Jeffrey Osborne is a well-known funk R&B musician, singer-songwriter, lyricist and lead singer of the band, L.T.D.. Born in Providence to a musical family, (father Clarence “Legs” Osborne, was a popular trumpeter who played with Lionel Hampton, Count Basie, and Duke Ellington), he began his professional career in 1970 with a band called Love Men Ltd., who would later become known as L.T.D. as a drummer. By 1978, he was performing lead vocals for the band. Leaving the band to concentrate on a solo career, Osborne released a self-titled debut album his featuring the hit singles”On the Wings of Love” and “I Really Don’t Need No Light.” he followed up his success the next year with Stay with Me Tonight, his first gold album (later reaching platinum album status). He also appeared on USA for Africa’s fundraising single, “We Are the World” in 1985. Osborne has written songs for Whitney Houston, remained a mainstay on the R&B charts in the early 1990s, sung television theme songs and appeared in television shows and movies. He continues to perform throughout the country.
In addition to his musical career, Osborne is also a philanthropist, giving back to his native community. Each year he hosts a celebrity golf tournament in Rhode Island raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for local charities. Osborne also supports the Clarence J. “Clay” Osborne Foundation, which funds music scholarships. The foundation is named for Jeffrey’s oldest brother, a well-loved singer in Rhode Island who died in 2006 at the age of 78.
Osborne received the 2014 New England Pell Award for Artistic Excellence from Trinity Repertory Company in honor of his artistic achievements and philanthropic work in Rhode Island