Early Years
Born Michael Anthony Orlando Cassavitis to a Greek father and a Puerto Rican mother, he spent his earliest years in Manhattan, New York's then-notorious Hell's Kitchen. In his teenage years, the family moved to Union City and later, Hasbrouck Heights in New Jersey.
Tony Orlando's musical career started with The Five Gents, a doo-wop group he formed. His first success came at the age of 16, when he recorded the hits "Bless You" and "Halfway To Paradise" in 1961. He also appeared at the Brooklyn Paramount Theater with DJ Murray the K. In 1969 he recorded with the studio group Wind and had a #28 hit that year with "Make Believe" which was released on producer Bo Gentry's Life Records.
In 1967, the Chicago local popular band, New Colony Six recorded an Orlando composition, "I'm Just Waiting (Anticipating For Her To Show Up" (which charted locally in Chicago). They probably found the song on a recorded demo.
Orlando became general manager at Columbia Records, and his career was focused on the corporate end of the music business, representing music publishers. In the late 1960s, he ran April-Blackwood Music, the publishing arm of CBS music.
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Famous quotes related to early years:
“I believe that if we are to survive as a planet, we must teach this next generation to handle their own conflicts assertively and nonviolently. If in their early years our children learn to listen to all sides of the story, use their heads and then their mouths, and come up with a plan and share, then, when they become our leaders, and some of them will, they will have the tools to handle global problems and conflict.”
—Barbara Coloroso (20th century)