Osborn (December 23, 1923 – February 14, 2013) was an American Pentecostal televangelist, singer, author and teacher whose Christian ministry was based in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
He was the seventh and youngest son of thirteen children, born to Charles Richard Osborn (1883–1966) and his wife Mary (née Brown) (1885–1951).
His parents were musicians, as were several of his brothers and sisters, and Tommy Lee started making music at a very young age.
Gradually, each of his six brothers moved out of the family home until TL was the only boy still living with his parents and helping his 60-year-old father on the potato farm.
Finally, while sorting potatoes in the cellar, he plucked up courage to make the request and was greatly surprised when his father said "yes.
The Osborns first gained public notice shortly after returning from India, as evangelists on the Big Tent Revival circuit in the United States and Canada.
The Osborns emphasized the love and compassion of God, rather than the "fire and brimstone" theology style commonly used by evangelists of the era, and they practiced supernatural healing in their meetings.
They held large crusades in Latin America, Asia, and Africa and crowds grew rapidly, at times exceeding 100,000.
[citation needed] According to his daughter, LaDonna, he had been in good health until his body began weakening just a few days before he stopped breathing.
[citation needed] LaDonna Osborn continues to operate the ministry founded by her parents, including leading international crusades in the developing world every year.
His grandson Tommy Ray O'Dell has also followed in his grandfather's footsteps and has a ministry focused on evangelism and education in Asia, Africa, and Europe.