Jeffrey Osborne
Jeffrey Osborne

With pop, it's pretty much straight up and down. It has to be simple. Everybody has to be able to walk down the street and be able to sing it.

Jeffrey Osborne
Jeffrey Osborne

Family is what I've leaned on for years; it's what I cherish the most.

Jeffrey Osborne
Jeffrey Osborne

The only real satisfaction is live performances. That's when you can actually get some feedback from what you're doing. You get that artist-to-audience chemistry. I love it!

Jeffrey Osborne
Jeffrey Osborne

In all the time I was with L.T.D., I was never allowed to do an interview by myself. I wasn't even allowed to talk on stage between songs. I couldn't get a publishing agreement or a production deal because everyone had their own little role to play in the group... and the money, well, anything split 10 ways can't be much.

Jeffrey Osborne
Jeffrey Osborne

The beauty of recording in L.A. is that most of the musicians that are on the record live here, so it was easy to get world class artists like Rick Braun to swing by and play a little trumpet, Everette Harp on sax, guitarist Paul Jackson.

Jeffrey Osborne
Jeffrey Osborne

The beauty of all these years of singing the anthem is that I got a chance to meet athletes that I love, and there was a mutual respect.

Jeffrey Osborne
Jeffrey Osborne

I think I was affected quite a bit by musical and creative influences that go all the way back to my childhood.

Jeffrey Osborne
Jeffrey Osborne

I think if you look back at the lead singers that left groups that didn't make it, you'll see that a lot of them were songwriters like Lionel Richie. I mean, they were able to control their own destiny.

Jeffrey Osborne
Jeffrey Osborne

Being the youngest of 12, I always had to wait my turn in line to play my records.

Jeffrey Osborne
Jeffrey Osborne

I listened to everything. To the early Motown groups - the Four Tops and the Temptations - to Johnny Mathis, Gloria Lynne - my sisters loved her. Sarah Vaughan. Everything.

Jeffrey Osborne
Jeffrey Osborne

Everyone in the group sang when I joined them. That was one of the problems with L.T.D.: there was no focal point. It took until 1976, or about six or seven years, before I was put into the spotlight as a vocalist. That's when I recorded 'Love Ballad,' and it became a hit for the group.

Jeffrey Osborne
Jeffrey Osborne

I grew up in a jazz household. They made me listen to jazz before I could hear my Motown.

Jeffrey Osborne
Jeffrey Osborne

A protest is supposed to be public. How can you do it if you don't do it in front of an audience?

Jeffrey Osborne
Jeffrey Osborne

I used to do Christmas tours every year.

Jeffrey Osborne
Jeffrey Osborne

People don't realize it, but you've got to take care of it. The vocal cord is the smallest muscle in the body, and it gets more use than any other muscle.

Jeffrey Osborne
Jeffrey Osborne

My motto now is eat to live. Not live to eat.

Jeffrey Osborne
Jeffrey Osborne

Watch what you put into your body. It will carry you a long way. No doubt.

Jeffrey Osborne
Jeffrey Osborne

I learned how to play the drums... it got me into LTD.

Jeffrey Osborne
Jeffrey Osborne

I always wanted to be a singer first.

Jeffrey Osborne
Jeffrey Osborne

My first job was with The O'Jays playing drums.