NEW: "He loved the audience," Donny Osmond says "The clarity and warmth and grace of his singing shaped my love of music as I watched my brothers perform with him on his weekly show," Donny Osmond said. Williams gave him several voice lessons when he was just seven, Osmond said. "When I finally joined my brothers and toured with Andy as his opening act and back-up singers, I was always impressed with the way he handled an audience," he said. He loved the audience. That was one of the most important lessons he taught me. His sister, Marie Osmond, who made her TV debut on his show at age 3, said Williams was "the first person to affect my career." "The group 'The Osmonds' would not exist without the foresight and generosity of our mentor, Andy Williams," Marie Osmond said. "No one sang more beautifully than Andy Williams," she said. Hearing his version of 'Moon River' never failed to move me deeply. I can't imagine the holiday season without Andy Williams; we did so many specials together. His variety TV show, which promoted the careers of many other artists including the Osmonds, won high ratings and three Emmys. Williams hosted the first live Grammy Awards telecast at the Hollywood Palladium in 1971. He went on to host for seven years straight. "The entertainment industry has lost a giant piece of its living history today, but Williams' legacy will forever be enshrined in the annals of music and television," said Neil Portnow, the president of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Our deepest condolences go out to his family, friends, and all who will miss this American treasure. The singer hosted five Christmas television specials, between 1973 and 1985, along with seven other television specials, the first in 1959 and the last in 1987.