00:00 Hi everybody, this is Tony Orlando and you're watching Life Minute TV.
00:04 He's a legend, a gentleman and loved by all who know him and after six decades singer-songwriter and master entertainer
00:15 Tony Orlando has recently hung up his live performance hat. A retirement? Heck no!
00:20 The icon is just putting the brakes on touring but has big plans in the works to exercise his impeccable writing chops
00:27 And you can still hear him on Saturday nights too. He currently hosts his own radio show on 77 WABC
00:33 We were so fortunate to have him grace the Life Minute Studios last month just before his 80th birthday
00:39 To celebrate a remarkable career and an even more remarkable human being. This is a Life Minute with the incomparable Tony Orlando
00:48 My first hit record came out 64 years ago
00:53 1961 most people think it was with Dawn but way before that in 1961 Carole King and I
01:00 She wrote a song with her husband called halfway to paradise went to number one for me here in New York, but it went top 10
01:06 nationally
01:09 64 years ago
01:11 I'm 79 years old. I
01:13 Saw Elton retired. I saw Kenny Loggins retired. I saw Bill Medley retired
01:20 I saw Gladys Knight retired
01:23 I saw the Oak Ridge boys retired. I said there must be something to this and here's what the something is
01:30 we can still hit the ball we just can't run the bases and
01:34 Basically what that means is
01:38 in order to do shows
01:40 Travel is a component
01:43 Sound checks are a component
01:45 Cancellations at airports are definitely a component
01:50 delays are component bus travel is a component and it's gotten to the point now where it's
01:57 Way above the opportunity to do the shows
02:03 Also
02:07 the cost of an airline a
02:09 Ticket for each one of my musicians is almost $2,000 a person
02:13 the cost of a room
02:15 Just like all of us have costs that's gone up
02:19 So and then you say, okay, what's the reality here? The reality is the audience is shrinking. They're getting older
02:25 It's time for the younger guys to take over and after
02:29 64 years journey of a dream that started on a rooftop here in New York City on
02:35 21st Street
02:37 You know what you do you thank the audience for their love and support and you thank God
02:43 Music is a tool
02:47 You know, there's no boundaries there's no borders when it comes to music
02:51 My palate has tasted the foods of 14 different countries
02:56 The song yellow ribbon has been part of many countries as a theme song
03:03 If you go to the Philippines
03:12 it was
03:14 part of their
03:15 culture now because when
03:17 President Keno's husband was shot on the tarmac by some terrorists. They adopted the song as their homecoming
03:24 The same thing in Singapore the same thing in Hong Kong right now as they're declaring their democracy right now
03:31 They're playing that tie a yellow ribbon record right now the same in Israel right now
03:36 They're wearing yellow ribbons and hope that the American and Israeli hostages come home
03:40 so
03:42 You know when you're part of something like that
03:45 and it allows you to be the host of a must for just if you tell father 33 years and
03:50 Then you are able to raise hundreds of million dollars for veterans and the veterans needs you realize
03:58 that having success or recognition of some kind if you don't pay back if you don't give it back
04:06 It's not worthy of you
04:08 That's just my belief. The first time I ever sang yellow ribbon was to welcome home the POWs
04:15 from Vietnam Cambodia Laos
04:17 1973 I got a call from Bob Hope
04:20 To come to the Cotton Bowl and sing that song now. I can tell you that the song was only out for about a month
04:26 Wasn't the number one record yet?
04:28 But he had this instinct and he knew and so we opened a show for him to welcome those POWs home
04:34 changed my life I
04:38 Remember
04:40 singing this song
04:42 50,000 people sing in the chorus tie a yellow ribbon
04:45 500 plus the bravest men I ever faced at that time in my life our POWs from Vietnam Cambodia lies
04:53 Their eyes hadn't even adjusted to daylight yet. They were tortured terribly
04:58 And I remember there was one
05:00 POW
05:02 That wasn't clapping and wasn't singing and he was looking at his shoes
05:07 Sadly
05:10 Was driving me crazy
05:12 So I went to Bob Hope. I said, did you see that?
05:14 POW did you did I say anything to upset him? He's a go ask him Tony
05:21 So I walk up to this gentleman and I said sir. I thank you for your service. I said
05:28 Welcome home
05:31 My name is Tony Orlando, I sang that song tie a yellow ribbon around the old oak tree
05:36 You were the only one not clapping your hands
05:39 Looking down. Did I say anything to upset you? He said Oh
05:42 Tony let me introduce myself to you. My name is John McCain
05:48 They pulled my shoulder out of sockets. Then they broke my wrists in prison. I
05:54 Couldn't clap my hands. But what you didn't realize was I was looking down at my big toe keeping time to your song
06:02 Moments like that
06:07 Make you realize what a blessing a career area is in our business
06:13 The awards you get end up as doorstops
06:16 Basically and
06:20 They end up with things in your closet that people go. When did you get that one?
06:24 But those wonderful pieces that you can contribute to that's really the award is to give I
06:32 Started auditioning by going to the Brill building
06:37 top floor
06:39 Walking my way down in any office that said record company on it
06:43 I would walk in and play my guitar and sing my song. I
06:46 Kept going going no one signed me. I went across the street
06:51 to a building called
06:53 1650 Broadway, which by the way is the other Brill building and I finally stopped on the sixth floor
07:02 Because someone said the guy in that office knows Bobby Darin and he was my idol the guy they were talking about
07:09 was Don Kirshner I
07:11 Go in and Kirsten says play me a song
07:14 And I play him a song
07:18 And he says I'm gonna introduce you to two new writers I have we're gonna make records together
07:24 And he brings in a young lady 18 year old Carole King
07:28 with her husband Jerry Goffin
07:32 And he says Carol
07:34 Play Tony this song. I do you just wrote I think it'd be great for him and she plays will you still love me tomorrow?
07:40 And I look at Donnie and I go
07:44 You are you saying?
07:47 That's gonna be a record of mine
07:49 That song
07:51 Goes, yeah
07:53 When he says, yeah
07:55 Jerry Goffin her husband said forgive me Tony
07:59 Donnie Tony can't cut this song
08:01 Tony says what do you mean? Why not? He goes Tony. It's a girl song
08:08 Tonight with words unspoken you say that I'm the only one
08:13 But will my heart be broken when the night meets the morning Sun is this a lasting treasure or just a moment's pleasure?
08:19 Can I believe the magic of your size? Will you still love me tomorrow?
08:23 No, fifth 16 year old boy says that to a girl
08:28 And he was right because no male singer
08:31 Ever since the Shirelles record ever had a hit with it and the closest that came was the Bee Gees
08:38 Which is a magnificent version of it. That wasn't released because Barry Gibbs said you know why?
08:44 It's a girl song
08:56 I always knew from a motion picture called singing in the rain with Gene Kelly
08:59 I remember walking out of the RKO theater on 23rd Street and 8th Avenue
09:04 And it was raining that same day
09:14 And I thought to myself I'm the only kid in the neighborhood with one wet left foot
09:20 Because I was doing that dance going all the way home
09:23 I'm singing in the rain, and that's what I knew this is what I want to do my grandfather
09:29 Was the first trumpet player in the Desi Arnaz Orchestra
09:33 And he opened the coconut grove here in New York
09:36 And he was the head of local musicians for Latin musicians here in New York local 802 so it was in my home
09:43 Music was always in my home haven't I been lucky 64 years I?
09:48 also think back I
09:51 Hung out with the Rat Pack. I worked the same stakes of Sinatra. I hung out the sandwich Sammy
09:57 I did the telephone with Jerry. I was there with Dean Martin me
10:02 Really you know when Jerry before Jerry passed away
10:08 Sammy had cancer throat cancer, and they were doing touring together
10:16 Well Sammy couldn't do it anymore, so Jerry called me, and he said would you take Sammy's place you check this out?
10:23 I'm taking Sammy Davis's place
10:27 working with Jerry Lewis and
10:30 Jerry says to me you do realize
10:33 There's only three guys. I ever worked with Dean Sammy and you
10:39 You know I've been so blessed
10:43 So you know 64 years to be able to say?
10:46 No more airlines no more delays is
10:50 Good for me. It's the right time
10:53 What I will miss most of all is
10:56 You the people never lose sight that the people are the people that kept you there the audiences
11:03 That it was never about you. It was always about them, but I you know I think I'm pretty good for 79
11:10 I think I'm still thinking clearly. I think this business has kept me young
11:15 Because you have to keep up with things and it keeps you young so I got to be careful with this retirement
11:21 I might see you in a year and walk in and go so how you been since last year everything okay?
11:28 What's something that no one knows about you that I'm shy I
11:34 Was always the guy that walked into the party nervous
11:39 That I didn't fit
11:41 But I was always afraid to say the wrong thing
11:46 That I was always too fat
11:49 Not educated. I only I only went to eighth grade in high school that someone might notice it and I found that most
11:57 entertainers are
11:59 Shy it's interesting
12:01 Especially comics they have a dark side to them
12:06 They're sad
12:08 But that's why they laugh
12:10 It's their medicine and they figure well if it's good enough for me to laugh and feel better
12:15 It must be good enough everybody else, but I think my shyness would surprise most people
12:20 I do Saturday nights with Tony Lando on an iconic radio station here in New York City
12:26 WABC but
12:30 because of streaming we streamed to a hundred and seventy three countries and
12:34 Because the records were
12:36 International I have a pretty good audience with that radio show and in New York in our time slot with number one
12:41 so I'm very proud of being part of the
12:45 Radio, so here's a great thing on that radio station is a disc jockey named
12:50 Bruce Morrow if you're from here in New York, you know cousin Bruce II
12:55 1961
12:59 Cousin Bruce II brings a 16 year old Tony Orlando on stage for his first time ever
13:07 Palisades amusement park
13:10 Cousin Bruce II is still on WABC radio
13:15 Started in 1961 when he brought me on stage for the first time at Palisades Park
13:22 Guess who's bringing me out at Mohegan Sun Arena?
13:28 12,000 people will be there
13:30 Bruce Morrow cousin Bruce we will bring me out to my retirement
13:35 Stage the same guy that brought me out at 16 years old cousin Bruce is the only radio
13:42 personality I
13:45 believe
13:47 Truly has conquered
13:50 Theater of the mind
13:53 Because what you see when you hear him is his kindness
13:57 There's a genuineness about cousin Bruce II that you can't buy
14:02 When his I cousins it's me cousin Bruce II. Oh, it's good to see you. Oh, come on. Give me a call. Oh
14:08 that's real and
14:11 He's stuck to the ribs of every New Yorker and anybody who lives in Jersey
14:16 Area knows that heart. I got inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame recently, of course, that's Bruce Springsteen
14:25 Sinatra Whitney Houston Frankie Valley what an honor
14:28 Because I lived in Jersey from when I was 13 years old right up until the television show. So Bruce Springsteen
14:36 Comes walking up to me and he starts singing
14:39 Half of the paradise to me my first record
14:43 1961 I said Bruce
14:45 You know the words to this song
14:50 It was Tony
14:53 You before there was a Beatles before there was a Rolling Stones before there was the temptations before my first hit record
15:01 It was halfway to paradise
15:03 What a humbling thing so now I'm at resorts
15:09 Doing my next to last show
15:12 concert in Atlantic City and of course
15:16 Asbury Park is right there. So who do I have in mind?
15:22 Bruce Springsteen, what is he famous for?
15:24 Three hour shows. What does Tony say to himself? I'm gonna do a three-hour show. What happens?
15:31 laryngitis, I
15:34 Don't know how that guy does it
15:37 But one of the things that I
15:46 Noticed in this beautiful piece that you get to me back there is you'll notice two beautiful black women
15:53 That I've had the pleasure to work with now, here's what a lot of people don't know
16:00 If it wasn't for them, there'd be no me
16:03 Because it was their talent that lifted me
16:08 I'll give you an example if you love the record. I heard it through the grapevine by Marvin Gaye
16:16 It was Marvin Gaye and dawn
16:18 That was the voices on that record
16:21 If you loved shaft by Isaac Hayes and you heard the girls say John shaft
16:26 He's a bad shut your mouth the girl that said that that's Telma Hopkins of dawn
16:32 If you listen to all the four tops records you've ever heard
16:37 It's the four tops and dawn
16:39 So from the moment I stepped on staged
16:44 I
16:45 Stepped into good luck because I had those two women
16:49 singing like they say
16:52 and when I look back I
16:54 Say to myself not only did I work with these two?
16:57 classic singers
16:59 But tell my Hopkins has been the longest-running sitcom actress in history
17:05 She went from our show four years and a variety show Tony Lando and on to roots from roots
17:12 She went to bosom buddies with Tom Hanks from there. She went to give me a break with Nell Carter from there
17:17 She went to family matters with Rachel
17:20 She was aunt Rachel with Urkel remember Urkel for 15 years then are we there yet?
17:25 now she's with a show called dead to me and
17:28 on and on and
17:30 the longest-running sitcom in history I
17:35 sang with
17:37 The one who sang shut your mouth I sang with and the other girl
17:42 Joyce who grew up in Detroit with Diana Ross the Supremes
17:47 Keeps the legacy of Motown alive by being a Supreme
17:51 Every time I think about an idea for a movie the juices start building up I get excited
18:01 Every time I think about a play I might write or song I'm gonna write or new lyric
18:07 so everybody out there who has supported me all these years and
18:12 You know, I see the mail you're worried about me
18:16 wait as
18:18 Al Jolson said you ain't seen nothing yet to hear more of this interview visit our podcast
18:23 Life Minute TV on iTunes and all streaming podcast platforms
18:28 [MUSIC PLAYING]
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