Though the

song "Tie A Yellow Ribbon `Round The Old Oak

Tree" was written nearly 25 years ago, it is

familiar to many people, though the artist may not be as

familiar to some of the younger generations.

The song

was recorded by Tony Orlando. It became his most popular

song, as well as a touchstone for people who had friends

and family off in a war.

Tony

Orlando is coming to the Frederick Brown Jr. Amphitheater

in Peachtree City this Friday and Saturday, to regale

local residents with his classic hits and engaging

performance style.

Orlando was

born and raised in New York City. Always interested in

music, he began hitting the national charts at the age of

16 with the songs "Halfway to Paradise" and

"Bless You." Orlando was the first vocal artist

to sign with Epic Records. Later, he decided to route his

career to the nonperformance side and became one of the

youngest vice presidents for CBS Records, heading its

April-Blackwood music label.

Several

years later, Orlando's friends convinced him to put his

voice on a demo record for a song called

"Candida." The record was released under the

name of the record promotion director's daughter, Dawn. A

few weeks after the recording, Orlando's friend Hank

Meddress called and told him it was a hit. The song

continued to climb the charts, eventually hitting number

one.

Orlando

teamed up with Meddress again to record the song

"Knock Three Times." The song went to number

one, was the top song of 1971 and sold over six million

copies worldwide. The song remains popular today. It was

recently used in the film "Now and Then."

Orlando

gave up his successful career at CBS and jumped full

force into pop stardom. He teamed up with Thelma Hopkins

and Joyce Vincent Wilson, forming Tony Orlando and Dawn,

and becoming an international sensation.

Though he

already owned two number one hits, Orlando still had not

seen the extent of his success. In 1973, he recorded the

song "Tie A Yellow Ribbon `Round The Old Oak

Tree." It was the number one song of the year,

Orlando's theme song and it grew into an American anthem

of hope and homecoming, reunion and renewal.

The hits

kept coming for Orlando, as he recorded songs like

"Sweet Gypsy Rose," "He Don't Love

You," "Who's In The Strawberry Patch With

Sally," "Cupid" and "Mornin'

Beautiful."

From there

Tony Orlando and Dawn entered the world of television

with a weekly variety show on CBS. It was the first

multi-ethnic variety show on television and it was wildly

successful. Orlando is of Hispanic and Greek origins,

while Hopkins and Wilson are African Americans. The show

ran for four seasons and welcomed the biggest names in

show business, including Jerry Lewis and Jackie Gleason.

Orlando and

Lewis have continued a strong friendship since the 1970s.

Orlando has appeared on Jerry's Labor Day telethon for 23

years, nine of which he spent as the New York host. They

also teamed up for an unforgettable series of shows in

Las Vegas in the early 1990s.

Orlando's

popularity is still strong. He has won three American

Music Awards, a People's Choice Award and was awarded a

star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He has played for

presidents and packed arenas, weaving colorful emotions

set to touching music.

Since 1993,

Orlando and his family have lived in Branson, Mo. He has

performed close to 2,000 shows there and has been named

Branson's Entertainer and Vocalist of the Year.

Tony

Orlando will perform Friday and Saturday, Aug. 4 and 5.

Tickets are $25. Call 770-631-0630 to purchase tickets or

for information.

The opening

act will be Francisco Vidal, from College Park, Ga. The

three-piece acoustic/electric band plays original songs

with a few select covers along the way. The band is

influenced by the Eagles and the Police and has opened

for such acts as Barenaked Ladies, Vigilantes of Love and

Edwin McCain.

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