Whereas his 60+ yr profession as a live performance performer will wrap up on March twenty second on the Mohegan Solar Enviornment in Uncasville, Connecticut (with a number of different performances main as much as it), he’s not retiring solely – as he’ll proceed to host his in style radio present, Saturday Nights with Tony Orlando.
Orlando spoke with AllMusic slightly over one month earlier than what will probably be his ultimate live performance, and was up for discussing such hits as “Tie a Yellow Ribbon” and “Knock Three Instances,” a well-known shut pal who died far too younger, and the way he acquired concerned in radio.
What made you resolve to launch a farewell tour at the moment?
Orlando: “Effectively, after 64 years…I instructed my spouse, ‘I can nonetheless hit the ball. I simply cannot run the bases.’ And mainly what meaning is the entire issues that go on apart from being on stage lately I feel is why Elton John has retired, Kenny Loggins has retired, Oak Ridge Boys has retired, Invoice Medley has retired.”
“I feel what it’s – for me, anyway – is touring right this moment, you sit in an airport, delays for 5 hours. You miss your gig, it’s important to come two days earlier, the price of flying, the price of resort rooms. It is simply so loopy. All that type of stuff provides as much as, ‘Who wants this?’ It is nuts and it is tiring. I am 79 – I will be 80 years outdated in April. I am on this enterprise 64 years, and I believed, ‘You understand what? God has blessed me with 64 years. I might have been pleased with 64 days. However 64 years in present enterprise? Go away when you’re nonetheless promoting out. Go away when you nonetheless have your pleasure…and make every single day Saturday.’ That is mainly it.”
What can followers anticipate on the upcoming ultimate reveals?
Orlando: “1,000% of my coronary heart – to indicate my thanks, to all of the assist they’ve given me for 64 unbelievable years. This has been a dream journey, man. I began once I was 16 years outdated. My first hit was with Carole King [and Gerry Goffin] – it was her first hit, as properly – known as ‘Midway to Paradise.’ After which Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil – 4 legendary writers, with Carole and Gerry – they received Academy Awards, they’re within the Rock and Roll Corridor of Fame. And we began out as youngsters in 1961 – with Don Kirshner. It has been an unimaginable, unbelievable dream come true.”
“I by no means noticed highschool – I am an eighth grader. My palate has tasted the meals of 36 international locations. I have been capable of work for 9 presidents, I’ve had my very own tv community present on CBS within the ’70s. A present – by the best way – we have been the primary multiracial group to ever have a primetime tv present. 36 million folks watching us each Wednesday. Thousands and thousands of information we have offered. So, all of the goals got here true.”
“And to have the ability to say goodbye at Mohegan Solar in Connecticut – which is my favourite venue. I am ending there as a result of it is my household. I have been working that resort since they began in 1998. So, it’ll be fantastic. 12,000-seats, enjoyable, stuffed with performers who’ve been my pals for a few years – from Priscilla Presley to Frankie Valli who’re coming, to David Pack of Ambrosia. I am trying ahead to a fantastic celebration of a blessed life – each by God and by the general public.”
Which songs are your favourite to carry out?
Orlando: “I haven’t got a favourite music to carry out. My ‘music’ is your complete present. I take pleasure in doing your complete present – there is not any one music that’s my favourite.”
What have been your preliminary impressions of “Tie a Yellow Ribbon Around the Ole Oak Tree,” and did you’ve gotten any concept it will grow to be so profitable?
Orlando: “No, it is like each music you go into the studio. Y’know, the women and I – Tony Orlando and Daybreak – have 5 #1 information. They have been ‘Candida,’ ‘Knock Three Instances,’ ‘Tie a Yellow Ribbon Around the Ole Oak Tree,’ ‘Say, Has Anyone Seen My Candy Gypsy Rose,’ and ‘He Do not Love You (Like I Love You).’ Every a type of periods, you do not stroll in, ‘Oh, I am chopping a success.’ You stroll in going, ‘I need to make a fantastic report. I need to make a fantastic product.’ And that takes care of itself. I went in pondering, ‘Wherever it takes me, it takes me.'”
“That report, ‘Tie a Yellow Ribbon,’ I first carried out it to welcome house our POW’s from Vietnam on the Cotton Bowl with Bob Hope in 1973. After which, welcomed house our hostages from Iran after 444 days – the yellow ribbon was tied across the area shuttle to welcome them house. Superb. After which, it was the theme or the brand that led Desert Storm troops in that struggle – they got here house to yellow ribbons. Then in Iraq and Afghanistan, the identical. Then, as this struggle is preceded in Israel, proper now in Jerusalem they’re sporting yellow ribbons in honor and hoping in prayer that these hostages come house. And that is all as a result of I walked right into a studio on a wet afternoon in New York Metropolis. Who knew?”
“Should you go to Hong Kong proper now, they’re preventing for his or her democracy – their theme music is ‘Yellow Ribbon’ and their brand is a yellow ribbon. Should you go to Singapore, the yellow ribbon is used as a welcoming house for prisoners who’re coming house. So, anyone who has served in army, that music grew to become a freedom anthem, a welcoming house anthem – reached means past a success report. Did I ever have the thought that may occur?”
“And you realize what? It is allowed me to work for our army – due to that music popping out in 1973 and welcoming house our POW’s – I made a decision to dedicate my life as a performer to elevating cash for veterans. And due to ‘Yellow Ribbon,’ they inform me it is properly over $100 million that has been raised on behalf of our veterans since 1973. That reaches a degree that goes past any expectation.”
And what about “Knock Three Instances”?
Orlando: “‘Knock Three Instances’ is the largest promoting report I’ve ever had. ‘Yellow Ribbon’ in its preliminary launch did two million information. ‘Knock Three Instances’ in its preliminary launch did 4 million information. So, ‘Knock Three Instances’ has been a tremendous hit for me. One that every era has picked up as their very own. As an illustration, it was in a film known as Now and Then – younger ladies had that film as a part of their ‘backpack,’ so to talk. That music was written by the identical writers who wrote ‘Yellow Ribbon’ – L. Russell Brown and Irwin Levine. They wrote our hits. What Burt Bacharach was wish to Dionne Warwick, they have been to us. I owe them a lot. As a result of they have been the songwriters.”
In 1973, you started headlining in Vegas. What do you recall about that period in Vegas, and the way does it evaluate to right this moment?
Orlando: “Once I got here to Vegas, the headliners have been the Rat Pack. So, they have been my pals – I grew to become pals with Frank, Sammy, and Jerry. I hosted the Jerry Lewis Telethon for 33 years. So, that was Vegas. They have been Vegas. Don Rickles was Vegas. I discovered myself in that crowd. Superb time in Vegas it was. As a result of Vegas, I did not notice within the late ’60s and early ’70s it was booming – to grow to be the Vegas that you realize now.”
“The Vegas that you realize now could be one thing that can not be described. It is a hundred occasions extra thrilling – extra buildings, extra reveals. Like, when Steve Wynn introduced in Cirque du Soleil, that was an $80 million present. An $80 million expense to place that present on. You did not have somebody like Criss Angel – who sells out each present, and has for the final 13 years. An unbelievable profession he is had there.”
“You had the Tremendous Bowl this week. You have a look at the stadium, Allegiant Stadium…once I was right here, there was no sports activities city. There was sports activities betting, however there was no sports activities city. Now, you’ve gotten the Raiders, the Tremendous Bowl, the NHL Workforce the Knights, and now you’ve gotten the Athletics coming in from Oakland as a baseball staff.”
“So, Vegas has grow to be – I imagine – the sports activities capital of the world now. Why? If the Tremendous Bowl involves a city wherever within the nation, it is like, ‘Whoa! We have the Tremendous Bowl!’ When the Tremendous Bowl involves Vegas, it equals out. The joy is each for the town and for that occasion. It is one of many few occasions you will ever see the Tremendous Bowl meet a metropolis that is as well-known and conscious of the world as Vegas. So, Vegas is on a distinct platform right this moment than it was once I began.”
“Bear in mind, once I began, the Hilton Lodge – the place I labored – was the place Elvis labored. I used to be there for ten years. And in that resort now, I look again on it and I feel, ‘Viva Las Vegas’ actually rebirthed his profession. In that constructing.’ And I had the privilege of working the identical stage as him. So, from Sinatra to Presley to the Tremendous Bowl, you possibly can’t ask for higher.”
Who have been a few of your favourite company on the Tony Orlando and Daybreak Present?
Orlando: “It is fascinating, as a result of we had everyone on that present you possibly can presumably identify. However the ones that reoccurred that have been my favorites, was a comic named Ruth Buzzi. She was a part of a present known as Giggle-In, and he or she was a hysterical, genius, Chaplin-like comic. She was superb. Additionally, she was the one that you just noticed on The Dean Martin Roast. She was certainly one of my favourite folks.”
“After which Phyllis Diller – who additionally was a comic again then. Should you look on YouTube, there’s a fantastic scene along with her, the place I got here to welcome her and I grabbed her in my arm, and her wig acquired caught in my cuff hyperlink. Once I pulled my arm away…off got here the wig! And poor Phyllis was left with nothing. She was actually bald. I used to be so embarrassed – you possibly can hear me say, ‘I will minimize this out. I promise.’ And he or she says, ‘No! You possibly can’t minimize this out! That is the funniest giggle we’ll ever get!’ These are the varieties of individuals I had the pleasure of working with.”
“After which in fact, Jerry Lewis – who I idolized as a child rising up. And have become pals with him due to his look on my present in 1976. After which he gave me the respect of co-hosting the Telethon with him and Sammy Davis Jr. for 30 years.”
What do you attribute to the recognition of TV selection reveals within the ’70s?
Orlando: “Bear in mind, there have been solely three networks. There was no Cable. There was CBS, ABC, and NBC. That was it. So, it was a pure time for what I might name extra of a vaudevillian kind of comedy and sketches – that was utilized to my present, The Carol Burnett Present, and The Sonny and Cher Present. All of us had these comparable type of comedy sketches. After all, so did Saturday Evening Stay, which got here in on the identical time – they have been simply being born.”
“At this time, tv does not have that type of selection – aside from Saturday Evening Stay. And what took its place are reveals like The Masked Singer, American Idol, The Voice. That is the range reveals right this moment. So music and comedy have been a pure match for prime time tv. I am very proud that I used to be a part of a time in tv that was a trailblazing time. As a result of when Telma [Hopkins], Joyce [Vincent], and I – Tony Orlando and Daybreak – went on the air, we have been the primary and solely multiracial singing group to ever personal a chief time tv present. And by the best way – it is nonetheless that approach to today.”
You have been a detailed pal of Freddie Prinze. What was he actually like?
Orlando: “Freddie was probably the most unimaginable comedic expertise to return upon this enterprise. And he solely was within the enterprise for 2 years. I am having fun with my sixty fourth yr. And he was my ‘youthful brother.’ He was from Washington Heights in New York, I used to be from Chelsea in New York. He was from a Hungarian/Puerto Rican household, I used to be from a Greek/Puerto Rican household. We each understood the identical dinners that we had, we understood the identical meals we had. And I misplaced an excellent younger brother – he was ten years youthful than me.”
“However think about this – this can be a younger man that had two years on this enterprise, they usually nonetheless bear in mind him. Identical to you probably did. Freddie was means forward of his time. Freddie – on the age of 20/21 – hosted The Tonight Present. That claims all of it. Once we did The Dean Martin Roast collectively, we have been like two brothers on that present – in awe of the truth that we have been there with all these nice stars. We have been simply younger youngsters. Freddie was a comedic genius – he actually was. An excellent loss to indicate enterprise and to the general public.”
You additionally host Saturday Nights with Tony Orlando. How do you want working in radio?
Orlando: “I’ve all the time wished to work in radio. It is humorous, in all of the years on this enterprise, you spend a whole lot of time on radio. And I bear in mind one yr I used to be requested to return on WABC or WCBS with Bruce Morrow, and do 5 hours – changing him for an evening. And I believed, ‘Man, this could be nice to do.’ By no means pondering that sometime I might be doing it.”
“What occurred was I acquired a name from the homeowners of WABC radio throughout the pandemic, they usually stated, ‘Would you wish to a two-hour radio present for me?’ John Catsimatidis who owns the station is an outdated pal of mine. And I stated, ‘I will do no matter you need.’ By no means pondering it will transcend that point. I believed I used to be doing him a favor – to be sincere with you.”
“Then I began doing the present, and I began creating theme reveals – I began creating reveals that have been kind of documentaries about my pals who I’ve had on as company. Like Clive Davis – I did 4 hours with Clive. It was actually fascinating, introspective looking for how Clive discovered and nurtured all these nice stars at Columbia Data. And I had an opportunity to work with him as his vp earlier than I had hits as a performer. I ran the music division for Clive – I signed Barry Manilow and represented James Taylor and Blood, Sweat & Tears. So, I had a fantastic run with him.”
“However radio permits me to do two issues. Play nice music, play music from all genres, from all a long time, even now. And likewise, interview a few of these nice performers that I’ve developed friendships with. So, it has been a joyful trip. And I hope it continues. I am having fun with that. I do it from house with my brother David, and it is grow to be an enormous hit – so I am very joyful. I take pleasure in radio very a lot. To make use of an outdated expression, it is ‘the theater of the thoughts.’ So, you create imaginative and prescient for folks. You create ‘seems to be’ of their heads, hopefully. And the response will let you know whether or not you succeeded or not. It is nice.”
You latterly had Paul Stanley of Kiss on as a visitor. Are you pals with Paul?
Orlando: “I’m. My supervisor, Susan Maneo, was a vp of Casablanca Data. And this was earlier than she managed me – she additionally managed Donna Summer season‘s profession. And I met Paul with Gene Simmons within the ’70s – after they began. After which he grew to become very shut pals to a younger man that is sort of a son to me – and that is Criss Angel. So, Criss Angel and Paul are very tight, very shut. We acquired collectively in the future at his birthday celebration, and Paul stated, ‘When am I doing all your radio present? What are you ready for?!’ He is an excellent man. And I like his soul album, Soul Station: Now and Then. Once I performed cuts from that, the response from the viewers was unbelievable.”
“The identical factor with Bruce Springsteen and his album, Solely the Sturdy Survive – one other album very like Paul’s album. Paying tribute to the individuals who impressed them. I used to be simply inducted into the New Jersey Corridor of Fame, and Clive and Dionne Warwick had me are available in. So, Bruce comes as much as me singing my first hit report, ‘Midway to Paradise.’ I stated, ‘Hey! You understand this music?’ He goes, ‘Tony, come on. We grew up on that music. 1961. ‘Midway to Paradise’.’ It thrilled my soul that he and all these guys know that music.”
Future plans?
Orlando: “I need to flex my writing muscle. It is a part of the inventive juices that I’ve, that I’ve not paid a lot consideration to – though I wrote a whole lot of the sketches on the TV present together with the comedy writers. I’ve written a few films, scripts for movie. I had fun making That is My Boy with Adam Sandler. I had fun making that film with Adam.”
“So, I would wish to unfold my wings extra within the writing aspect of my expertise – which I’ve not paid as a lot consideration to, as a result of it actually conjures up me and excites me once I end a chunk of product. Whether or not it’s a guide, a novel, a play, a Broadway present, or a music. And that is the place I need to spend my time.”
For more information, go to Tony’s official website.
