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Michael Anthony Orlando Cassavitis (born April 3, 1944) is an American pop singer whose career spans over 60 years. He is best known for his work as part of Tony Orlando and Dawn.

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Tony Orlando
Orlando in 2022
Background information
Birth name	Michael Anthony Orlando Cassavitis
Born	(1944-04-03) April 3, 1944 (age 78) New York City, U.S.
Genres	Pop
Occupation(s)	Singer, songwriter, producer, actor
Years active	1958–present
Website	tonyorlando.com

In 1993, he opened the Tony Orlando Yellow Ribbon Music Theatre in Branson, Missouri. He ended his act there in 2013 and has since continued to perform many live shows as a headliner, mostly in Las Vegas, Nevada.[1]

Early life and career

Michael Anthony Orlando Cassavitis was born on April 3, 1944, the son of a Greek father and a Puerto Rican mother. He spent his earliest years in Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan, New York City.[2] In his teenage years, the family moved to Union City, New Jersey, and later Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey.[3]

Orlando's musical career started with The Five Gents, a doo-wop group he formed in 1959 at age 15, with whom he recorded demo tapes. He got the attention of music publisher and producer Don Kirshner, who hired him to write songs in an office across from New York's Brill Building, along with Carole King, Neil Sedaka, Toni Wine, Barry Mann, Bobby Darin, Connie Francis, and Tom and Jerry, who didn't make it in the office until they changed their name to Simon and Garfunkel.[4]

Kirshner also hired Orlando to record songwriter demos as a solo artist, and his first success came at the age of 16 when he charted in the US and UK with the hits "Bless You" and "Halfway To Paradise".[5] He also appeared at the Brooklyn Paramount Theater with DJ Murray the K.[6] Orlando also had four records that "Bubbled Under" the Hot 100: "Chills" in 1962, "Shirley" and "I'll Be There" in 1963, and "I Was A Boy (When You Needed A Man)" as by Billy Shields in April 1969.[7] Gerry Goffin and Jack Keller wrote a doo-wop version of Stephen Foster's song "Beautiful Dreamer" for Orlando. Released as a single in 1962,[8] the song was picked up by the Beatles who included it in their set lists on the Beatles Winter 1963 Helen Shapiro Tour;[9] a recorded version was released on their 2013 album On Air – Live at the BBC Volume 2. New Colony Six recorded an Orlando composition, "I'm Just Waitin' (Anticipatin' For Her To Show Up)", which charted locally in Chicago and "Bubbled Under" the Hot 100 in July 1967.^{[citation needed]}

Orlando continued as a solo artist and also became a producer himself, as well as a successful music executive in the late 1960s. In 1967, Clive Davis hired Orlando as general manager of Columbia Records publishing subsidiary April-Blackwood Music. By the late 1960s, Orlando had worked his way up to vice president of a larger publishing company, CBS Music where he signed, co-wrote with and produced Barry Manilow (under the name "Featherbed"). . He also worked with other artists, such as The Yardbirds, James Taylor, Grateful Dead, Blood Sweat and Tears, and Laura Nyro.[4][10][11][12] In the summer of 1969, he recorded with the studio group Wind and had a #28 hit that year with "Make Believe" on producer Bo Gentry's Life Records. Orlando was experiencing success, primarily as a music executive, and Davis pretended not to notice when Orlando accepted a $3,000 advance and sang lead vocals on a song called "Candida" as a favor for two producer friends. If the record failed, Orlando didn't want it to affect his reputation, so he used a pseudonym: Dawn.[13][14]

When the song became an international number-one song, he began to use his name in the group becoming "Dawn featuring Tony Orlando" and then "Tony Orlando and Dawn". The group had 19 other top 40 tracks, including "Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree", the top-selling hit of 1973 and one of the biggest selling singles of all time. The group also had a hit variety program, The Tony Orlando and Dawn Show on CBS from 1974 to 1976.[15] They then broke up in 1977, after which he has performed as Tony Orlando.

Tony Orlando and Dawn

Orlando recorded the record "Candida", with backup singers including Toni Wine (who wrote the song) and Linda November. Concerned about a possible conflict of interest with his April-Blackwood duties, Orlando sang under the condition that his name not be associated with the project, so it was released under the simple name of "Dawn", the middle name of the daughter of Bell records executive Steve Wax.[16]

"Candida" became a worldwide hit in 1970, reaching number one in five countries, and the top ten in many others, including number three in the United States.[17] Dawn, with Wine and November again singing backup, recorded another song, "Knock Three Times", which itself became a #1 hit. Orlando then wanted to go on tour, and asked two other session singers, Telma Hopkins and Joyce Vincent Wilson to join for the tour. Orlando then discovered that there were six touring groups using that name, so Dawn became "Dawn featuring Tony Orlando", which changed to Tony Orlando and Dawn in 1973.

The new group recorded more hits, including "Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" (1973) and "He Don't Love You (Like I Love You)" (1975), a cover of the Jerry Butler hit, "He Will Break Your Heart". With a successful recording career, Orlando then set his sights on television. As described in The San Francisco Chronicle, "Tony Orlando and Dawn burst out of television sets during the Ford administration, a sunny antidote to the dark cynicism that followed Watergate. He represented simple, traditional values, a conservative return to pure entertainment. He drew a happy face in the "O" of his autograph. It was not terribly cool, but America loved him."[6] The Tony Orlando and Dawn Show on CBS became a hit, a summer replacement for the Sonny & Cher show, and ran for four seasons from 1974 to 1976.[18] It welcomed the biggest names in show business each week as Orlando's guests, including his boyhood idols, Jackie Gleason and Jerry Lewis.

At the 1976 Republican National Convention in Kansas City, Missouri, Orlando danced to the tune of "Tie a Yellow Ribbon" with then First Lady Betty Ford. The media stated that it was to divert attention as Nancy Reagan entered the Kemper Arena convention hall. However, in Orlando's book Halfway to Paradise, he states that Mrs. Reagan was asked what her favorite song was, which happened to be "Tie a Yellow Ribbon", so it was chosen as her entrance song. Ronald Reagan unsuccessfully challenged Gerald Ford, for the presidential nomination that year but came back in 1980 to claim the presidency itself. Ray Barnhart, a Reagan co-manager from Texas, criticized Mrs. Ford for having "danced a jig" with Orlando. Barbara Staff, another Texas co-chairman, called Betty Ford's behavior "a low, cheap shot".[19]

On October 12, 2015, with Telma Hopkins and Joyce Vincent Wilson present, Pacific Pioneer Broadcasters honored Orlando with their Art Gilmore Career Achievement Award at a celebrity luncheon.

Late 1970s struggles and solo work

Along with the fame, Orlando had personal battles in the 1970s. He was briefly addicted to cocaine, and battled both obesity and depression. In 1977, due to the death of his sister, and the suicide of Orlando's close friend, comedian Freddie Prinze, Orlando had a breakdown, and retired from singing.[20][21] He was briefly institutionalized, but returned to television with an NBC comeback special. From then, he continued as a solo artist, charting with two singles – the dance hit "Don't Let Go" in 1978 and "Sweets For My Sweet" in 1979. In the 1980s, he was a dominant force in Las Vegas, headlining various hotels with sold-out audiences.[22]

Orlando continued primarily as a solo singer, performing on tour and regularly in Las Vegas and Branson, Missouri.[23] He hosted the New York City portions of the MDA Labor Day Telethon on WWOR-TV since the 1980s but quit in 2011 in response to Jerry Lewis' firing from the Muscular Dystrophy Association. He has won the Casino Entertainer of the Year Award, the Best All Around Entertainer – Las Vegas four times, and, prior to that, three times in Atlantic City, the Jukebox Artist of the Year Award from the Amusement and Music Owners Association of New York, The Ellis Island Medal of Honor, and has also been bestowed with The Bob Hope Award for excellence in entertainment from the Congressional Medal of Honor Society in honor of his efforts on behalf of United States veterans. His work on behalf of American veterans led to his being named Honorary Chairman at the 40th Anniversary at the NAM-POW's Homecoming Celebration at the Richard M. Nixon Presidential Library in 2014.[24]

In 2020, Orlando began hosting a Saturday night oldies program for WABC Radio as the New York City station partially restored its music format.[25]

Acting career

Orlando's first TV appearance was in 1976 on the series Chico and the Man as "Tomas Garcia".

Orlando starred in the 1981 TV movie 300 Miles For Stephanie, playing a police officer who promises to walk over 300 miles to a sanctuary in order to obtain God's help to cure Stephanie, his gravely ill daughter. Others in the cast included Edward James Olmos, Pepe Serna and Julie Carmen.^{[citation needed]}

In May 1981, Orlando appeared on Broadway in the title role of Barnum, replacing Jim Dale, who was on a three-week vacation.

During the 1984–85 season of The Cosby Show (its first season), Orlando played Tony Castillo, who runs a community center. He had a cameo appearance as himself in the 2002 film Waking Up In Reno, in which he sang a version of "Knock Three Times".^{[citation needed]}

In 2003, Orlando had a recurring role in the children's animated series Oswald, in which he did the voice of "Sammy Starfish".

Orlando appeared in an episode of MADtv doing a sketch involving a court case, where the defense sings to persuade the jury about their side. He sang for the prosecution, thereby persuading the judge to give the defense jail for life. In another television program, Orlando was featured in "Larry the Cable Guy's Star Studded Christmas Extravaganza".[26] He appeared in That's My Boy as Steve Spirou, a Happy Madison production starring Adam Sandler in 2012.

Support for veterans

Orlando is a longtime advocate for U.S. military veterans and "Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" has become an anthem for service members.[27][28][29]

Orlando serves on the Board of Directors for the Eisenhower Foundation, as well as Honorary Chairman of Snowball Express, an organization that serves the children of fallen military heroes.[2]

He hosts the annual Congressional Medal of Honor dinner in Dallas, Texas. He has served as the Master of Ceremonies at the Secretary of Defense Freedom Awards at the Pentagon in Washington, DC.[18][30]

Personal life

Orlando was introduced by Jerry Lee Lewis to his future wife, Elaine, who had previously dated Buddy Holly. Tony and Elaine married in 1965, and had one child, Jon; they divorced in 1984. Five years later, Orlando was engaged to Francine Amormino, whom he married on April 29, 1990.[2][21] The couple remained married as of 2021; they have one child.[6][31]

On February 27, 2013, his mother, Ruth Schroeder of Hollister, Missouri, died in Branson, Missouri[32] of a diabetic stroke.[33]

In 2002, he wrote a memoir, Halfway to Paradise with Patsi Bale Cox.[34][35] Tony and Francine Orlando live in Branson, Missouri, with their daughter, Jenny Rose. Orlando's son Jon Orlando, from his first marriage, was a comedian from 1993 to 2002. Jon lives in Las Vegas and is currently the host of The Action Junkeez Podcast as well as Wise Kracks Podcast with the legendary sports bettor Bill Krackenberger. It was announced on September 7, 2021, that Jon was hired as the CEO of MaximNFT.

Orlando was interviewed on The 700 Club explaining that he was raised Catholic and was "brought up with the Lord as my Savior"; but after a self-destructive period following his professional success with Dawn, he became a born-again Christian in 1978.[36]

In 1990, Orlando received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6385 Hollywood Blvd.[37]

Discography

Albums

• Bless You and 11 Other Great Hits (1961)
• Make Believe (1969) (with 'Wind')
• Before Dawn (1973)
• Tony Orlando (1978)
• I Got Rhythm (1979)
• Livin' for the Music (1980)
• Halfway to Paradise: The Complete Epic Masters 1961–1964 (2006)
• Bless You (2014)

Solo singles

See also

• List of Puerto Ricans
• Tony Orlando and Dawn (TV series)

References

External links

• Tony Orlando at IMDb
• Tony Orlando at the Internet Broadway Database

На других языках

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[de] Tony Orlando

Michael Antony Orlando Cassavitis (* 3. April 1944 in New York City) ist ein US-amerikanischer Sänger, der in den 1970er Jahren insbesondere in dem Pop-Trio Dawn weltweite Erfolge hatte.

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- [en] Tony Orlando

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[es] Tony Orlando

Michael Anthony Orlando Cassavitis (Nueva York, 3 de abril de 1944) conocido profesionalmente como Tony Orlando, es un cantante, compositor, productor, ejecutivo musical y actor estadounidense, conocido por su asociación con la agrupación Tony Orlando and Dawn y sus éxitos en la década de 1970. Orlando formó el grupo de doowop The Five Gents en 1959 a la edad de 15 años, llamando la atención del editor y productor musical Don Kirshner. A la edad de 17 años, en 1961, Orlando tuvo su primer éxito con la canción "Ding Dong" en el sello discográfico MILO. Kirshner lo contrató para componer canciones como parte de la próspera comunidad de compositores del Edificio Brill de Nueva York, junto con otros compositores como Carole King, Neil Sedaka, Toni Wine, Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil, Bobby Darin y Connie Francis.[1] Orlando también fue contratado para cantar en demos de compositores, y los sencillos lanzados con Orlando como solista comenzaron a aparecer en las listas de éxitos en los Estados Unidos y el Reino Unido a partir de 1961 con "Halfway to Paradise" y "Bless You".[2] Orlando continuó como solista y también se convirtió en productor, así como en un exitoso ejecutivo de la música a finales de la década de 1960. Fue contratado por Clive Davis como director general del sello editorial de Columbia Records, April-Blackwood Music en 1967, y a finales de la misma década había sido ascendido a vicepresidente de Columbia/CBS Music.

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[it] Tony Orlando

Tony Orlando, all'anagrafe Michael Anthony Orlando Cassavitis[1] (Manhattan, 3 aprile 1944), è un cantante e produttore discografico statunitense ricordato per essere stato membro dei Tony Orlando and Dawn e tra i musicisti di maggior successo dei primi anni settanta[1].

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[ru] Орландо, Тони

То́ни Орла́ндо (англ. Tony Orlando; род. 3 апреля 1944 года в Нью-Йорке) — американский поп-певец.

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