NEW YORK – Wayne Osmond, who rose to fame in the 1970s with his brothers in the musical group The Osmonds, died Wednesday at age 73 after suffering a massive stroke last week.

Osmond’s brother Donny Osmond confirmed the death in a post on Instagram.

“Wayne brought so much light, laughter and love to everyone who knew him, especially me,” Donny Osmond wrote in the post. “He was the ultimate optimist and loved by everyone. I certainly speak for all of our siblings when I say we were lucky to have Wayne as a brother.”

Merrill Osmond also released a statement regarding his brother’s death.

“My brother was a saint before he came into this world, and he will leave the world an even greater saint than when he came in,” Merrill Osmond wrote on Facebook. “I have never known a man who had more humility. A man without any guile. A person who was quick to forgive and had the ability to show unconditional love to everyone he ever met.”

The Osmonds, consisting of brothers Wayne, Alan, Merrill, Jay and Donny, enjoyed great success in the early 1970s, releasing light pop-rock hits such as “One Bad Apple”, “Down by the Lazy River” and “Double Lovin”. ‘”. ” and “Puppy Love.”

The group ultimately sold an estimated 77 million records. It also helped launch the solo careers of Donny and his sister Marie Osmond, who teamed up for a successful variety TV show in the late 1970s. However, the Osmonds’ popularity as a group waned.

In the 1980s, Wayne Osmond teamed up with Alan, Merrill and Jay as a country act and had a handful of hits, including “I Think About Your Lovin.”

But in the mid-1990s he was diagnosed with a brain tumor and lost much of his hearing as a result of surgery and treatment. After a stroke in 2012, he was no longer able to play the guitar.

Wayne Osmond married Kathlyn White in 1974. They had five children.

(The Associated Press contributed to this story.)