It’s been 30 short years since Tony Orlando’s hit record “Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree” topped the charts, selling six million copies worldwide.
He had four other No. 1 hits: “Knock Three Times,” “Candida,” “My Sweet Gypsy Rose” and “He Don’t Love You (Like I Love You).”
Along with Telma Hopkins and Joyce Vincent Wilson, Tony Orlando and Dawn became an international sensation.
Orlando has lived in Branson, Mo. with his wife, Jenny, since 1993. The couple lived in Beverly Hills and Brentwood for many years, but rarely ventured to Malibu — just to Gladstones if they wanted fish for dinner.
“Here’s a funny thing, in all the years I lived in Brentwood where I was a stone’s throw away, I didn’t appreciate Malibu until I moved to Branson. My wife and I brought our daughter, Jenny, to Malibu every year for our summer vacation. And my son, Jon. We stayed in a little bungalow on the beach. We loved it there. It was part of Casa Malibu, next to where Nobu is now,” Orlando said. Jon Orlando still lives in Los Angeles.
One of America’s most endearing and enduring performers, Tony Orlando has been entertaining audiences around the world for a staggering 54 years, and shows no sign of letting up. He has also raised hundreds of millions of dollars for worthy causes.
He’s bringing his six-piece band to the Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills on Sunday, Aug. 16 to raise money for The Temple of the Arts and Broadcast to the Homebound. Orlando’s proudest achievements in an extraordinary career are raising money for America’s veterans and co-hosting the Jerry Lewis telethon for 30 years.
Speaking exclusively to The Malibu Times, Orlando said, “If a performer has been around as long as me and doesn’t give back to show how grateful he is, then they’re not worth much.”
Orlando has received three American Music awards and a People’s Choice award. He has played to packed arenas for five presidents and was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1990 for outstanding achievements in the entertainment industry.
“I remember my mom saying she couldn’t believe her son had a home in Beverly Hills and a star on the Walk of Fame. I came from Hell’s Kitchen, New York. It was nothing like Beverly Hills,” Orlando shared.
Although they no longer tour together, Orlando is still great friends with the members of Dawn.
“We’re still very close,” Orlando shared. “They both live in Los Angeles. Telma is the longest-running sitcom actress in history and Joyce goes on the road as a Supreme. They have never stopped working.”
While Orlando is a Christian, he has a great love for the Jewish people and their traditions, and is happy to help raise funds for The Temple of the Arts in Beverly Hills. Just back from a trip to Israel, he said, “My father married a Jewish woman. He’s buried in The Star of David Cemetery in Florida — the only non-Jew buried there. My father spoke perfect Yiddish. My brother, David, who’s in the band, has been bar mitzvahed.”
The band has been touring the world together for 16 years and includes Toni Wine, who co-wrote “Candida” and “A Groovy Kind of Love” (covered by Phil Collins). Wine has been working and touring with Orlando for all of his 54 years in show business.
“We have a great time touring. We’re very much a family,” Orlando said. Orlando was one of the youngest vice presidents at CBS Records, heading their April-Blackwood music label before deciding to jump full force into what was already a meteoric rise to the top.
When it comes to the music industry, Orlando doesn’t think it’s dead. “There are always adjustments — the end of LPs, then CDs,” Orlando explained. “Now it’s downloading. Try getting a ticket to a Taylor Swift concert. Music will never die.”
Orlando hopes Malibu residents will come to his show at the Saban Theatre.
“I’m looking forward to seeing some old friends and making some new ones,” he said.
For tickets to see Tony Orlando and Yakov Smirnoff at the Saban Theatre, visit sabantheatre.org.
