Mayor to declare Nov. 8 ‘Tony Orlando Yellow Ribbon Day’

Tony Orlando will receive an honor during Tuesday evening's Branson Board of Aldermen meeting; additional details are in the press release below.

BRANSON, Mo – Mayor Larry Milton will declare November 8, 2022, as “Tony Orlando Yellow Ribbon Day” and will present the proclamation to Orlando at the regular Board of Aldermen meeting on November 8, 2022, at 6:00 p.m. at Branson City Hall during the City of Branson’s Veterans Homecoming Week. Leading up to that proclamation, the Mayor will also declare the City of Branson as ‘The Most Patriotic City in America.’

“This proclamation is a long time coming. Tony has done so much for our community and for our Veterans. He deserves this recognition and so much more. I encourage everyone to help us honor and celebrate him at Tuesday’s meeting,” said Mayor Larry Milton.

Orlando, one of America’s most endearing and beloved iconic entertainers, resides in Branson and is well known for his advocacy of U.S. military veterans. Orlando’s passion has had a lasting impact on the Branson entertainment industry. To this day, nearly every Branson show has at least one song in their performance that honors veterans. Orlando provided a great deal of inspiration for that tradition. Orlando is credited for helping to launch the Branson Veterans Homecoming Week, which honors American veterans, service members and their families from November 5 to November 11 every year.

Orlando was awarded the Bob Hope Award for excellence in entertainment from the Congressional Medal of Honor Society which is reserved for people who, through their life’s work in the entertainment industry, have distinguished themselves by outstanding service to or positive portrayal of the Untiled States military. He has performed for the armed services around the globe and raised millions of dollars for veteran organizations. In 1993, he began his free Veterans Day Homecoming Celebration at his Yellow Ribbon Music Theatre in Branson, Missouri where for 20 years, he honored veterans with his show, “The Tony Orlando Yellow Ribbon Salute to Veterans.” He is credited for helping bring some 175,000 veterans every year during Branson’s Veterans Homecoming week.

He is recognized by his peers and the public - as simply the best.  Five #1 hit records: “Tie A Yellow Ribbon ‘Round The Ole Oak Tree,” “Knock Three Times,” “Candida,” “My Sweet Gypsy Rose” and “He Don’t Love You (Like I Love You).”  Grammy Nominee Tony Orlando has sold millions of records, has 2 Platinum albums and 3 Gold albums and 15 Top 40 Hits.  “Tie A Yellow Ribbon” was the #1 Billboard top song of 1973 and became Orlando’s theme song and grew into an American anthem of hope, homecoming and renewal.   

Beginning two years ago, Orlando currently is the host of his own radio show on the iconic 77 WABC Music Radio station, “Saturday Nights with Tony Orlando”, which airs from 10:00 p.m. to midnight and is streaming ‘live' worldwide on wabcmusicradio.com.  77 WABC was also the first station to play Orlando’s debut single, “Halfway to Paradise” when in his teens Tony was the first vocal pop artist to sign with Epic Records and hit the national music charts in 1961.

Orlando is still one of the most popular live concerts artists, and few entertainers have excelled in so many realms as Tony has: a top-selling recording artist, songwriter, concert headliner, network television star, Motion Picture actor, Broadway performer and author.  

Tony is a recipient of three American Music Awards and two People’s Choice Awards for Best Male Entertainer.  For outstanding achievements to the entertainment industry in 1990, Tony was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

His tireless work on behalf of our veterans led to his being named Honorary Chairman at the 40th Anniversary at the NAM-POW’s Homecoming Celebration at the Richard M. Nixon Presidential Library in 2014. He serves on the Board of Directors for the Eisenhower Foundation as well as Tribute to Valor Foundation, an organization that inspires, impacts and influences young people. Tony also hosted the Congressional Medal of Honor dinner every year in Dallas to honor our Medal of Honor recipients. He has also served as the Master of Ceremonies at the Secretary of Defense Freedom Awards at the Pentagon.

Orlando has a wife Francine, a daughter Jenny and a son Jon.