traveled extensively in the US, UK and Asia.

On growing up in and around the spotlight, Nathan remembered, "Having grown-up in a musical family, I didn't know anything different. I thought it was normal to have a television studio and dad on TV. The older I get, the more I appreciate all of the amazing experiences I had as a child. I had a very unique childhood!"

With his father, aunt and uncles having lived through it, I wondered what advice they had given Nathan over the years that he has kept with him. "I've received a lot of GREAT advice from my father and uncles and of course, aunt Marie. My father told me how to work hard. They were known as The One-Take Osmonds because they would come into the studios and nail it on the first take. That didn't come without a lot of unseen hours of sweat! I'm glad he didn't just hand it over to me. I was up every morning at 6 am in front of the mirrors rehearsing before school. After school I was right back at it again. I had to prove to him that I really wanted it. He also helped to keep me grounded. He let me know that if I ever started thinking I was better than anyone else, that I would be out of the business. He said, 'I may have M.S., but I've got a really fast foot.' Ha! I love him. Donny gave me some good advice, he said beware of Yes Men. You know, those people who are always just telling you what you want to hear. We are brutally honest in our family. If you're flat...fix it! We get things done a lot quicker that way there's no hard feelings. He also said that as I begin my solo career to make sure that I'm doing it for the right reasons. He said, 'Don't do it to prove it to me, Marie, your dad, or brothers or even yourself...do it because you love it!' What great advice."

When I had the chance to talk to Nathan, I told him one thing I really admired about his father Alan was how public he has been about his battle with Multiple Sclerosis, as I myself have Spina Bifida, which also affects the nervous and muscular systems. Nathan's brother David, who made it to Hollywood week on last year's American Idol, also suffers from MS. On the subject of their strength in dealing with the disease, Nathan said, "I've learned that life happens to all of us and that attitude and a faith in God can help you get through anything! My father's slogan from day 1 has been, 'I may have M.S., but M.S. does NOT have me!!!' My brother David has adopted that as his slogan as well. He said, 'I feel my father in every step that I take. I will never take another step for granted.' We are ALL going through tests. Nathan continued, "Remember this, If things are rough right now in your life...hold on, things are going to change. If things in your life are going great right now...hold on, things are going to change. In life, you are either in a crisis, coming out of a crisis or headed towards a crisis! Ha! But, isn't that why we're here? Life is a test. Suck it up and own your stuff. Always ask yourself, 'What can I learn from this situation that will ultimately make me a better person?' Sometimes that's more easily said than done. But, at the end of the day, it's your attitude that determines your altitude!"

Nathan's debut cd Feels Like Heaven, out now

No doubt encouraged by that determination to deal with the life you're given, Nathan has been instrumental in promoting the social network, uPlej (pronounced "You Pledge"). "uPlej.com is a social networking site designed to raise money for your favorite charity in your sleep. My family's history with M.S. was definitely a driving factor in getting uPlej up on its feet. I'm the world's FIRST 'uPlejer.' He went on to reveal, "One of the other driving factors was the fact that my eldest son Zachary was diagnosed with P.D.D.N.O.S. which is on the low end of the spectrum of autism. We are all hit with different things in our lives and uPlej, for me, was my way of giving back."

Giving back, like performing, is something Nathan grew up experiencing, as it was his grandmother, Olive Osmond, the matriarch of the family who was one of the founders of the Children's Miracle Network some 27 years ago. Nathan, who in addition to being a spokesperson for uPlej, also serves as VP of Charity Relations, shared a story about his grandmother, "Before she passed away, she was in a coma and my father was sitting by her side. She came out of the coma and the first words that came out of her mouth were, 'It's amazing what we can accomplish when we don't care who gets the credit.' That has always stayed with me."

When Nathan's Aunt Marie and Uncle Donny were doing their weekly variety show, they would often introduced a musical medley segment with the now-classic lyrics, I'm a little bit country, I'm a little bit rock 'n roll. With 2ndG, Nathan and his brothers had a sound that was decidedly pop rock, but his latest project, Feels Like Heaven is allowing him to follow in Aunt Marie's steps and explore his country side. When pressed to pick one genre over the other, Nathan explained, "I know that it seems to be a popular trend now days to go Country. That's NOT why I'm singing Country music. The Osmonds have done a wide-variety of genres throughout our careers, but my favorite genre by far is Country. I was first introduced to Country music when I moved to Branson, MO and did two shows everyday except Sundays at the Osmond Family Theater. I heard guys like Garth Brooks, Collin Raye, John Michael Montgomery and many others. I told my wife that I blinked and before I knew it I was married, had 3 kids, a couple mortgages, a mini van and a dog. I said, 'Hey, that's Country music!' I can sing about my life! Ha! I've had the great privilege of singing with some of Country's biggest names. I've learned that the Country artists are typically the most down-to-earth, real people I've ever met in this business. Country fans are also typically the most loyal. I hope to have a long career in Country!"

Nathan's foray into the country features tracks that he co-produced with two of Music City's heavy-hitters, songwriter Gary Baker, who penned I Swear and I'm Already There, among others, and Lonestar's Dean Sams. "I had the privilege of working with the band, Lonestar a few years back and hit it off with Dean Sams, the keyboard player and founding member of the band. He's the one that gave me my first Nashville recording experience. I've known Gary Baker since I was a kid. He played bass for my aunt Marie for years. He had me come to his studio in Florence, AL where we finished the album."

Song selection is key to the success of any project, especially an artist's debut. With that in mind, Nathan revealed he was very involved in picking the songs included on Feels Like Heaven. "I was extremely involved with the song selection on this album. For over two years I wrote, and sifted through songs from other writers. I've always believed that you only get one first impression. I simply put my pride aside and said, if there's a better song out there than the one I've written, I'll record the other song instead. At the end of the day, it's ALL about the song! One of my favorite songs on the album is called, Should've Been Lovin' You. I love this song because of having been on the road a lot, sometimes your relationship can take a hit. It's a song about a guy that was married to his job and burnt the candle at both ends. Looking back he knows now what he should've know back then. He should've been loving his girl. My wife is very supportive of my career and she puts up with a lot with me being gone. We've been married for over 7 years now and have 3 beautiful children (all boys). The song is a reminder to me that no success can compensate for failure in the home," Nathan explained.

A solo career on the rise, Nathan's got no time to rest

On the other side of the subject of love, I Believe In Love, the sole song on the CD co-written by Nathan, is a more traditional uplifting song about the power of love, and one of the strongest tracks on the project. Originally, the plan was to pitch the song to others, but as luck would have it, fate stepped in and Nathan ended up including it on his debut. Nathan recalled this circumstances surrounding the song, "I co-wrote the song, I Believe In Love with Dean Sams and Laurie Killian Starr. We originally wrote the song for Rascal Flatts, but they already had their album in the bag. Lonestar then tied up the song and were going to record it, but then Richie McDonald left to pursue a solo career. I called up Dean and in the back of my brain I was thinking, free demo. I asked Dean, 'Hey, if you guys aren't going to record the song, do you mind if I do?' Dean said, 'If you're gonna do it, why don't you just come out to my house and we'll do it right?' That's how this whole album got started. I would love to have a lot more writing credits on the next album!"

As for how he juggles family life, his religious background and a career in the music business, Nathan admitted, "One of my favorite books says, 'Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it.' It all starts in the home. My father has set a great example for me as to how to deal with the pressures of this business. I am thankful for the many great examples I've had in this business that have proven to me that you can make it without having to shift or lower your standards. Decide early on who you are and don't be ashamed of it. Be true to who you are. I hope to set a good example for the youth of today. Especially to those who are wanting to get into this, the music business." By the way, that book Nathan referenced is Proverbs: 22:6.

When asked if there are any plans for a reunion of 2ndG, Nathan revealed, "As of right now, we are all very focused on our own careers. I still perform here and there with my brothers if they're missing a brother and need me to fill in the harmonies. I am completely focused on creating a long solo career in the Country world. I have their 100% support."

With three boys of his own, I had to ask Nathan if there was any chance for music from his sons. I even offered up a perfect stage name: OG3. "You'd have to ask my wife that question. We're working on their pitch right now, but they all have great lungs," he said proudly.

As far as other family members, when questioned about Uncle Donny's chances on the upcoming season of Dancing With The Stars, in true supportive Osmond fashion, Nathan beamed, "I did the background vocals for Donny & Marie's Vegas show at the Flamingo, and so I've seen the show number of times. He's dancing his butt off every night. I've never seen a 51 year-old work so hard! I think he has a head start on the rest of the cast. I think Donny is going ALL the way with Dancing With The Stars!!! Go get 'em D!!!"

While Donny will be burning up the dance floor, Nathan is doing a bit of shuffling himself to get his solo career going. He revealed he is currently seeking a major label deal. To that end, his team isn't messing around. "I'm meeting with several record labels right now and there are several that are showing a lot of interest in the project. Show Dog Records even took my CD over to Toby Keith's house the other day and told him that they really like the album and want him to take a listen to it! How sweet is that? I have several concerts throughout the year and my calendar is filling up FAST!" As if those things weren't enough, Nathan is teaming with The Donald. "I just partnered with Donald Trump on a new business venture I'm excited about. More to come about that on my website or by checking out the Trump Network site at www.trumpnetwork.com/NathanOsmond. I just got a personal letter from Donald the other day. I heard they are fighting over my CD in his office. I had to send more copies to all his kids. His secretary just told me that she walked past his office and he has my CD on his desk," said Nathan. Beyond that, he will also continue keep himself busy with a fundraising concert at the home of Nancy Cartwright , the voice of Bart Simpson, as well as events with ties to Children Miracle Network, a Christmas concert and the IAFE convention in Las Vegas. He summed up the future with expected Osmond ease, "We'll just take it one day at a time."

Nathan hopes to have Feels Like Heaven available to retailers nationwide by the end of the year. In the meantime, to listen to sample tracks, purchase digital copies, or to check out Nathan's official site, CLICK HERE.

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