Singer Jeffrey Osborne's Foundation Gives $1.5M to RI Youth

A kid from Providence who made it big is making sure the next generation gets their shot too.

Jeffrey Osborne, the voice behind the 1982 hit "On the Wings of Love," has turned his four Grammy nominations and international fame into something even more meaningful. His foundation just announced over $50,000 in new donations to Rhode Island nonprofits serving families and youth, bringing his total giving to more than $1.5 million since 2012.

The latest recipients include the Boys & Girls Club of Providence, Rhode Island Philharmonic Music School, Amos House, Button Hole, and the MET School. These donations support the programs Osborne knows are essential because he lived without them as one of 12 children in a low-income family.

"Growing up, I wanted to give back to those initiatives," Osborne said. "Music programs are the first thing cut."

The money comes from the Jeffrey Osborne Celebrity Classic, an annual golf tournament that draws stars like Magic Johnson, Smokey Robinson, Anthony Anderson, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to Rhode Island each September. What started as a tribute to Osborne's late brother Clay and mother Wanita has become a state tradition, returning to Quidnessett Country Club on September 14-15.

Magic Johnson hosted the first five years, visiting the Providence Boys and Girls Club where hundreds of kids showed up. "A lot of kids have never seen a celebrity before or one from Rhode Island," Osborne noted. "I never imagined it being this scale."

The Ripple Effect

Osborne's success story resonates because it shows Black children in Rhode Island that their dreams are achievable. When he was starting out, he sang three sets with the band L.T.D. at a Providence show, which led to a tour invitation to Los Angeles. Though the promised record deal took two years to materialize, he kept pushing.

His advice to young artists echoes through every donation: "Be ready when the opportunity comes."

The foundation focuses heavily on music education, knowing these programs disappear first during budget cuts as schools lose enrollment. The MET School, one of this year's recipients, allows students to pursue what they want to study, something Osborne calls rare and crucial.

Celebrity guests return year after year, drawn by genuine relationships built over more than a decade. Local Rhode Island television and news broadcasters join national stars, creating a community event that attracts visitors from across the country.

"The loyalty is priceless," Osborne said.

While many celebrities host fundraising events in Los Angeles, Osborne brings the spotlight home to Providence, proving that giving back means showing up where you came from.