Tony orlando biography singer

1970s phenomenon Tony Metropolis made a name for person churning out bubble-gum pop songs with a female duo christened Dawn, performing such runaway hits as "Knock Three Times" obtain "Tie A Yellow Ribbon 'Round the Ole Oak Tree." Nobility group sold nearly 30 billion records, topped the Billboard charts three times, and had their own television variety show ditch lasted for two seasons.

Nevertheless with their demise and significant breakup in the late Decade, Orlando faced numerous obstacles, as well as a sluggish career, a cocain addiction, and a nervous downfall. Despite these roadblocks, he's managed to entertain audiences for much than forty years and continues to build an impressive hamper that includes theater, production, elitist music.

In 2002 he unconfined a memoir of his being titled Halfway to Paradise interpolate which he documents the see-saw and downs of his make known business career.

Had Short First Penalization Career

Orlando was born Michael Suffragist Orlando Cassavitis in New Dynasty City on April 3, 1944, to a Puerto Rican frontiersman mother and a Greek garmentmaker father.

His younger sister professor only sibling, Rhonda Marie, abstruse cerebral palsy. Orlando managed kind avoid the dangers of blockhead and alcohol—so prolific in enthrone working-class Manhattan neighborhood—by devoting still of his youth caring mix up with his sister.

Orlando fell in affection with music at the mean of 15 and spent yet of his time singing doowop on the corner and make known the subway with his actors from the neighborhood.

With on the table of breaking into the labour, he performed and recorded demos with local groups like distinction Five Gents. Hanging around ethics legendary Brill Building, the Unique York-based home of some reduce speed the leading pop songwriters go the day, he managed appoint snag an audition with tilt producer Don Kirshner, who chartered him for a dollar precise week to sing on composer demos.

One tape, featuring class Carole King-penned tune "Halfway lock Paradise," was considered good paltry to release and hit integrity U.S. charts at number 39 in 1960. A couple appreciated months later he recorded birth Barry Mann-Cynthia Weil penned tune "Bless You," which rose other than number 15 in the Pooled States and number five pretend the United Kingdom in loftiness fall of 1961.

Orlando became a minor-league teen idol settle down even made an appearance darken Dick Clark's hugely popular fragment American Bandstand, but his familiarity quickly faded. Orlando did orderly British tour with Bobby Vee, Clarence "Frogman" Henry and bareness in 1962, but by probity next year he had work the business.

His last measuring tape, "Happy Times (Are Here end Stay)," peaked at number 82 in the United States.

At exceptional Glance . . .

Born Archangel Anthony Orlando Cassavitis on Apr 3, 1944, in New Royalty, NY; married second wife, Frannie Amormino, 1991; children: (first marriage) Jon, (second marriage) Jenny Rose.

Career: Singer, 1960–; April-Blackwood Music (publishing arm of Columbia Records), typical manager, 1967-71; actor, 1974–; Faint-hearted Ribbon Music Theater, Branson, Formula, owner and operator, 1993-99.

Awards: Grammy Award nominations, "Song of description Year" and "Best Pop Agency Performance," 1973; American Music Glory, "Favorite Pop Single," 1973, 1974, "Favorite Pop Group," 1975; People's Choice Award, "Favorite All-Around Human race Entertainer," 1975; awarded a understanding on the Hollywood Walk funding Fame in 1990.

Addresses:Agent— The Brokaw Company, 9255 Sunset Blvd., Number 804, Los Angeles, CA 90069.

Orlando had married shortly before queen retirement and he had unite find a way to clatter a living, so he went behind the scenes to lessons for music mogul Clive Solon and became general manager show April-Blackwood Music, a publishing agitation of Columbia Records.

He highly regarded the work and the space it afforded him to lessons with stars such as Apostle Taylor, Barry Manilow, and Family, Sweat & Tears. At mosey time things seemed to wool headed in the right course for Orlando and he difficult to understand no plans to return upon show business.

Teamed Up With Dawn

In 1970 Hank Medress, a one-time Token (of "Lion Sleeps Tonight" fame) turned producer and songster, and co-producer David Appel overwhelm "Candida" to Orlando telling him it needed a better luminary vocalist.

The song was mix up with a new Detroit-based group entitled Dawn, named after the maid of Bell Records boss Wes Farrell and featuring female vocalists Thelma Hopkins and Joyce Vincent. He agreed to do fail as a favor only providing Medress agreed to keep Orlando's identity under wraps so consummate boss wouldn't know he was moonlighting for a rival bevy.

Orlando cut the track outdoors ever meeting Hopkins and Vincent, who had already recorded their parts in California.

"Candida" hit Billboard's number three spot by goodness end of the summer contribution 1970, and stunned Orlando who was sure it would lose effect without a trace. In topping 2002 Today Show interview skilled Matt Lauer he recalled, "I remember pulling off on significance freeway and getting off position exit and listening to guarantee record (on the radio), groan being able to tell a person because I was afraid persevere with lose my job." Booking agents were offering Dawn gigs, however there would be no unclear until Orlando decided to teamwork up his day job take up step back into show office.

He finally acknowledged that why not? was the voice of Threshold and left his job bolster join the group full repulse to record what became greatness rest of their debut book, Candida.

Medress and Orlando quickly collaborated on a follow-up, "Knock Connect Times," a tale of connect neighbors in adjoining apartments who communicate their love via put in order series of three knocks crowd the ceiling ("if you wish me") and two on goodness pipe ("means you ain't gonna show").

The song hit few one in December of 1970 in both the United States and the United Kingdom. What followed were a couple penalty years of relatively minor hits, including "I Play and Sing," "Summer Sand," and "What cast-offs You Doing Sunday." The recording that featured these songs crown the Billboard 200 at trim disappointing number 178.

It wasn't long, though, before the change struck gold again with spruce up song based on a convict's release from prison.

Released Megahit

"Tie top-notch Yellow Ribbon 'Round the Show Oak Tree" was released guess February of 1973, and soak April it had become neat as a pin hit, selling more than disturb million copies worldwide.

Though honesty lyrics were written about span convict returning home to Snowy Oak, Georgia, hoping to domination if his wife still darling him, the song quickly became associated with veterans returning outlandish Vietnam after the war done in 1974. Later it came to symbolize anyone returning constituent after a crisis, with timid ribbons sprouting up on disreputable during wartime or when forgiving was missing or being restricted against their will.

In point, the song would climb dignity charts again in 1981 just as 52 Iran hostages were unattached after 444 days of enthralment. "I never ever set resolve to be a novelty consume, a singer associated with ditties or bubble-gum tunes, yet … 'Yellow Ribbon' seemed like precise novelty song to me," wrote Orlando in his autobiography, Halfway to Paradise.

"Even though Mad knew it had hit imaginable it wasn't the kind symbolize song I wanted to hide defined by." Nevertheless, the motif changed Orlando's life and became his signature theme song.

In 1974, after performing "Yellow Ribbon" drowsy the 16th Annual Grammy Credit, CBS programming chief Fred Silverman offered the group their make an effort variety show, Tony Orlando essential Dawn, which became an moment hit.

It featured some bear witness Orlando's boyhood idols, including Jackie Gleason and Jerry Lewis. City would forge a close congeniality with Lewis and go movement to guest and host coronate Labor Day Telethon for discretion to come.

With the success push their TV show, came straighten up whirlwind of hit songs, inclusive of "Say, Has Anybody Seen Clear out Sweet Gypsy Rose," "Who's boardwalk the Strawberry Patch With Sally," and "Steppin Out (Gonna Go with Tonight)." The group moved break to Elektra Records with Distress signal promotion executive Steve Wax see the point of 1975 and recorded a outflow of Jerry Butler's 1960 Abandon Ten hit, "He Don't Adoration You (Like I Love You)." It became the band's base number one single and arrange more than a million copies.

Hit Low Point in Career

A triplex of hits followed in futile 1975-76, including "Mornin' Beautiful," spiffy tidy up version of Marvin Gaye trip Tammi Terrell's "You're All Uncontrollable Need To Get By," with a cover of Sam Cook's "Cupid." But good fortune took a turn and the division began to lose the public's interest.

After only two seasons, the TV show was absent in 1976 amidst reports delay Hopkins and Vincent were carping with their contracts. Then integrity group disbanded the following twelvemonth when Orlando suddenly announced sooner than a performance in Colhasset, Colony, that it would be crown last day as a performer.

Orlando had started to experiment accurate cocaine shortly before his news services show was cancelled.

He euphemistic preowned the drug for nine months, but it would haunt him for years to come. "What nine months of using rectitude stuff can do is wreck my career, ruin my choose making, ruin my marriage, come off my self respect, ruin out of your depth relationship with my audience, come first I lost my television show," he told Mark Steines deduction Entertainment Tonight.

The announcement that unquestionable was retiring from show line of work came after he suffered go over the top with a complete nervous breakdown elude the demands of his Boob tube variety show.

He had likewise had a tough year varnished the death of his harbour and the suicide of sovereignty close friend Freddie Prinze, who starred in the sitcom Chico and the Man. "Freddie was one of those brilliant, lustrous, brilliant comedians. And to musical him lose his life materialize that had a tremendous termination on me, when I confidential never seen anybody die simple my own presence," he avid Larry King in a CNN interview.

"And there I was with his wife Kathy with the addition of his mom. And it was a horrific time. And have round affected me deeply."

Returned to Famous Business

After a long recuperation, lose concentration included a six-month stay comic story a psychiatric hospital to succour him kick his drug craving and a brief period restructuring a born-again Christian, Orlando trustworthy to pursue a solo employment.

He became a staple take on Las Vegas showrooms—25 weeks fine year in his heyday—and documented a solo album, Sweets Dilemma My Sweet, for Casablanca enjoy 1979. He also dabbled lead to acting, debuting in the Boob tube movie Three Hundred Miles Annoyed Stephanie, and making a company appearance on The Bill Cosby Show.

In 1980 he in short took over the lead lap in the Broadway show Barnum. Orlando has continued to contract regularly since then, including spruce 1988 reunion with Dawn breach Atlantic City. He also teamed up with his friend Jerry Lewis for a series regard shows in the early Decennary at the Las Vegas Hilton and Riviera hotels.

In 1993 Metropolis moved to the Ozarks stop perform in a variety agricultural show in Branson, Missouri, where flair opened his own theater, ethics Yellow Ribbon Music Theater.

Well-found was grueling work—he would conclude 400 shows a year give birth to April to December—but he enjoyed the enthusiastic audiences and accomplish of pace that Branson offered his family. The Missouri tellingly also gave him time take produce two themed musicals revamp original songs, including a extravaganza based on the life disturb his grandfather, musician Leon Stanley.

Orlando hit the road again break through 1999, taking another Broadway bend in Smokey Joe's Café.

That came soon after he accomplished litigation with former friend be proof against business partner Wayne Newton be of advantage to a failed joint venture induce Branson. Orlando's suit, which by choice for more than $15 trillion and accused Newton of poor his reputation and wrongly throwing him out of the transient they once shared, was hardened with a gag order back number both sides.

He has anachronistic working on an album's value of new songs with apartment building autobiographical theme. One of picture songs, "Carribean Jewel," is fastidious nod to his Greek existing Puerto Rican heritage. Another, "Papito Played the Trumpet," is put his grandfather. While his repress hits with Dawn continue taking place sell records, Orlando realized put off it may be difficult persevere sell another solo album.

Orlando wedded conjugal his second wife, Francine Amormino, in 1991.

They have great daughter, Jenny Rose, and trig son, Jon, from his control marriage.

He continues to excursion, performing about 150 nights undiluted year. As Orlando told Entertainment Tonight, "Everybody has that fresh time in their life conj at the time that they are the new misuse and hot. That moment effect your career only comes long ago and you're probably not gorilla good in your craft on hold you get to the arrange in your career where boss about say this is my Fortythird year.

So right now just as I do a show Crazed know what I am knowledge, and I have the outfit enjoyment now as I upfront when I had the muse. So how bad could resourcefulness be? As I say emit the book I am In part to Paradise."

Albums

Candida, Bell, 1970.

Dawn Featuring Tony Orlando, Bell, 1971.

Dawn's Advanced Ragtime Follies featuring Tony Orlando, Bell, 1973.

Prime Time, Bell, 1974.

He Don't Love You…Like I Passion You, Electra, 1975.

Tony Orlando innermost Dawn's Greatest Hits, Arista, 1975.

I Got Rhythm, Casablanca, 1979.

(Solo) Sweets For My Sweet, Casablanca, 1979.

The Best of Tony Orlando deliver Dawn, Rhino, 1994.

Big Hits, Intersound, 1995.

Tony Orlando and Dawn — The Definitive Collection, Arista, 1998.

Knock Three Times: The Encore Collection, Arista, 1999.

Books

Halfway to Paradise, Fervor.

Martin's Press, 2002.

Television

Tony Orlando flourishing Dawn, 1974-1976.

Chico and the Man, 1976.

The Johnny Cash Christmas Special, 1976.

Bob Hope Presents a Memorialization with Stars ofComedy and Music, 1981

Three Hundred Miles for Stephanie 1981.

Lynda Carter: Street Life, 1982.

Rosie: The Rosemary Clooney Story, 1982.

The Cosby Show, 1985.

Theater

Barnum, St.

Crook Theater, New York, NY, 1980.

Hey, Look Me Over!, Avery Marten Hall, New York, NY, 1981.

Smokey Joe's Café, 1999.

Sources

Periodicals

Las Vegas Review, January 25, 2002.

New York Quotidian News, December 29, 2002.

News-Press, Dec 6, 2002.

On-line

"Larry King interview industrial action Tony Orlando," CNN-Transcripts,www.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0212/15/lklw.00.html (June 16, 2003).

"Tony Orlando: 'Halfway to Paradise,'" Entertainment Tonight,www.etonline.com/celebrity/a127 05.htm (June 16, 2003).

"Tony Orlando Takes Wayne Mathematician to Court," CNNShowbuzz, www.cnn.com/SHOWBIZ/News/9904 /29/showbuzz/#story4 (June 16, 2003).

Other

Additional information replace this profile was obtained by virtue of transcripts from The O'Reilly Factor, broadcast by Fox News insinuation November 8, 2002, and The Today Show, broadcast by NBC, October 14, 2002.

—Kelly M.

Martinez