Columnist Joe Delaney: The ups and downs of Orlando’s singing career

Joe Delaney

Friday, Aug. 31, 2001 | 9:12 a.m.

Joe Delaney's column appears on thursdays and Fridays. Reach him at 259-4066 or joe@lasvegassun.com

Tony Orlando, as an entertainer, is one of the best party hosts in show business when it comes to involving an entire audience ... Party time starts at 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, in the Riviera's Royale Pavilion ... Starting his fifth decade as a performer, Orlando was 16 in 1960 when record producer Don Kirshner teamed him with songwriter-singer Carole King.

Orlando was hanging around the Brill Building, 1619 Broadway in New York City, with other vocal hopefuls such as King and Neil Diamond, performing on demonstration records of new songs for music publishers, most of whom had their offices in the Brill Building ... King, best known for her "Tapestry" album, wrote Orlando's first hit, "Halfway to Paradise."

Kirshner sold his company to Screen Gems, and Orlando was let go ... He worked as a record promoter for a few years and in 1967 became general professional manager of April-Blackwood Music, the publishing arm of Columbia Records, now Sony ... While there, he was responsible for signing a number of songwriters, including Barry Manilow and James Taylor.

His weight at that time was 276 pounds ... Clive Davis, an attorney, was the new president of Columbia Records ... He called Orlando into his office and told him to lose the extra weight if he wanted a career in the music business ... Orlando did so just in time ... Hank Medress, record producer at Bell Records, had a demo record by a girl duo.

Medress, a good friend, called Orlando to suggest someone to add a male vocal lead on the duo's demo ... Orlando sang the vocal himself ... The result was "Candida," a hit, quickly followed by "Knock Three Times," a bigger hit ... The record label credit simply read "Dawn" ... It was time for Orlando to leave April-Blackwood Music.

As Tony Orlando and Dawn, with full credit to the two female singers, Telma Hopkins and Joyce Wilson, the trio hit pay dirt in 1973 with "Tie a Yellow Ribbon 'Round the Old Oak Tree," the best-selling single that year ... In 1981 the song became a hit again as a theme song for the hostages returned from Iran and for similar occasions since.

In the early 1970s the LV Hilton had a large lounge, really an enclosed mini-showroom, with three acts -- comedian Redd Foxx, before "Sanford & Son," Kenny Rogers and the First Edition and Tony Orlando and Dawn ... Both groups were hot but not yet a factor in Las Vegas ... Foxx did more business each show than the two groups combined.

In the 1970s and 1980s Orlando, on his own, was a headliner at numerous hotels with especially strong stands at the Riviera and LV Hilton ... For most of the 1990s Orlando had his own Yellow Ribbon Theatre in Branson, Mo. ... He still lives there but knows that one can get "lost" if they work in Branson year-round so he's back on the road ... Party with Tony this weekend.

Weekend wrap-up

Belated birthday bests to Peggy Ryan, 77 years young this past Tuesday ... Members of her TNT Dancers and other groups had a dinner party in her honor Thursday in the Tivoli Gardens at the Liberace Museum Center ... Ryan still dances with her groups for various local events and occasionally performs with them in Phoenix and Los Angeles as well.

We remember fondly her films with Donald O'Connor ... She is an incredible person as well ... Many more, Peggy, all healthy, all happy.

The sixth annual Old Time Reunion Party is set for Oct. 7 in the Stardust Convention Area ... The price remains $35 for the dinner and no-host drinks ... It is one of our best events of the year for those in the area 30 years or more ... Call 382-6336 ... See you next Thursday.