Bless You

EU-only collection. As a teenager, long before he became the lead singer of 70s chart-toppers Dawn, of 'Knock Three Times' and 'Tie a Yellow Ribbon' fame, Tony Orlando cut demo's in New York's legendary Brill Building. Although he was white, his voice sounded uncannily black, and he was in great demand to record writer's demos - he was the particular favorite of celebrated songwriting duo Carole King & Gerry Goffin. Orlando was just 17 years of age when he registered his first solo hits, 'Halfway to Paradise' (successfully covered in the UK by Billy Fury) and 'Bless You'. This compilation features Tony's first eight singles and his debut LP, most of the tracks appearing here in stereo, which are notoriously hard to find elsewhere on CD. Also included, as bonus tracks are releases by Tony Orlando & the Milos and fellow Brill Building demo singer Bertell Dache, both of whom were different artists but have long been traded on the collectors' market as 'real' Tony Orlando 45s.