“For my money, Tony Bennett is the best singer in the business. He excites me when I watch him. He moves me. He’s the singer who gets across what the composer has in mind, and probably a little more.”
Frank Sinatra shared these words during an interview for Life Magazine published in April of 1965. Coming from Frank, this was high praise. In later years Tony said that after Frank’s kind words, his career took off. He was always sold out after that.
Known as the Champion of the Great American Songbook, Tony Bennett’s recent passing has left music lovers worldwide saddened. Not only was he a musical icon, but those that knew him testify to the fact that he was a genuinely decent and wonderful human being.
Born Anthony Dominick Benedetto in 1926, he grew up in the New York City borough of Queens during the Great Depression. After serving as a combat infantryman in WWII, he took advantage of the GI Bill and studied acting and took voice lessons to further develop his singing talent. Encouraged by his vocal coach to develop his own original sound and not copy other singers, Tony created his own unique style.
Tony’s big break came in 1949 when he had the opportunity to tour with Bob Hope. Hope remarked that his name was too long for the marquee, so he said – “We’ll call you Tony Bennett.” The name stuck.
Tony had his first No. 1 hit in 1951 with Because of You. More hits followed. He is most famous for his trademark song, I Left My Heart in San Francisco, but he sang and recorded thousands of others. During his long career, he recorded more than 70 albums and earned 19 Grammys. It is said that he would interpret a song and make it his own. Most of us who appreciate his music can’t get enough of him.
The last of the great saloon singers of the 20th century, Tony Bennett often said that his lifelong goal was to create “a hit catalog rather than hit records.” In a 2015 interview with Downbeat Magazine, he said of the American experience, “No country has given the world such great music. Cole Porter, Irving Berlin, George Gershwin, Jerome Kern. Those songs will never die.”
In an effort to expose new audiences to what he called the Great American Songbook, Tony moved easily between jazz and pop. Proof of this can be found in his collaborations with other artists. Much of Tony Bennett’s greatest music was recorded in his later years. For a sample, go to YouTube and search Tony Bennett duets. These are amazing. He recorded songs with artists almost too numerous to mention. Great singers like the following: Lady Gaga, Norah Jones, Amy Winehouse, Diana Krall, Michael Buble`, Barbara Streisand, Aretha Franklin, James Taylor, John Mayer, Stevie Wonder, Billy Joel, Christina Aguilera, Paul McCartney, Elton John, Bono, Celine Dion, George Michael, Sting, Willie Nelson, Elvis Costello, Natalie Cole, Mariah Carey, Andrea Bocelli, Queen Latifah, Sheryl Crow, Faith Hill, and others. These recordings are among some of his very best.
A lesser-known fact about Tony is that he enjoyed a lifelong passion for painting. His paintings, including landscapes and portraits of friends, have been displayed in private and public collections around the world, including the Smithsonian Museum of Art in Washington, D.C.
If you have never listened to Tony Bennett, I suggest you start. His music, in lyric and melody, is soothing and satisfying beyond words. His talent and vision fostered a deep appreciation for the truly great American songs of the 20th century, and we appreciate him.
RIP Tony…we love you… typewriterweekly.com © 2023 Jody Dyer
