Helping Family with TJ and John Osborne

For most siblings, their careers take them in different directions, but for brothers TJ and John Osborne, they get to be a part of each other’s success. This American country music duo, known as The Brothers Osborne, has been honored with awards including the Country Music Association’s Vocal Duo of the Year, and the Academy of Country Music Awards’ Vocal Duo (or Group) of the Year. We interviewed John and TJ Osborne in 2018 and talked with them about how their upbringing and family has helped them to become who they are and how it affects their outlook.

John Osborne reflects on how his upbringing developed him into who he is today.

“For us family was, and is, everything and it will always be everything. We consider ourselves so lucky. Like I said before, we didn’t have much growing up. When I was born we were in a trailer, and then we moved into a duplex and my brother and I shared one bed until I graduated high school. We didn’t have a lot. Our dad’s a plumber and our mom’s a dresser and we lived on very humble means. I mean there were times we’d show up after school and the electricity would be turned off, because they couldn’t afford to pay the electric bill, and our dad would turn it into a game. We’d play hid and go seek in the dark and it was so much fun! I think that’s what made it so special, ‘ya know…it’s those things. It doesn’t matter if you have money, it’s the relationships that you have with the ones that you love and we were very lucky in that sense. I hear of a lot of musicians and artists that had parents that didn’t support their ambitions and I don’t think that comes from a vindictive or malicious place, it’s probably just more parents wanting to protect their kids because it’s very hard and it’s a very tough industry to get into, and even tougher to succeed at. But, our parents were big time dreamers and they both wrote and played songs and they came to Nashville a few times, so they were nothing but encouraging. I mean I could have said I wanted to be a rodeo clown and they would have been like, ‘Absolutely, go for it!’ They were very supportive of what we wanted to do and who we wanted to be and they never made us question that, and I’m willing to say wholeheartedly that we couldn’t have done it without the support of our mom and dad. Our siblings as well and the rest of our family have been very supportive of us and I can guarantee you we wouldn’t be anywhere we are now without it.”

Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son.” Ephesians 1:4-6

TJ Osborne shares what his family means to him.

“Yeah, our family has always been very, very close. We’ve had our up and downs but we’ve always stuck together and we’ve always been there for one another. Even our oldest brother and sister and our half-brother and sister, it honestly doesn’t even cross our minds that’s the case. They literally have just been there our whole lives, and have been there for us for everything. I even kind of touched on it in my CMA acceptance speech this last time around. Now that I’ve had some money and notoriety, and a little bit of fame, you really kind of realize that the things that you’ve been trying to capture all along, were really the things you’ve kind of always had. And then you realize the true vale of your friends and your family and it really put a hefty price tag on it because, you know, this having success, you can buy yourself all the nicest things you want but at the end of the day the things that are the most fulfilling are certainly not that. We’ve been so fortunate to have such a very supportive family and they’ve been super proud of John and I all the way through our career.”

Risen Reflections

Be thankful for your family. No family is perfect. Each has their trials and hard times. Some have members that do not speak to one another. Others have family members that have passed on. Rather than dwell on all of the negative things, take time this week to thank God for your family. Try and reflect on the positive things about each person. It can be helpful to write it down. You might even want to write them a note telling them what you appreciate about them or if there was an event or occasion where their actions meant a lot to you. It is important to take time to let others know we appreciate them.

Stick together. When hard times hit, it is important for us to be there for our friends and family. Often times through difficult circumstances, families and friends are drawn closer together and closer to God. If you are going through a hard season, ask God to give you faith and to draw your family closer to one another. If you have a friend or family member that is going through a trial, ask them how you can help them. They might need some encouragement, wisdom, or an act of service like babysitting so that they can meet with a counselor.

Honor others in your success. In the midst of the moment, we sometimes forget to thank all of those that sacrificed to help us in our success. Whether it is your career, a sport or a project, take time and thank those that helped you accomplish your goals. Write them a note or take them to coffee. If you are able to attribute them in your work, make sure to do so.

To read our entire interview with John and TJ Osborne, click here.