The Osmonds star Alan Osmond dies

Alan Osmond, the oldest member of the family band The Osmonds, has died at the age of 76.

Alan, the eldest of the performing Osmond brothers, passed away on Monday after a four-decade battle with multiple sclerosis (MS).

In a statement to local Salt Lake City outlet KSL-TV, the family said that his wife, Suzanne, and their eight sons were at his bedside at the time of his death.

"His positive outlook was an inspiration to many, and he donated much of his time speaking at MS events, encouraging individuals like himself on how to mentally and physically deal with the advancement and treatment of the disease," the family added.

Alan, the third child of George and Olive Osmond, rose to fame on The Andy Williams Show, performing in a barbershop quartet with his brothers Wayne, Merrill and Jay when he was only 12.

Once their younger brothers Donny and Jimmy joined the line-up, the band became a huge pop sensation in the 1970s, releasing hits such as One Bad Apple, Crazy Horses and Love Me for a Reason and selling over 77 million records worldwide.

Alan was the band's creative leader and co-wrote many of their songs with Merrill. He also played piano and guitar and sang backing vocals.

While Donny left to pursue a solo career and sing with his sister Marie, the quartet continued performing until 2007, at which point Alan retired due to his health issues. However, he performed with his siblings at a show in Hawaii in 2018.

Outside of music, Alan and Merrill also founded the Stadium of Fire, a major Fourth of July celebration, in Provo, Utah.

The musician was diagnosed with MS, an autoimmune disease where the immune system causes damage to the central nervous system, in 1987.

He is survived by his wife, their eight sons, 30 grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.