| Orlando's first hit, 1961's "Halfway To Paradise," was written for him by Carole King, who also authored the Top 20 follow-up, "Bless You." However, after scoring a minor chart entry with "Happy Times (Are Here to Stay)," his career ground to a halt. He then moved into the publishing arm of the industry for the remainder of the 1960's heading April-Blackwood Music. In early 1970, Orlando received a call from Bell Records producer Hank Medress requesting that he lay down a lead vocal over a demo recorded by a Detroit-based act called Dawn. The duo, consisting of vocalists Telma Hopkins and Joyce Vincent, never even met Orlando until well after the record, "Candida," became a massive hit, rising to number three on the singles charts. Orlando quickly agreed to cut another record with Dawn, nonetheless adamantly insisting on keeping his day job; titled "Knock Three Times," the single topped the charts in early 1971, and finally he returned to music full-time, signing with Bell and going on tour under the banner of Dawn, Featuring Tony Orlando. Released in 1973, "Tie A Yellow Ribbon" became Orlando's biggest hit yet, and was named the top-selling single of the year. After a string of successful pop singles the group's popularity began to slip, although they enjoyed considerable success with their CBS television variety series. However, in July 1977, Orlando — reeling from the recent deaths of his sister and his close friend Freddie Prinze, as well as mounting drug problems — announced his retirement, giving up showbiz in the name of Christianity. He rebounded in 1978 with a 12" single of "Don't Let Go" that took clubgoers by surprise and gave him a modest hit. The following year he moved to Casablanca Records and attempted to score another disco hit with the 12" single of "They're Playing Our Song." Obviously released to capitalize on the Broadway run of the show, they would have done better to release his version of the Donna Summer hit "I Remember Yesterday." With the death of disco Tony's career was limited to the oldies circuit and Vegas lounges for the remainder of the 1980's and most of the 1990's. In the latter part of the decade he became the latest in a long line of celebrities to open a theater in the tourist community of Branson, Missouri, founding the Tony Orlando Yellow Ribbon Music Theater with the promise to play some 200 dates there annually. |
