Tony Orlando talks Eisenhower Park show, remembers Lynn Anderson SPECIAL

“I love Eisenhower Park, and I love the fact that these people continue to come out every year, and I thank God every year that there is no rain,” he said. “To see 10,000 wet people out there would not be fun, but it has been beautiful every time I come in.”

Orlando revealed that he never has a set-list. “I don’t believe in a set-list. I’ve been with the band for 18 years, and if they had to do the same show every show for 18 years, I don’t think they would have been here that long. I keep them and me on the toes. What makes me change the show is the audience. Some audiences want rock and roll, while others want a ballad. After all these years, I have learned to feel the moment, but the opening and the closer is usually the same, or the closer can become the opener. They both have to be strong, so everything in the middle is up for grabs,” he said.

The acclaimed musician has a star on the Walk Of Fame on Hollywood Boulevard, and is a member of the Vocal Group Hall of Fame and the Casino Legends Hall of Fame. “Last year, I was nominated for ‘Entertainer of the Year’ for the fifth time by all the casinos in America,” he said.

Orlando paid tribute to his late friend, fellow Grammy-winning country songstress, Lynn Anderson, who passed away on July 30. “Lynn Anderson was a very close friend, when I had my television show. She was one of the queens of country music, and one of the great ladies I have ever known. Her hit record and my hit record were around the same time. ‘Rose Garden’ was in the 70s, so we were very close friends. I am very sad to hear about her passing. She was a beautiful woman and a beautiful soul. Country music has lost one of its greats, and so has America,” Orlando said.