ORANGE — Those in Orange on Saturday can be treated to a free concert from a world-traveled musician.
Tony Funches, former lead singer of the 1950s vocal group the Platters, will play at Butterfield Park off East River Street at 2 p.m.
“His love of entertaining and his ability to connect to audiences of all ages shows through with every performance,” said organizer and manager Carole Evans.
Funches traveled the globe with the Platters — known for hits like “Only You,” “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes” and “The Great Pretender” — after joining the group at age 23.
The concert is the vocalist’s second in Orange this year, having been invited by the Council on Aging. According to Evans, Funches, a Dorchester native, plays frequently in the Boston area, but developed a liking for Orange after visiting the town for the first time in July.
“I asked him about playing in Orange once and he said, ‘I will if you want me to,’” Evans said. “But when he came he loved it. He got very attached to the people there, the people at the Armory and the council.”