Tony Orlando

Tony Orlando is a celebrated pop and rock singer, songwriter, and music executive known for his decades-long career and iconic hits, offering a rich history of entertainment experience. After achieving early solo success with the charting singles ‘Bless You’ and ‘Halfway To Paradise’ in 1961, Tony Orlando embarked on a multi-faceted career that spanned performance and executive leadership. He began his musical journey by forming the doo-wop group The Five Gents in 1959. Orlando then transitioned into a significant executive role during the late 1960s, serving as general manager at Columbia Records and later as vice president at CBS Music.

The group evolved into ‘Tony Orlando and Dawn,’ featuring Telma Hopkins and Joyce Vincent Wilson, releasing the iconic ‘Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree’ in 1973, which was the top-selling hit of the year and remains one of the biggest-selling singles of all time. They continued their streak with the hit ‘He Don’t Love You (Like I Love You)’ in 1975, and from 1974 to 1976, Orlando and Dawn hosted their eponymous variety program, ‘The Tony Orlando and Dawn Show,’ on CBS. Following the group’s disbandment in 1977, Orlando launched a successful solo career, headlining various prestigious Las Vegas hotels. He expanded into acting, appearing in the TV series ‘Chico and the Man’ (1976), starring in the television movie ‘300 Miles For Stephanie’ (1981), and making his Broadway debut in ‘Barnum’ (1981).

Since 2020, Orlando has hosted a popular Saturday night oldies program for WABC Radio. After an illustrious sixty-four-year touring career, he retired in 2024 to focus on new ventures in film, Broadway, and writing.