An avid collector of recorded music since 1960, Jerry Osborne has also worked full-time as an author of record price guides and reference books since 1975.
From the first “Record Collector's Price Guide” (1976) to present, Jerry's published works now number more than 140, along with over 150 periodicals. As busy as ever, he still produces several new books per year.
Jerry has, since 1986, written the popular, weekly newspaper feature, “Mr. Music.” Distributed to papers nationally by World Features Syndicate, the column answers readers' questions about music and records.
Osborne's past is saturated with music. After high school, he began a 14-year career in broadcasting (1962-'76), first as a dee jay then chief engineer, music director, and program director.
He founded and published three collectors news and marketplace magazines: “Record Digest,” “Music World” and “DISCoveries.” In the '80s, he published “The Osborne Report,” a monthly newsletter covering new releases.
His influence and involvement in record collecting has been chronicled in virtually every major magazine and newspaper in the country: “Reader's Digest,” “The Wall Street Journal,” “USA Today,” “People Magazine,” “Esquire,” “TV Guide,” “Oui,” “National Enquirer,” “Money,” “Changing Times,” “Photoplay,” “High Fidelity,” “Billboard,” “Cash Box,” “Music City News,” “Collectibles,” “Kiplinger's,” “Woman's Day” and “Rolling Stone” — just to name a few.
Jerry is a frequent guest on numerous major radio and TV talk shows, discussing the record collecting hobby. Among these are: “Good Morning America,” “Today Show” “The Nashville Network,” and “Backstage Live.”
He served as a technical advisor and music consultant for shows like ABC-TV's “The Century” and “Our World,” CBS-TV's “West 57th Street,” and cable's HBO and MSNBC.
CNN even profiled Jerry on their “CNN NewsStand” show, in October 1999.
It was Osborne they asked to write the Introduction for “The Archives of Graceland (The Official Auction Catalogue).” In it, he and Sun Records founder Sam Phillips are named as “Distinguished Contributors.” Considering they had their pick of top writers and chose Jerry reflects the respect he has earned.
Speaking of Sun Records, the last five vinyl albums ever made by this legendary label are the five volumes in Jerry's "Rockin' Records" series.
In January 1999, the hobby honored Osborne by naming him “Pop Collectibles Author of the Year 1998.”
In 2007, The Hit Parade Hall of Fame invited Jerry to be one of the Charter Members of their Nominating Committee.
Also an accomplished emcee, Jerry has managed shows with virtually all of the top stars of the '50s, '60s and '70s. He hosted Dick Clark's “Caravan of Stars” in the mid-'60s and has, since its inception in 1990, emceed the annual “Good Rockin' Tonight” all-star extravaganza in Memphis, Tennessee.
Jerry has written the liner notes for countless releases, and has conceived and produced dozens of albums and CDs. He still works closely with the reissue labels — especially Varèse Sarabande.
Clearly, no one person has been more responsible — directly or indirectly — for the amazing growth of the music collecting hobby.
1. 1976: Record Collector's Price Guide
2. 1976: 55 Years of Recorded Country & Western Music
3. 1977: Record Album Price Guide
4. 1977: Record Collecting for All It's Worth
5. 1977: The Complete Elvis
6. 1978: Popular & Rock Records
7. 1978: Record Albums 2nd Edition
8. 1979: Our Best to You
9. 1979: The Love of Elvis [Non-Recorded Memorabilia]
10. 1979: Blues/Rhythm & Blues/Soul
11. 1979: A Guide to Record Collecting
12. 1980: Record Albums Price Guide 3rd Edition
13. 1980: Presleyana (The Elvis Presley Price Guide) 1st Edition
14. 1980: The Elvis Cover-Up
15. 1981: Popular & Rock Price Guide 3rd Edition
16. 1981: Movie/TV Soundtracks and Original Cast Albums
17. 1981: Record Albums Price Guide 4th Edition
18. 1981: Presleyana II (The Elvis Presley Price Guide) 2nd Edition
19. 1982: Music World (Hardbound Collector's Edition)
20. 1983: Record Albums Price Guide 5th Edition
21. 1984: Country Music Buyers-Sellers Reference Book & Price Guide
22. 1985: Elvis: A 30-Year Chronicle
23. 1986: Dance Bands & Big Bands 1st Edition
24. 1986: Rockin' Records Buyers/Sellers Reference Book & Price Guide (10th Anniversary Edition)
25. 1986: Rockin' Records Special Elvis Edition
26. 1987: Complete Library of American Phonograph Recordings — 1959 27. 1987: Complete Library of American Phonograph Recordings — 1960 28. 1988: Rockin' Records Buyers/Sellers Reference Book & Price Guide 1988 Edition
29. 1988: Official Price Guide to Records 8th Edition
30. 1988: Official Price Guide to Memorabilia of Elvis Presley and the Beatles
31. 1988: The Humes Herald — 1953
32. 1988: Elvis — Like Any Other Soldier
33. 1989: Rockin' Records Buyers/Sellers Reference Book & Price Guide 1989 Edition
34. 1990: Official Price Guide to Records 9th Edition
35. 1990: Complete Library of American Phonograph Recordings — 1961 36. 1990: Picture the Blues
37. 1991: Rockin' Records Buyers/Sellers Reference Book & Price Guide 1991 Edition
38. 1991: Official Price Guide to Movie/TV Soundtracks and Original Cast Albums 1st Edition
39. 1992: Presleyana III (The Elvis Presley Price Guide) 3rd Edition
40. 1992: Complete Library of American Phonograph Recordings — 1962 41. 1993: Dance Bands, Big Bands & Swing 2nd Edition
42. 1993: Rockin' Records Buyers/Sellers Reference Book & Price Guide 1994 Edition
43. 1993: Official Price Guide to Records 10th Edition
44. 1993: Complete Library of American Phonograph Recordings — 1963 45. 1993: Sir Charles Barkley and the Referee Murders
46. 1994: Official Price Guide to Compact Discs 1st Edition47. 1994: Rockin' Records Buyers/Sellers Reference Book & Price Guide 1995 Edition
48. 1994: Complete Library of American Phonograph Recordings — 1964 49. 1994: Official Price Guide to Elvis Presley Records & Memorabilia 1st Edition
50. 1995: Official Price Guide to Records 11th Edition
51. 1995: Official Price Guide to Records 11th Edition (Software Edition)
52. 1995: Rockin' Records Buyers/Sellers Reference Book & Price Guide 1996 Edition
53. 1995: Official Price Guide to the Beatles Records & Memorabilia 1st Edition
54. 1996: Complete Library of American Phonograph Recordings — 1965 55. 1996: Official Price Guide to Country & Western Records 1st Edition
56. 1996: Rockin' Records Buyers/Sellers Reference Book & Price Guide 1997 Edition
57. 1996: Complete Library of American Phonograph Recordings — 1966 58. 1997: Official Price Guide to Records 12th Edition
59. 1997: Official Price Guide to Movie/TV Soundtracks and Original Cast Albums 2nd Edition
60. 1997: Official Price Guide to Records 12th Edition (Software Edition)
61. 1997: Presleyana IV (The Elvis Presley Price Guide) 4th Edition
62. 1997: Rockin' Records Buyers/Sellers Reference Book & Price Guide 1998 Edition
63. 1997: Complete Library of American Phonograph Recordings — 1967 64. 1998: Official Guide to the Money Records (Top 1,000 Most Valuable Records)
65. 1998: Rockin' Records Buyers/Sellers Reference Book & Price Guide 1999 Edition
66. 1998: Official Price Guide to Elvis Presley Records & Memorabilia 2nd Edition
67. 1998: Mighty John's Money Music Encyclopedia
68. 1999: Official Price Guide to Records 13th Edition
69. 1999: Mighty John's Gold: A Record Appraiser's Guide 1999 Edition
70. 1999: Elvis — Word for Word (First Edition)
71. 1999: Official Price Guide to the Beatles Records & Memorabilia 2nd Edition
72. 2000: Official Price Guide to Records 2000 Edition
73. 2000: Price Guide to Movie/TV Soundtracks and Original Cast Albums 2000 Edition
74. 2000: Price Guide to Movie/TV Soundtracks and Original Cast Albums CD-ROM 2000 Edition
75. 2000: Various Artists Compilation Albums Price & Reference Guide 2000 Edition
76. 2000: Various Artists Compilation Albums Price & Reference Guide CD-ROM 2000 Edition
77. 2000: Mighty John's Gold: A Record Appraiser's Guide 2000 Edition
78. 2000: Elvis — Word for Word (Revised Edition)
79. 2001: Official Price Guide to Records 2001 Edition
80. 2001: Collecting Ichiro — The Online Edition
81. 2001: Price Guide to Movie/TV Soundtracks and Original Cast Albums 2001 Edition
82. 2001: Price Guide to Movie/TV Soundtracks and Original Cast Albums CD-ROM 2001 Edition
83. 2001: Various Artists Compilation Albums Price & Reference Guide 2001 Edition
84. 2001: Various Artists Compilation Albums Price & Reference Guide CD-ROM 2001 Edition
85. 2001: Music Tracker — CD-ROM Software for Record Collectors
86. 2001: Mighty John's Gold: A Record Appraiser's Guide 2001 Edition
87. 2002: Complete Library of American Phonograph Recordings — 1968 88. 2002: Mighty John's Gold: A Record Appraiser's Guide 2002 Edition
89. 2002: Rockin' Records Buyers/Sellers Reference Book & Price Guide 2003 Edition
90. 2002: Price Guide to Movie/TV Soundtracks and Original Cast Albums 2002 Edition
91. 2002: Price Guide to Movie/TV Soundtracks and Original Cast Albums CD-ROM 2002 Edition
92. 2002: Various Artists Compilation Albums Price & Reference Guide 2002 Edition
93. 2002: Various Artists Compilation Albums Price & Reference Guide CD-ROM 2002 Edition
94. 2002: Presleyana V (The Elvis Presley Price Guide) 5th Edition 95. 2002: Elvis: The King Remembered — Book & Audio CD 96. 2002: Official Price Guide to Records 16th Edition
97. 2003: CYBERGUIDES — Downloadable Price & Reference Guides, Delivered Weekly
98. 2003: Mighty John's Gold: A Record Appraiser's Guide 2003 Edition
99. 2003: Price Guide to Movie/TV Soundtracks and Original Cast Albums 2003 Edition
100. 2003: Price Guide to Movie/TV Soundtracks and Original Cast Albums CD-ROM 2003 Edition
101. 2002: Various Artists Compilation Albums Price & Reference Guide 2003 Edition
102. 2003: Various Artists Compilation Albums Price & Reference Guide CD-ROM 2003 Edition
103. 2003: Mighty John's Gold: A Record Appraiser's Guide 2004 Edition
104. 2003: Rockin' Records Buyers/Sellers Reference Book & Price Guide 2004 Edition
105. 2004: Price Guide to Movie/TV Soundtracks and Original Cast Albums 2004 Edition
106. 2004: Price Guide to Movie/TV Soundtracks and Original Cast Albums CD-ROM 2004 Edition
107. 2004: Various Artists Compilation Albums Price & Reference Guide 2004 Edition
108. 2004: Various Artists Compilation Albums Price & Reference Guide CD-ROM 2004 Edition
109 2004: Mighty John's Gold: A Record Appraiser's Guide 2005 Edition
110 2004: Rockin' Records 2004 Special Revised Heritage Galleries Online Edition
111. 2004: Color My World
112. 2004: Official Price Guide to Records 17th Edition
113. 2004: Rockin' Records Buyers/Sellers Reference Book & Price Guide 2005 Edition
114. 2005: Price Guide to Movie/TV Soundtracks and Original Cast Albums 2005 Edition
115. 2005: Price Guide to Movie/TV Soundtracks and Original Cast Albums CD-ROM 2005 Edition
116. 2005: Various Artists Compilation Albums Price & Reference Guide 2005 Edition
117. 2005: Various Artists Compilation Albums Price & Reference Guide CD-ROM 2005 Edition
118. 2005: Mighty John's Gold: A Record Appraiser's Guide 2006 Edition
119. 2005: Rockin' Records Buyers/Sellers Reference Book & Price Guide 2006 Edition
120. 2006: Price Guide to Movie/TV Soundtracks and Original Cast Albums 2006 Edition
121. 2006: Price Guide to Movie/TV Soundtracks and Original Cast Albums CD-ROM 2006 Edition
122. 2006: Various Artists Compilation Albums Price & Reference Guide 2006 Edition
123. 2006: Various Artists Compilation Albums Price & Reference Guide CD-ROM 2006 Edition
124. 2006: Elvis — Word for Word (Revised 2006 Edition)
125. 2006: Rockin' Records Buyers/Sellers Reference Book & Price Guide Summer 2006 CD-ROM Edition
126. 2006: Mighty John's Gold: A Record Appraiser's Guide 2006 CD-ROM Edition
127. 2006: Rockin' Records Buyers/Sellers Reference Book & Price Guide 2007 Edition.
128. 2007: Price Guide to Movie/TV Soundtracks and Original Cast Albums 2007 Edition
129. 2007: Price Guide to Movie/TV Soundtracks and Original Cast Albums CD-ROM 2007 Edition
130. 2007: Various Artists Compilation Albums Price & Reference Guide 2007 Edition
131. 2007: Various Artists Compilation Albums Price & Reference Guide CD-ROM 2007 Edition
132. 2007: Mighty John's Gold: A Record Appraiser's Guide 2007 CD-ROM Edition
133. 2007: Composer, Conductor, and Cast Index for the Price Guide to Movie/TV Soundtracks and Original Cast Albums 2007 Edition
134. 2007: Official Price Guide to Records 18th Edition 135. 2007: Presleyana VI (The Elvis Presley Price Guide) 6th Edition 136. 2008: Price Guide to Movie/TV Soundtracks and Original Cast Albums 2008 Edition 137. 2008: Price Guide to Movie/TV Soundtracks and Original Cast Albums CD-ROM 2008 Edition 138. 2008: Composer, Conductor, and Cast Index for the Price Guide to Movie/TV Soundtracks and Original Cast Albums 2008 Edition 139. 2008: Various Artists Compilation Albums Price & Reference Guide 2008 Edition 140. 2008: Various Artists Compilation Albums Price & Reference Guide CD-ROM 2008 Edition 141. 2008: Mighty John's Gold: A Record Appraiser's Guide 2008 CD-ROM Edition
142. 2008: Rockin' Records Buyers/Sellers Reference Book & Price Guide 2008 Edition.
1978: Producer of the world's first commercially issued picture disc LP, “To Elvis: Love Still Burning.” Jerry also conceived and produced the last FIVE vinyl record albums ever made by the legendary Sun Records.
1986-Present: Founder and writer of nationally syndicated (by World Features Syndicate) weekly music Q&A newspaper column “Mr. Music.” 1987-1992: Founder and publisher of the monthly music magazine “DISCoveries.”
1996-Present: Publisher of Limited Edition, Fine Art Celebrity Lithographs (Osborne Fine Art Images).
1996: Special Memorabilia Editor for “The Best of Elvis,” a book by Susan Doll.
1999: “Distinguished Contributor” and writer of the Introduction for “The Archives of Graceland (The Official Auction Catalogue).”
1999: Technical Editor and “Expert Panelist” for “The Unofficial Guide to Starting a Business Online.”
1999-Present: Special advisor, research consultant, and occasional writer of liner notes, for the massive reissue catalog of Varése Sarabande Music.
2001: Created the world's first site exclusively devoted to collecting cards and related baseball memorabilia of Seattle Mariners' sensation, Ichiro. Appropriately, it is named “Collecting Ichiro.”
2001: Osborne's One on One Company, manufacturer of Sports Trading Cards, produced American Originals — the world's first collectible cards where each one is a work of original art.
2002: Producer, writer, and host of “Elvis Presley - The King Remembered,” a career audio retrospective made exclusively on compact disc. Issued with the book of the same title.
2003: Creator of 1,000 questions and answers for the Elvis Trivia Game — Collector's Edition.
