The weather is cool and breezy this Thursday, May 9, 2019 afternoon as several thousand music-loving seniors at Holmdel, NJ’s PNC Bank Arts Center get ready for a live concert by legendary singer, songwriter, and entertainer Tony Orlando.
Today’s concert is the first in a series of free Garden State Arts Foundation concerts for New Jersey residents 55 and older. The series also includes The Doo Wop Project on May 22, Little Anthony and the Imperials on May 29, Drinkin’ Singin’ & Swingin’ on June 5, and Bobby Rydell and Ron Dante on Sept. 4. All concerts are at 1:30 pm and take place inside Holmdel’s PNC Bank Arts Center ampitheater.
Ron Gravino, Vice President of GSAF’s Board of Trustees, welcomes the audience and thanks them for coming out on such a chilly afternoon. He thanks the series’ sponsors — PNC Bank, Live Nation Entertainment, and Sirius XM ‘60s on 6 radio — before reminding the audience about another upcoming free concert. This show — open to music lovers of all ages — stars Cousin Brucie, Tommy James, Darlene Love, and The Ventures, and will take place here at the PNC Bank Arts Center on June 14 at 7:30 pm.
Following the singing of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” Tony Orlando enters the stage sporting a denim jacket and jeans. After taking one look at the crowd of seniors in the audience, he jokes, “We have the same hair color!” before noting, “I grew up with all you people, and I’m gonna do my best to make you happy.”
The members of Orlando’s backup band take the stage, at which point Orlando honors all of the veterans in the audience — those who served in World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm, and Afghanistan, along with those who served during peace time — by dedicating his opening number to them.
The veterans proudly take turns standing and the crowd enthusiastically applauds for each group as Orlando sings, “You put your life on the line for America,” on an energetic and patriotic rendition of Neil Diamond’s “America.”
Segueing into his 1973 chart-topper, Orlando performs “Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree.”
The happy strains of this classic song have audience members engaged as they’re transported back to a simpler time.
Orlando introduces today’s special guest star, New Jersey’s own Johnny Petillo — a singer with The Duprees and Danny and the Juniors — who performs The Duprees’ “You Belong to Me.”
As Petillo croons the famous “See the pyramids along the Nile” lyric, Orlando conducts the band. Tim Pope’s dynamic drumming has his cymbals crashing in contrast to Petillo’s smooth vocal before Petillo impresses with his falsetto voice at the end of the number.
Orlando and Petillo take turns singing lead on a medley of “golden oldies” including Little Anthony and the Imperials’ “Tears on my Pillow,” The Penguins’ “Earth Angel,” The Rays’ “Silhouettes,” and Don and Juan’s “What’s Your Name,” as the audience sings, claps, and dances along at Orlando’s request.
Following huge applause, Orlando introduces his 89-year-old uncle, Chi Chi, and invites him to sit on stage to watch the show.
Orlando even hands Chi Chi a tambourine so he can play along with the band’s rhythm section. Then, Orlando and Petillo stroll down into the audience singing The Marcels’ “Blue Moon.”
Petillo demonstrates his vocal range and versatility by holding out several low bass notes before dancing back onto the stage to take a bow. The audience stands for the duo’s entertaining performance.
Orlando chats with the audience, asking “Do you remember ‘Candida’?” to which the audience responds with avid applause.
Taking a moment to add, “Thank you Cousin Brucie!” and inquiring, “What would we do without him?” Orlando introduces one of his backup band members — keyboardist/backup vocalist Toni Wine — as the songwriter of “Candida.”
Launching into his familiar 1970 Top 10 hit with Dawn, Orlando sings the famous lyric, “Candida/We can make it together” before segueing into a medley of other familiar Tony Orlando and Dawn songs including their 1971 #1 smash, “Knock Three Times”; their 1973 Top 5 hit, “Say Has Anybody Seen My Sweet Gypsy Rose”; and their 1975 chart topper, “He Don’t Love You Like I Love You” — a line-up of crowd pleasers which has many in the audience humming along.
Orlando features guitarist Tracy Cole on lead vocals on a sprightly cover version of Paul Simon’s “You Can Call Me Al.” During the instrumental interlude, Orlando drums on a stool and dances before inviting his drummer, Tim Pope, to do the same. Pope drums with precision and flair as Orlando holds the stool up for him to play on. Next, Pope proceeds to continue his solo by playing on the floor with lightning speed and ending with a flourish.
Pope joins Orlando at the microphone and they trade off vocals, scatting both high and low. The audience cheers for this unique performance and the impressive talent of these two musicians.
After introducing the members of his backup band, Orlando again singles out keyboardist Toni Wine, revealing that he’s “known her for 59 years.” He also tells the audience about Wine’s career, informing them that she’s not only well-known for writing jingles for products like McDonalds and Dr. Pepper, but she also sang on The Archies’ “Sugar Sugar,” in addition to doing backup vocals on records including Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline” and Dionne Warwick’s “Do You Know the Way to San Jose.”
Tony introduces the crowd to his brother, keyboardist David Orlando, revealing that he and his sibling have a new Broadway show coming out in 2020 entitled Rooftop Dreams that will tell his life story, calling the production “a dream come true.”
After regaling the audience with stories about working as an up-and-coming musician in New York City for Don Kirschner with the likes of Neil Sedaka, Neil Diamond, Simon and Garfunkel, Toni Wine, and Carole King, Orlando invites Wine to join him in a rendition of King’s “Will You Love Me Tomorrow” as the audience joins in singing.
Wine handles the lead on her original composition for The Mindbenders and Phil Collins, “Groovy Kind of Love,” before being spotlighted on a song she wrote with Phil Spector for Checkmates Ltd., “Black Pearl.”
David Orlando is featured on a keyboard solo as brother Tony sings Ben E. King’s “Spanish Harlem.”
Then, the audience is wowed with an electrifying rendition of Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love” featuring keyboardist Kerry Cole on vocals.
Having fun, Orlando holds the microphone for Cole who gives a soulful performance of James Taylor’s “Steamroller” while playing acoustic guitar.
Cole follows up by entertaining the crowd with his humorous impersonation of Cher on Sonny and Cher’s “I Got You Babe.”
A Beatles medley is up next on which Kerry Cole takes the vocal lead on “Can’t Buy Me Love,” Orlando sings “Something,” and Kerry, along with his brother, guitarist Tracy Cole, sing “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da” while Tony leads audience members in getting their hands up in the air.
For the grand finale, the group transitions into “Hey Jude,” “Let It Be,” and “The End” from Abbey Road. The audience claps, sings along, and responds with a rousing standing ovation.
Orlando blows kisses to the crowd before walking off stage arm-in-arm with Uncle Chi Chi and all of his musicians come forward to take a well-deserved bow.
As audience members make their way out of the PNC Bank Arts Center amphitheater, we take a moment to speak with musician Kerry Cole who tells us, “I love touring with Tony Orlando,” before adding, “It’s always great to play here in Jersey — and this is a great venue.”
We also chat with several audience members who share their opinions with us about today’s concert.
Declares Barbara from Middletown, “This show was awesome — it was fantastic! Tony Orlando made the whole crowd feel young again.”
Carol from Middletown calls the performance “Wonderful” explaining, “I love how Tony engaged the audience and how he honored all the troops from WWII to the present.” Adding, “The band was amazing — the guitarist was terrific and the drummer was fantastic,” Carol notes, “and I was amazed to hear all about Toni Wine — what a career she’s had.”
Lucille from Waldwick agrees adding, “I just loved the entire band, and I thought singer Johnny Petillo was excellent, too.”
Whereas Sheree from FL calls today’s concert “Great,” Mike from Colonia recalls, “I’ve seen Tony Orlando several times. He’s so personable; I love how he talks to the audience about his life — and he’s also a showman; he really connects with the crowd.”
Noting, “It’s a wonderful thing that the Garden State Arts Foundation offers shows like this to New Jersey residents,” Mike concludes by acknowledging, “It’s a real blessing.”
For information on future Garden State Arts Foundation concerts at the PNC Bank Arts Center for NJ residents 55 and older including Little Anthony and the Imperials on May 29, Drinkin’ Singin’ & Swingin’ on June 5, and Bobby Rydell and Ron Dante on Sept. 4 — or for more info on the upcoming concert for audiences of all ages starring Cousin Brucie, Tommy James, Darlene Love, and The Ventures on June 14 — please go to gsafoundation.org.
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