Osmonds - 1972 Ohio State Fair

It was SO hot that day, my little sister and I grabbed a chair and ran for the front row and didn't sit down once. We had seen the Osmonds at the Akron Rubber Bowl not two months before in our hometown. We saw the guys playing at the baseball diamond after their sound-check and we watched for awhile. I yelled that my sister was in love with Donny and my sister yelled that I was in love with Merrill, they ALL turned to look at us and I about died LOL! At this performance, we could tell how hot they all were in those long sleeved costumes and their hair all wet with sweat. It was a miracle that none of them passed out from the heat. I'll never forget that summer, ever. My sister passed in 1979 in an accident so I carry her memories for her, here.

Jay doesn't get the kudos he deserves for being the fantastic drummer he is. He's damn amazing.

Have to give The Osmonds their due respect! They sang and played their hearts out for their audience non-stop for a solid hour! And they did it great! God bless them!

Oh my gosh, I can't believe I found this! I was there! My neighbor knew I loved the Osmonds. I babysat their kids. They said if I would come to the fair and ride the rides with the kids, I could go see the Osmonds while there. What a sweet deal!

How come I can remember every word and what comes next in this performance when I can't remember what I did yesterday???!!! The Osmonds had such energy! So slick and tight!

This footage is gold!

Oh good lord! the kids running with chairs! 😂😂😂😂 But the Osmonds had such great voices and were amazing dancers AND could play music- So much talent.

Merrill's voice was (and still is) magnificent with power, control, and that incredible rock edge!

Someone suggested they should be in the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame! 😁😁😁

I saw the Osmonds at this fair. It was a very hot and humid August day. I don't know how they kept going in those long sleeved suits - but they did! The Ohio State Fair had some amazing acts back in the 70's. The Jackson 5 played the same summer as the Osmonds and I saw them too. Other summers I saw Bobby Sherman, KC and the Sunshine Band, Helen Reddy with Mac Davis, the Beach Boys. and Ike and Tina Turner. It started pouring rain during the Beach Boys and no one left their seats. Dennis looked out and said "you guys are amazing!" People were on their chairs dancing the entire time! I had a friend whose father had some connections to the fair and the day we went, Ike and Tina Turner were playing. We were in the front row and Tina and the Ikettes put on the most energetic show I've ever seen. Such great memories of the fair as a kid, and all of the concerts were free!

The good old days no cell phones and back when a chair was a real chair!😜

This might be the most unique crowd entrance to a concert I've ever seen *B.Y.O.C. 😁

Awe the memories! My mom worked at the fair that year so her and I sat close to the stage for this concert!! I touched Donny’s hand and was literally in shock! The emotions of tens of thousands of fans is an event I will never forget.

Gosh memories. I was 11 when I got to see the Osmonds at this show. I was so thrilled.😊❤

This concert immediately followed their multi-day stint at The Garden State Arts Center in Holmdel, NJ. Still have the unforgettable memories of staying at the same motel as them and The Heywoods (before they became Bo Donaldson and the Heywoods) and getting to mingle with all of them (including Mr. and Mrs. O) for those 3 days. Were with the Brothers at Newark Int'l Airport when they left for Ohio, and this State Fair performance, that Sunday morning. Truly some of the best memories from those long-ago days. Ah, to be 15 again, if just for a day. .

I was 9 at the time of this fair. I remember hearing Donny singing Go Away Little Girl on the radio and truly believing he was singing that song just to me.

Great quality video!...Thanks for sharing this!...What a great time to be alive!

i was only 4 when this was filmed and i'm out in cali. so obviously i wasn't there. but everytime i watch old footage like this i can't help but wonder what ever became of all these people in the crowd, how many are still alive, what sort of life they had, etc. i also never get over how thin everybody was back then overweight people really stood out unlike today where it's the norm it seems.

Wow, they got down on the guitars, drums and keyboard. Great voices too. 👏🏼👏🏼

I am SO glad someone had the idea to film the whole thing. Back then there was no way most of us could get that close. Dang, they looked GOOD!