▶ Watch Video: T.J. Osborne, of Brothers Osborne, on coming out

Country music hitmakers T.J and John Osborne, known as Brothers Osborne, open up about their personal lives and the impact on their careers in a revealing interview with Anthony Mason, to be broadcast on “CBS Sunday Morning” April 18, with more featured on “CBS This Morning” Monday, April 19.

In the past year, T.J. Osborne publicly announced he is gay, while John Osborne struggled with anxiety and depression so severe he considered walking away from music altogether.

T.J. told Mason, co-host of “CBS This Morning,” that he was worried about coming out, right up until the day he did it.

“But I think once I finally, like, made the decision to do what I was going to do, I felt very sure in that,” T.J. said. “But it’s just really the fear of the unknown. … Do we lose fans?”

The country music duo Brothers Osborne, T.J. and John Osborne. 

CBS News

There was an outpouring of reaction, he said. “I’ve had an incredible amount of support,” T.J. said. “And there’s been some people saying some off-color things to me. But it was a lot, a lot less than I expected.”

T.J.’s announcement came on the heels of his brother John’s struggle with anxiety and depression, which hit a crisis point as they set out to make their album, “Skeletons.”

“I remember calling our manager at the time,” John Osborne told Mason. “And I told him, I’m like, I mean, ‘We can’t go into the studio. I don’t know what’s wrong with me – I don’t know why I’m not happy. I’m depressed. My anxiety is through the roof. I can’t sleep. My ears are ringing.'”

T.J. said he was concerned about his brother: “Oh, big time. I remember we were on stage … And he just is like – I just look at him and tell he did not wanna be there, you know? And that’s when I was like, ‘Wow, like, we need to go home now.'”

The band ended up cancelling dates and regrouping.

“And with a lot of therapy, a lot of self-help, a lot of love from my friends and family – I was able to kinda get to a better place so we can finish the album,” John said. “But I – and this is the God’s honest truth, going into this record, I considered quitting music … which is something I never in my life thought I would want to do.”


Brothers Osborne on mental health crisis

02:22

Brothers Osborne are nominees in the Duo of the Year and Album of the Year categories for the 56th Academy of Country Music Awards, which will air on Sunday, April 18, 8 p.m. ET (live)/8 p.m. PT (delayed) on CBS and Paramount+.

The Emmy Award-winning “Sunday Morning” is broadcast on CBS Sundays beginning at 9 a.m. ET. “Sunday Morning” also streams on CBSN [beginning at 9 a.m. ET and 11:30 a.m. ET] and Paramount+, and is available on cbs.com and On Demand.

Be sure to follow us at cbssundaymorning.com, and on Twitter (@CBSSunday), Facebook, and Instagram (#CBSSundayMorning).

      
For more info: