MORGANTOWN — MORGANTOWN — No entertainer can move and excite an audience like Tony Orlando. One of America’s most endearing and enduring stars. Tony and America celebrated the 34th anniversary of his recording of “Tie A Yellow Ribbon ‘Round The Ole Oak Tree.”
Orlando will kick off the summer season for West Virginia Public Theatre’s 25th anniversary at 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 15, at Chestnut Ridge Community Church Threatre, 2223 Cheat Road, Morgantown.
Tony brings to the stage a warmth and exhilarating energy that electrifies an audience. From million selling records (five number one hits). a popular television variety series, movies and Broadway (Barnum and Smokey Joe’s Cafe). Tony Orlando has conquered every facet of show business.
Through no plans of his own, Tony was coaxed into putting his voice on a demo record for a song titled “Candida” for his friends Hank Medress and Dave Appall at Bell Records. The record was released under the name of the promotion director’s daughter, Dawn.
“I think it is really the rule of show business that every big break you get you get you back into it without knowing it at the time. A few weeks after recording ‘Candida’ I had forgotten all about it. And then Hank Medress calls me and says, ‘Hey, man, we’ve got a hit!’ The crazy thing was the song kept climbing the charts till it hit number one,” says Orlando.
Hoping lightning would strike again, Medress had Orlando record “Knock Three Times.”
The song not only became number one, it was the top song of 1971 selling over 6 million copies worldwide. The immense popularity of the song is still evident today. Tony’s recording of the song was featured in the hit movie “Now and Then.”
Realizing it was probably safe to give up his successful career as one of the youngest vice-presidents at CBS Records, heading their April-Blackwood music label, Tony decided to jump full force into what was already a meteoric rise to the top. Along with Telma Hopkins and Joyce Vincent Wilson, Tony Orlando and Dawn became an international sensation.
Orlando, born and raised in New York City, began hitting the national charts at the age of 16 with Halfway to Paradise and Bless You as the first vocal artist to sign with Epic Records. He later routed his musical career to the nonperformance side and became one of the youngest vice-presidents for CBS Records, heading their April-Blackwood music label.
In 1973, he recorded “Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round The Ole Oak Tree.” The song was number one for the year, became Orlando’s theme song and grew into an American anthem of hope and homecoming, reunion and renewal.
The yellow ribbon has welcomed home POWs from Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam, the hostages from Iran and the troops from Desert Storm. Veterans are honored each Veterans Day, in Branson with the Tony Orlando Yellow Ribbon Salute to Veterans. This is a specially produced extravaganza which is free to veterans and their families. As part of this salute to vets, Tony presents the Yellow Ribbon Medal of Freedom. Past recipients have included Bob Hope, former POW Major Stephen Long, BoxCar Willie and Connie Stevens. In 1999 the Eisenhower family, represented by Mary Eisenhower, granddaughter to President Dwight D. Eisenhower, received the Yellow Ribbon Medal of Freedom.
Orlando then set his sights on television which resulted in his highly rated weekly variety series on CBS. Breaking new ground, it was the first multi-ethnic variety show on television. Orlando, of Hispanic and Greek origins, and Hopkins and Wilson, African Americans, were an instant hit. The show, which ran for four seasons from (1974-76), welcomed the biggest names in show business each week as Tony’s guests, including his boyhood idols, Jackie Gleason and Jerry Lewis.
The friendship forged by Orlando and Lewis was a strong one. Tony has guested on Jerry’s Labor Day Telethon for 25 years, nine of those as the New York host. Orlando and Lewis also teamed for a series of shows in the early 1990s, taking the stage at the Las Vegas Hilton and Riviera hotels. Only two other entertainers share the distinction of performing with Lewis: Dean Martin and Sammy Davis, Jr.
Orlando is a popular headliner in Las Vegas, Atlantic City, Reno, Biloxi and Laughlin. And, he maintains a touring schedule with appearances performing arts centers around the country.
He has been a recipient of three American Music Awards and a People’s Choice Award. For outstanding achievements to the entertainment industry, Tony was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1990.
He was one of the first entertainers to be featured as a subject of VH1’s “Behind the Music” in 1998. The episode continues to be aired and received one of the network’s highest ratings for the series.
Since 1993, Orlando has been a resident of Branson, Mo., where he has performed more than 2,000 shows. His current performing home in Branson is The Osmond Family Theatre. Tony has been named Branson’s Entertainer and Vocalist of the Year.
For ticket information, call WVPT at 304-291-4117.
Ticket
May 7, 2009
Tony Orlando kicks off WVPT summer season May 15
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Listen to the music playing in your head
Summer is the perfect time for outdoor concerts. And North Central West Virginia is conveniently located amid the many venues that offer music ranging from country to pop to rock and more.
The following is a list of concerts scheduled throughout the summer in the area. -
TRF: three days of excitement
Whether you like country, pop or magic, you will enjoy the entertainment at this year's Three Rivers Festival.
From now through Saturday night, Palatine Park will be a hub of music, laughter and excitement at the 30th annual festival.
The following entertainment will take place at the Palatine Park Main Stage and is free of charge. -
Town & Gown Players set summer productions
The play’s the thing this summer, courtesy of the FSU School of Fine Arts and Town & Gown Players.
• “Always, Patsy Cline” will be presented at 8 p.m. May 30-31 and June 4-6, 12-13 at the Pricketts Fort State Park Amphitheatre.
Directed by Troy Snyder, this is the story of the friendship between Houston housewife Louise Seger and legendary country singer Patsy Cline. - Fairmont filmmaker part of ‘Faces of Schlock’ premiere in Morgantown The Warner Theatre in Morgantown will host the world premiere screening of “Faces of Schlock” at midnight Saturday. The film is a horror-comedy anthology, featuring four different short films from horror directors from four different states, including West Virginia filmmaker Justin Channell, Henrique Couto (Ohio), Chris LaMartina (Maryland) and Andrew Shearer (Georgia).
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Tony Orlando kicks off WVPT summer season May 15
No entertainer can move and excite an audience like Tony Orlando. One of America’s most endearing and enduring stars. Tony and America celebrated the 34th anniversary of his recording of “Tie A Yellow Ribbon ‘Round The Ole Oak Tree.”
Orlando will kick off the summer season for West Virginia Public Theatre’s 25th anniversary at 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 15, at Chestnut Ridge Community Church Threatre, 2223 Cheat Road, Morgantown. -
Mountain Lakes Amphitheater has music for you this summer
If you like country, bluegrass or gospel music, Mountain Lakes Amphitheater has what you want.
The entertainment complex, located in Sutton, kicks off its 2009 concert season.
• May 9: Country star Randy Travis at 7 p.m. Opening act is The Davisson Brothers. Advance tickets are $35. -
‘Rat Pack Is Back’ goes beyond cool at the CAC
The Rat Pack — Sammy Davis Jr., Joey Bishop, Dean Martin and “the chairman of the board” Frank Sinatra — was the ultimate in cool and hip. In the 1960s, the four sang, bantered and joked their way on stages in Vegas and around the world.
The “swingin’ and swaggerin’ of old Las Vegas nightlife” is coming to Morgantown when “The Rat Pack is Back: The Tribute to Frank, Sammy, Joey and Dean” hits the West Virginia University Creative Arts Center stage. -
Memories of Number 9
A play to be performed at Fairmont State will explore the memories and effects of the 1968 Farmington Number Nine mine disaster.
“Stories from the Farmington Mine Disaster,” a devised performance piece, will be presented May 1-2 and 7-9 at 7:30 p.m. and May 3 at 2 p.m. in Room 314 of Wallman Hall. -
‘So you want to be your own ...’
Building your dream house should not be a nightmare.
Fairmont native Dave Rudy has written a book — inspired by his own experiences — on how to have your house built. from deciding what style and where to build to what to build with to financing to even legal recourse. -
Come and listen to a story
Looking for something different to do this weekend?
Come listen to some blues. Listen to some stories.
The West Virginia Blues Society is holding a “Blues Night Out” Saturday at Christopher’s Banquet & Conference Center, 104 Van Kirk Drive, Fairmont. - More Ticket Headlines
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