Perkins turns Woodville barbershop into Osmonds Central
WOODVILLE - When Laurie Perkins purchased the Village Barber Shop in Woodville 19 years ago, she wanted to liven it up the “old-fashioned” shop. One of her customers mentioned his dislike for barbershop music, and she decided to bring in a different sound: the music of the Osmonds, a family singing group that included Donny, Marie, Alan, Wayne, Merrill, Jay and Jimmy.
“I started bringing in their music. It was playing nonstop in my shop all the time until I got my TV. Now I play YouTube videos of the Osmonds,” Perkins said.
Perkins grew up watching the television variety show "Donny and Marie," but she didn’t become a big fan of the Osmonds' music until she was grown.
“I watched the show and had the Barbie dolls, but then I became a teen and got into different things,” she said.
As an adult, Perkins traveled to see the Osmonds perform
Perkins’ interest came full circle as an adult, and she and has made several trips to watch the Osmonds perform.
“The first one I met was Donnie. He had a Show Your Love offer in Vegas for Valentine’s Day, and my husband bought the package for me,” Perkins said. “I got the cardboard cutout of him and a discount on our room, and we got to meet him before the show in his dressing room.”
Donnie needed a haircut, so Perkins offered to give him one.
Woodville barber offered to cut Donny's hair
“Out of the clear blue, I said, ‘Why don’t I cut your hair?’ and he got up and got scissors,” she said. “I thought, ‘Oh my gosh. I can’t cut his hair. He’s going on stage in 10 minutes.’”
Perkins didn’t cut his hair, but they did pose together for a fun photo op. The photo is hanging in her shop along with dozens of other photos of the Osmonds. The barber shop walls are covered with photos of the individual singers, family portraits and posed shots with Perkins.
“Some I collected, and some were gifts from customers,” she said.
Many of the photos were taken during Osmond concerts.
“I’ve gone numerous times to Vegas to see Donny, and I’ve seen him in Detroit and Chicago. I saw Marie in Shipshewana,” Perkins said. “I actually went all the way to Hawaii for Marie’s 59th birthday, because I knew all the brothers would be there. It was my only opportunity to see Alan and Merrill because they were going to retire.”
Perkins remains a loyal Osmond fan
It isn’t just the upbeat music that Perkins likes so well. It is the singers themselves that keeps her a loyal fan.
“I think they have great morals. They’re very inspiring that way,” she said. “They’re very spiritual, and they’re very generous people. When you go to the different events, they treat you like you’re their friend.
"Elvis played a big role in their life, and he told them you have to thank the people. So they go out in the audience and interact because they know that’s what got them where they’re at. It’s always special to be close to them.”
Through her shop display, Perkins is introducing a new generation of people to the Osmonds, and she’s helping old fans remember why they liked them so much.
“A lot of times, the men go home and tell their wives to stop in,” she said.
The Village Barber Shop is at 119 W. Main St. in Woodville. For information, call 419-849-2320.
Contact correspondent Sheri Trusty at sheritrusty4@gmail.com.
This article originally appeared on Fremont News-Messenger: Perkins turns Woodville barbershop into Osmonds Central
