Tony Bennett
Tony Bennett at the Chumash Casino Resort, Santa Ynez, California, 2005
Background information
Birth name	Anthony Dominick Benedetto
Born	August 3, 1926 (1926-08-03) (age 81), Astoria, Queens, New York City, United States
Genre(s)	Traditional Pop Jazz
Years active	1949-present
Label(s)	Columbia MGM Improv Legacy Recordings
Website	Official Tony Bennett music website

Tony Bennett (born Anthony Dominick Benedetto; August 3, 1926) is an American singer of popular music, standards and jazz. Events 8 - Roman Empire General Tiberius defeats Dalmatians on the river Bathinus. Year 1926 ( MCMXXVI) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Astoria is a Neighborhood in the northwestern corner of the borough of Queens in New York City. The City of New York The United States of America —commonly referred to as the A music genre is a categorical and typological construct that identifies musical sounds as belonging to a particular category and type of music that can be distinguished from other Traditional pop or Classic pop or Standards music denotes in general Western (and particularly American popular music that either wholly predates the advent of Jazz is an American Musical art form which originated in the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States In the Music industry, a record label can be a Brand and a Trademark associated with the Marketing of music recordings and Music Columbia Records is an American Record label founded in 1888 Columbia is the oldest surviving Brand name in pre-recorded sound being the first record company MGM Records was a Record label started by the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Film studio in 1946 Legacy Recordings is Sony Music Entertainment 's catalog division Events 8 - Roman Empire General Tiberius defeats Dalmatians on the river Bathinus. Year 1926 ( MCMXXVI) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Traditional pop or Classic pop or Standards music denotes in general Western (and particularly American popular music that either wholly predates the advent of Traditional pop or Classic pop or Standards music denotes in general Western (and particularly American popular music that either wholly predates the advent of Jazz is an American Musical art form which originated in the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States After having achieved artistic and commercial success in the 1950s and early 1960s, his career suffered an extended downturn during the height of the rock music era. The 1950s Decade refers to the years of 1950 to 1959 inclusive The 1960s decade refers to the years from the beginning of 1960 to the end of 1969 Rock music is a genre of Popular music often though not necessarily employing Electric guitar, Bass guitar, and Drums. Bennett staged a comeback, however, in the late 1980s and 1990s, expanding his audience to a younger generation while keeping his musical style intact. The 1980s was the decade spanning from January 1 1980 to December 31 1989. The 1990s collectively refers to the years between and including 1990 and 1999 He remains a popular and critically praised recording artist and concert performer in the 2000s.

Bennett is also a serious and accomplished painter. Painting (pān'tīng in Art, is the practice of applying Color to a Surface (support base such as e

Contents 1 Early life 2 World War II and after 3 First successes 4 A growing artistry 5 Years of struggle 6 Turnaround 7 An unexpected audience 8 No retirement 9 Discography 10 See also 11 Books 12 References 13 External links

Early life

Anthony Benedetto was born in Astoria, Queens, New York City, the son of Ann (née Suraci) and John Benedetto. Astoria is a Neighborhood in the northwestern corner of the borough of Queens in New York City. The City of New York ^[1] His father was a grocer who had emigrated from Podàrgoni, a rural eastern district of the southern Italian city of Reggio Calabria, and his mother was a seamstress. Beginning as early as the 14th century a grocer (also called purveyor) was a dealer in comestible dry goods such as spices pepper sugar and (later cocoa tea and coffee Geography Southern Italy forms the lower "boot" of the Italian peninsula containing the ankle (Abruzzo and Molise and southern Lazio the toe (Calabria and the heel Reggio di Calabria (Italian pronunciation /ˈrɛʤo ˌdikaˈlabrja/ Calabrian dialect: Rìggiu, Greek-Calabrian: Righi, Greek: Sewing or stitching is the fastening of Cloth, Leather, Furs Bark, or other flexible materials using needle and ^[2] With two other children and a father who was ailing and unable to work, the family grew up in poverty. ^[3] John Benedetto died when Anthony was 10 years old. ^[3]

The young Benedetto grew up listening to Al Jolson, Eddie Cantor, Judy Garland and Bing Crosby as well as jazz artists such as Louis Armstrong, Jack Teagarden and Joe Venuti. Al Jolson (May 26 1886 October 23 1950 born in Lithuania, Russian Empire, was a highly acclaimed American singer comedian and actor and the first openly Eddie Cantor ( January 31, 1892 - October 10, 1964) was an American Comedian, Singer, Actor, Judy Garland (born Frances Ethel Gumm; June 10 1922 – June 22 1969 was an American actress and singer Harry Lillis “Bing” Crosby ( May 3, 1903 &ndash October 14, 1977) was an Academy Award winning American Popular Louis Armstrong (August 4 1901 &ndash July 6 1971 nicknamed Satchmo or Sachimo and Pops, was an American Jazz Trumpeter Weldon Leo "Jack" Teagarden ( August 20, 1905 &ndash January 15, 1964) was an influential Jazz Trombonist and Giuseppe (Joe Venuti ( September 16 1903 &ndash August 14, 1978) was a U An uncle was a tap dancer in vaudeville, giving him an early window into show business. Tap dance was developed in the United States during the nineteenth century and is popular nowadays in many parts of the world Vaudeville was a Genre of variety entertainment prevalent on the stage in the United States and Canada, from the early 1880s Showbiz redirects here For other uses see Showbiz (disambiguation. ^[4] By age 10 he was already singing and performed at the opening of the Triborough Bridge. The Triborough Bridge, often simply referred to as the Triboro; officially named the Robert F ^[5] Drawing and caricatures were also an early passion of his. Drawing is a Visual art that makes use of any number of drawing instruments to mark a two-dimensional medium A caricature is either a Portrait that exaggerates or distorts the essence of a person or thing to create an easily identifiable visual likeness or in literature a description ^[3] He attended New York's High School of Industrial Art where he studied painting and music,^[2] but dropped out at age 16 to help support his family. The High School of Art and Design is a Career and Technical Education high school located at 1075 Second Avenue, between 56th and 57th Streets in Manhattan Painting (pān'tīng in Art, is the practice of applying Color to a Surface (support base such as e Music is an Art form in which the medium is Sound organized in Time. ^[6] He then set his sights on a professional singing career, performing as a singing waiter in several Queens Italian restaurants. ^[7]

World War II and after

His singing career was interrupted when Benedetto was drafted into the United States Army in 1944 during World War II. The United States Army is a military organization whose primary mission is to "provide necessary forces and capabilities. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including ^[3] He served as a replacement infantryman in the 63rd Infantry Division in France and Germany,^[3] moving across France during the winter, then fighting on the front lines in March and April 1945 as the Germans were pushed back across the Rhine. The 63rd Infantry Division was a formation of the United States Army in World War II. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. A front line is a line of confrontation in an Armed conflict, most commonly a War. The Rhine (Rhein Rijn Rhin Reno Rain Rhenus is one of the longest and most important Rivers in Europe at 1320 kilometres (820 mi with an average discharge Benedetto narrowly escaped death several times. ^[3] The experience made him a patriot but also a pacifist;^[3] he would later write, "Anybody who thinks that war is romantic obviously hasn't gone through one. " At the war's conclusion he was involved in the liberation of a Nazi concentration camp near Landsberg. See also List of Nazi-German concentration camps, Extermination camp Prior to and during World War II, Nazi Germany under Hitler maintained Landsberg is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the north and clockwise the districts of Aichach-Friedberg, Fürstenfeldbruck ^[3]

Benedetto stayed in Germany as part of the occupying force, but was assigned to an informal Special Services band unit that would entertain nearby American forces. ^[3] Later, his dining with a black friend from high school at a time when the Army was still segregated led to his being demoted and reassigned to Graves Registration duties. The Military history of African Americans spans from the arrival of the first black slaves during the colonial history of the United ^[8] Subsequently, he sang with the Army military band under the stage name Joe Bari, and played with many musicians who would have post-war careers. There are many Military bands in the United States military. Some are assigned to specific Military bases or units; there are also

Upon his discharge from the Army and return to the States in 1946, he studied at the American Theater Wing on the GI Bill. The GI Bill (officially titled Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944 PL346 58 Statutes at Large 284 provided for college or vocational education for returning ^[5] He was taught the bel canto singing discipline,^[9] which would keep his voice in good shape for his entire career. Bel canto ( Bel-Canto) ( Italian, "beautiful singing" an Italian musical term refers to the art and science of vocal technique which originated in He continued to perform wherever he could, including while waiting tables. ^[3] He developed an unusual approach that involved imitating the style and phrasing of other musicians as he sang—such as that of Stan Getz's saxophone and Art Tatum's piano—helping him to improvise as he interpreted a song. Stanley Gayetzky ( February 2, 1927 in Philadelphia – June 6, 1991 in Malibu, California) usually known by Arthur Tatum Jr ( October 13, 1909 – November 5, 1956) was an American Jazz Pianist and Virtuoso. ^[6] He made a few recordings as Bari in 1949 for small Leslie Records, but they failed to sell. ^[10]

In 1949, Pearl Bailey spotted his talent and asked him to open for her in Greenwich Village. Pearl Mae Bailey ( March 29, 1918 – August 17, 1990) was an American singer and actress Greenwich Village (ˌgrɛnɪtʃ ˈvɪlɪdʒ often simply called the Village, is a largely residential area on the west side of downtown (southern Manhattan ^[7] She had invited Bob Hope to the show. Bob Hope, KBE KCSG ( May 29, 1903 &ndash July 27, 2003) was an American comedian and actor who appeared in Hope decided to bring Bari on the road with him, but suggested he use his real name simplified to Tony Bennett. ^[10] In 1950, Bennett cut a demo of "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" and was signed to the major Columbia Records label by Mitch Miller. " Boulevard of Broken Dreams " was a 1934 hit song by Al Dubin (words and Harry Warren (music set in Paris. Columbia Records is an American Record label founded in 1888 Columbia is the oldest surviving Brand name in pre-recorded sound being the first record company Mitchell William Miller (born July 4, 1911) is an American Musician, Singer, conductor, Record producer, ^[5]

First successes

Warned by Miller not to imitate Frank Sinatra^[4] (who was just then leaving Columbia), Bennett began his career as a crooner singing commercial pop tunes. Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra (December 12 1915 &ndash May 14 1998 was an American singer and actor Traditional pop or Classic pop or Standards music denotes in general Western (and particularly American popular music that either wholly predates the advent of His first big hit was "Because of You", a ballad produced by Miller with a lush orchestral arrangement from Percy Faith. " Because of You " is a popular Song. It was written by Arthur Hammerstein and Dudley Wilkinson in 1940 for the movie Percy Faith ( April 7, 1908 – February 9, 1976) Canadian-born band-leader Orchestrator and Composer, known for his lush It started out gaining popularity on jukeboxes, then reached #1 on the pop charts in 1951 and stayed there for 10 weeks,^[11] selling over a million copies. jukebox is a partially automated music-playing device usually a Coin -operated machine that can play specially selected songs from self-contained media ^[10] This was followed to the top later that year^[11] by a similarly-styled rendition of Hank Williams' "Cold, Cold Heart", which helped introduce Williams and country music in general to a wider, more national audience. Hank Williams ( September 17, 1923 – January 1, 1953) was an American Singer-songwriter and Musician who has For the Wet Wet Wet song see Cold Cold Heart (Wet Wet Wet song. The Miller and Faith tandem continued to work on all of Bennett's early hits. Bennett's recording of "Blue Velvet" was also very popular and attracted screaming teenage fans at concerts in the famed Paramount Theater in New York (Bennett did 7 shows a day, starting at 10:30 a. " Blue Velvet " is a popular song written by Bernie Wayne and Lee Morris, that has been recorded by several artists The Paramount Theater in the Times Square district of New York City was a noted Movie theatre and live performance venue before it was gutted and converted m. )^[12] and elsewhere.

On February 12, 1952,^[13] Bennett married Ohio art student and jazz fan Patricia Beech, whom he had met the previous year after a nightclub performance in Cleveland. Events 1429 - English Forces under Sir John Fastolf defend a supply convoy carrying rations to the army besieging Orleans from attack by the Year 1952 ( MCMLII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Cleveland is a City in the US state of Ohio and the County seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state ^[10] Two thousand female fans dressed in black gathered outside the ceremony at New York's St. Patrick's Cathedral in mock mourning. St Patrick's Cathedral is a decorated Neo-Gothic -style Catholic Cathedral in North America ^[2] Bennett and Beech would have two sons, D'Andrea (Danny) and Daegal (Dae).

A third #1 came in 1953 with "Rags to Riches. " Rags to Riches " is a 1953 popular Song by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross. " Unlike Bennett's other early hits, this was an up-tempo big band number with a bold, brassy sound and a double tango in the instrumental break; it topped the charts for eight weeks. A big band is a type of Musical ensemble associated with playing jazz music and which became popular during the Swing Era from the early 1930s until the late A brass instrument is a Musical instrument whose tone is produced by vibration of the lips as the player blows into a tubular Resonator. Tango is a style of music that originated among European immigrant populations of Argentina and Uruguay. ^[11] Later that year Bennett began singing show tunes to make up for a New York newspaper strike; "Stranger in Paradise" from the Broadway show Kismet reached the top, as well as being a #1 hit in the United Kingdom and starting Bennett's career as an international artist. A show tune is a Popular song originally written as part of the score of a "show" (or stage musical, especially if the piece in question has become " Stranger in Paradise " is a popular Song from the 1953 musical Kismet and is credited to Robert Wright Broadway theater, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 39 large professional theaters with 500 seats or more located Kismet is a musical written in 1953 by Robert Wright and George Forrest, adapted from the music of Alexander Borodin, and The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located

Once the rock and roll era began in 1955, the dynamic of the music industry changed and it became harder for existing pop singers to do as well commercially. Rock and roll (also known as rock 'n' roll) is a form of Music that evolved in the United States in the late 1940s and early 1950s with roots in mostly African ^[5] Nevertheless Bennett continued to enjoy success, placing eight songs in the Billboard Top 40 during the latter part of the 1950s, with "In the Middle of an Island" reaching the highest at #9 in 1957. See Billboard (Turkish magazine Billboard is a weekly American Magazine devoted to the Music industry " In the Middle of an Island " is a Popular song written by Nick Acquaviva and Ted Varnick and published in 1957. ^[14]

In 1956, Bennett hosted the television variety show The Tony Bennett Show^[15] as a summer replacement for The Perry Como Show. Television ( TV) is a widely used Telecommunication medium for sending ( Broadcasting) and receiving moving Images, either monochromatic A variety show or variety entertainment is an entertainment made up of a variety of acts especially Musical performances and Comedy Skits and Pierino Ronald "Perry" Como ( May 18 1912 &ndash May 12 2001) was an Italian-American singer and television personality ^[16]

A growing artistry

In 1954, the guitarist Chuck Wayne became Bennett's musical director. Chuck Wayne ( 27 February, 1923 – 29 July, 1997) was a jazz guitarist who came to prominence in the 1940s The title of music director or musical director is used by many Symphony orchestras to designate the primary conductor and artistic leader of the orchestra ^[17] In 1955, Bennett released his first long-playing album, Cloud 7, which showed Bennett's jazz leanings and was billed as featuring Wayne. Cloud 7 is a 1955 Album by Tony Bennett. Track listing;Side one "I Fall in Love Too Easily" ( Sammy Cahn In 1957, Ralph Sharon became Bennett's pianist and musical director,^[18] replacing Wayne. Ralph Sharon (born September 17, 1923) is a Jazz Pianist. Biography Born in London, he emigrated to A pianist (/'piənɪst/ is a Musician who plays the Piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces play with an ensemble or Orchestra Sharon told Bennett that a career singing "sweet saccharine songs like 'Blue Velvet'" wouldn't last long, and encouraged Bennett to focus even more on his jazz inclinations. ^[4]

The result was the 1957 album The Beat of My Heart. The Beat Of My Heart is a 1957 Album by Tony Bennett. Track listing 1957 LP listing;Side one " Let's It used well-known jazz musicians such as Herbie Mann and Nat Adderley, with a strong emphasis on percussion from the likes of Art Blakey, Jo Jones, Latin star Candido, and Chico Hamilton. Herbert Jay Solomon ( April 16, 1930 – July 1, 2003) better known as Herbie Mann, was an American Jazz Nathaniel Adderley (born November 25, 1931 in Tampa Florida &ndashdied January 2, 2000 in Lakeland Florida) was an Arthur (Art Blakey ( October 11 1919 &ndash October 16 1990) born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Jo Jones ( October 7, 1911 – September 3, 1985) (later known as Papa Jo Jones) was an American drummer one of the most influential Candido may refer to Antonio Candido (born 1918 writer professor and literary critic Candido Amantini (1914-1992 Italian Roman Chico Hamilton (born Foreststorn Hamilton on September 21, 1921, Los Angeles) is a jazz drummer and band leader The album was both popular and critically praised. Bennett followed this by working with the Count Basie Orchestra, becoming the first male pop vocalist to sing with Basie's band. William "Count" Basie ( August 21, 1904 &ndash April 26, 1984) was an American jazz pianist, Organist The albums Basie Swings, Bennett Sings (1958) and In Person! (1959) were the well-regarded fruits of this collaboration,^[5] with "Chicago" being one of the standout songs. Basie Swings Bennett Sings is a 1958 Album by Tony Bennett with Count Basie and his Orchestra In Person! is a 1959 (see 1959 in music) Album by Tony Bennett, recorded with the Count Basie Orchestra. "Chicago" is a popular song It was written by Fred Fisher and was published in 1922.

Bennett also built up the quality and reputation of his nightclub act; in this he was following the path of Sinatra and other top jazz and standards singers of this era. A nightclub (or "night club" or "club" is a drinking, dancing, and entertainment venue which does its primary business after dark ^[5] Bennett also appeared on television; he sang on the first night of both the Johnny Carson The Tonight Show and The Merv Griffin Show. John William “Johnny” Carson ( October 23, 1925 &ndash January 23, 2005) was an American Television host and The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson was a late-night talk show hosted by Johnny Carson under the ''Tonight Show'' franchise from 1962 The Merv Griffin Show was a long-running American Television talk show, starring singer Merv Griffin. In June 1962, Bennett staged a highly-promoted concert performance at Carnegie Hall, using a stellar lineup of musicians including Al Cohn, Kenny Burrell, and Candido, as well as the Ralph Sharon Trio. Tony Bennett at Carnegie Hall is a 1962 (see 1962 in music) Live album by Tony Bennett. Al Cohn was an American Jazz Saxophonist and arranger/composer Kenneth Earl "Kenny" Burrell (born July 31 1931) is an American Jazz Guitarist. Candido Camero (born April 22, 1921) is Cuban percussionist (mainly Conga and bongo) who backed many Afro-Cuban jazz and The concert featured 44 songs, including favorites like "I've Got the World on a String" and "The Best Is Yet To Come. " I've Got The World on a String " is a 1933 popular Song composed by Harold Arlen, with lyrics written by Ted Koehler. " The Best Is Yet to Come " is a song composed by Cy Coleman, with lyrics by Carolyn Leigh. " It was a big success, and further cemented Bennett's reputation as a star both at home and abroad.

Also in 1962, Bennett released the song "I Left My Heart in San Francisco. " I Left My Heart in San Francisco " is a popular song written in 1954, and most known as Tony Bennett 's Signature song, from his " Although this only reached #19 on the Billboard Hot 100,^[14] it spent close to a year on various other charts and increased Bennett's exposure. ^[5] The album of the same title was a top 5 hit^[5] and both the single and album achieved gold record status. I Left My Heart in San Francisco is a 1962 Album by Tony Bennett. In the United States, the Recording Industry Association of America awards certification based on the number of Albums and singles sold through retail and The song won Grammy Awards for Record of the Year and Best Male Solo Vocal Performance, and over the years would become known as Bennett's signature song. The Grammy Awards (originally called the Gramophone Awards)—or Grammys —are presented annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences The Record of the Year is one of the four most prestigious Grammy Awards presented annually The Grammy Award for Best Vocal Performance Male was awarded from 1959 to 1968 A signature song is the one Song (or in some cases one of a few songs that a popular and well-established ^[2][9] In 2001, it was ranked 23rd on an RIAA/NEA list of the most historically significant Songs of the 20th Century. The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA is a United States federally funded and donation assisted program that offers support and funding for projects exhibiting artistic excellence The " Songs of the Century " list is part of an education project by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA the National Endowment for the Arts

Bennett's following album, I Wanna Be Around (1963) was also a top 5 success,^[5] with the title track and "The Good Life" each reaching the top 20 of the pop singles chart^[14] and the top 10 of the Adult Contemporary chart. The Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart (formerly known as Adult Contemporary Singles, Easy Listening, and only Adult Contemporary) lists the most popular ^[19]

The next year brought The Beatles and the British Invasion, and with them still more musical and cultural attention to rock and less to pop, standards, and jazz. The Beatles were a pop and rock band from Liverpool, England formed in 1960 The British Invasion was the term applied by the news media — and subsequently by consumers — to the influx of Rock and roll, beat and pop performers Over the next couple of years Bennett had minor hits with several albums and singles based on show tunes – his last top 40 single was the #34 "If I Ruled the World" from Pickwick in 1965^[14] – but his commercial fortunes were clearly starting to decline. A show tune is a Popular song originally written as part of the score of a "show" (or stage musical, especially if the piece in question has become " If I Ruled the World " is a Popular song, originally from the 1963 West End musical Pickwick, based on Charles Pickwick was a musical, based on Charles Dickens 's The Pickwick Papers, which opened on July 4, 1963. An attempt to break into acting with a role in the 1966 film The Oscar^[15] was not well received. Acting is the work of an Actor or Actress, which is a person in Theatre, Television, Film, or any other Storytelling The Oscar is a 1966 Drama film, written by Harlan Ellison, Clarence Greene,

A firm believer in the American Civil Rights movement,^[9] Bennett participated in the 1965 Selma to Montgomery marches. The American Civil Rights Movement (1955–1968 refers to the reform movements in the United States aimed at abolishing racial discrimination against African The Selma to Montgomery marches, which included Bloody Sunday, were three marches that marked the Political and emotional peak of the American civil rights ^[20] Years later he would continue this commitment by refusing to perform in apartheid South Africa. The Republic of South Africa (also known by other official names) is a country located at the southern tip of the continent of Africa ^[2]

Years of struggle

Sharon and Bennett parted ways in 1965. ^[18] There was great pressure on singers such as Lena Horne and Barbra Streisand to record "contemporary" rock songs, and in this vein Columbia Records' Clive Davis suggested that Bennett do the same. Lena Mary Calhoun Horne (born June 30, 1917) is an iconic American singer and Actress. Barbra Streisand (ˈstraɪsænd "STRY-sand" born April 24 1942 is an American Singer, Film and Theatre Actress Clive Jay Davis (born April 4 1932 in Brooklyn New York is an American Record producer and a leading music industry executive. ^[5] Bennett was very reluctant, and when he tried, the results pleased no one. This was exemplified by Tony Sings the Great Hits of Today! (1969),^[5] which featured misguided attempts at Beatles and other current songs and a ludicrous psychedelic art cover. ^[21]

Years later Bennett would recall his dismay at being asked to do contemporary material, comparing it to when his mother was forced to produce a cheap dress. By 1972, he had departed Columbia for MGM Records, but found no more success there, and in a couple more years he was without a recording contract. MGM Records was a Record label started by the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Film studio in 1946 ^[5]

Bennett and his wife Patricia had been separated since 1965, their marriage a victim of too much time on the road, among other factors. ^[2] In 1971, their divorce became official. Bennett had been involved with aspiring actress Sandra Grant since filming The Oscar, and on December 29, 1971 they married. Sandra Grant Bennett (born 1940 is an American actress most famous for marrying singing legend Tony Bennett and dating Joe DiMaggio for many years after he divorced Events 1170 - Thomas Becket: Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canterbury is assassinated inside Canterbury Cathedral by followers of King Henry II Year 1971 ( MCMLXXI) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the 1971 Gregorian calendar. ^[13] They would have two daughters, Joanna and Antonia.

Taking matters into his own hands, Bennett started his own record company, Improv. ^[5] He cut some songs that would later become favorites, such as "What is This Thing Called Love?", and made two well-regarded albums with jazz pianist Bill Evans, The Tony Bennett/Bill Evans Album (1975) and Together Again (1976), but by 1977 Improv was out of business. William John Evans (better known as Bill Evans) ( August 16, 1929 &ndash September 15, 1980) was one of the most famous and influential The Tony Bennett Bill Evans Album is a 1975 (see 1975 in music) Album by the singer Tony Bennett, accompianed by the pianist Bill Together Again is a 1977 (see 1977 in music) Album by the singer Tony Bennett, accompanied by the pianist Bill Evans. A stint living in England, like other American jazz expatriates, did not change his fortunes. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland An expatriate (in abbreviated form expat) is a person temporarily or permanently residing in a country and culture other than that of the person's upbringing

As the decade neared its end, Bennett had no recording contract, no manager, and was not performing any concerts outside of Las Vegas. Las Vegas ( Spanish: "The Meadows" is the most populous City in the state of Nevada, the seat of Clark County, and an internationally ^[6] His second marriage was failing (they would completely separate in 1979, but not officially divorce until 2007). ^[22] He had (like many musicians) developed a drug addiction, was living beyond his means, and had the Internal Revenue Service trying to seize his Los Angeles home. Drug addiction is widely considered a pathological state. The disorder of addiction involves the progression of acute Drug use to the development of drug-seeking The Los Angeles (lɑˈsændʒələs los ˈaŋxeles in Spanish) is the largest City in the state of California and the American West ^[6] He had hit bottom.

Turnaround

After a near-fatal cocaine overdose in 1979, Bennett called his sons Danny and Dae for help. Cocaine ( benzoylmethyl ecgonine) is a Crystalline Tropane Alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the Coca plant The term drug overdose (or simply overdose or OD) describes the Ingestion or application of a Drug or other substance in quantities "Look, I'm lost here," he told them. "It seems like people don't want to hear the music I make. "^[6]

Danny Bennett, an aspiring musician himself, also came to a realization. The band Danny and his brother had started, Quacky Duck and His Barnyard Friends, had foundered and Danny's musical abilities were limited. Quacky Duck and His Barnyard Friends was an American Country rock band of the early 1970s However he had discovered during this time, that he did have a head for business. A business (also called firm or an enterprise) is a legally recognized organizational entity designed to provide goods and/or services to His father, on the other hand, had tremendous musical talent but was having trouble sustaining a career from it. Danny signed on as his father's manager.

Danny got his father's expenses under control, moved him back to New York, and began booking him in colleges and small theatres to get him away from a "Vegas" image. ^[6] Tony Bennett had also reunited with Ralph Sharon as his pianist and musical director. ^[18] By 1986, Tony Bennett was re-signed to Columbia Records, this time with creative control, and released The Art of Excellence. The Art of Excellence is an Album by Tony Bennett, released in 1986 This became his first album to reach the charts since 1972. ^[5]

An unexpected audience

By the mid-1980s, the excesses of the disco, punk rock, and new wave eras had given many artists and listeners a greater appreciation for the classic American song. The 1980s was the decade spanning from January 1 1980 to December 31 1989. Disco is a Genre of dance-oriented music whose origins are hard to define New Wave is a Rock music genre that existed during the late 1970s and the 1980s Rock stars such as Linda Ronstadt began recording albums of standards, and such songs began showing up more frequently in movie soundtracks and on television commercials. Linda Maria Ronstadt (born July 15 1946 in Tucson Arizona) is an American popular vocalist and Entertainer whose vocal styles in a variety

Danny Bennett felt strongly that younger audiences, although completely unfamiliar with Tony Bennett, would respond to his music if only given a chance to see and hear it. More crucially, no changes to Tony's appearance (tuxedo), singing style (his own), musical accompaniment (The Ralph Sharon Trio or an orchestra), or song choice (generally the Great American Songbook) were necessary or desirable. Great American Songbook (sometimes abbreviated as "GAS" is a term referring to the interrelated music of Broadway musical theater ^[5]

Accordingly, Danny began to book his father on shows with younger audiences, such as David Letterman's talk shows, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, The Simpsons, and various MTV programs. David Michael Letterman (born April 12, 1947) is an American late-night Talk show host and Comedian and the host since 1993 Late Night with Conan O'Brien is an Emmy Award -winning American late-night Talk show hosted by Conan O'Brien on NBC MTV ( Music Television) is an American Cable television network based in New York City. ^[2][6] The plan worked; as Tony later remembered, "I realized that young people had never heard those songs. Cole Porter, Gershwin – they were like, 'Who wrote that?' To them, it was different. If you're different, you stand out. "^[6]

During this time, Bennett continued to record, first putting out the acclaimed look back Astoria: Portrait of the Artist (1990), then emphasizing themed albums such as the Sinatra homage Perfectly Frank (1992) and the Fred Astaire tribute Steppin' Out (1993). Astoria Portrait of the Artist is an Album by Tony Bennett, released in 1990 Perfectly Frank is an Album by Tony Bennett, released in 1992 recorded as a tribute to Frank Sinatra. Fred Astaire (born Frederick Austerlitz; May 10, 1899 &ndash June 22, 1987) was an American Academy Award Steppin' Out is an Album by Tony Bennett, released in 1993 Backed by the Ralph Sharon Trio and themed as a tribute to Fred Astaire, The latter two both achieved gold status and won Grammys for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance (Bennett's first Grammys since 1962) and further established Bennett as the inheritor of the mantle of a classic American great. The Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album has been awarded since 1992

As Bennett was seen at MTV Video Music Awards shows side by side with the likes of the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Flavor Flav, and as his "Steppin' Out With My Baby" video received MTV airplay, it was clear that, as The New York Times said, "Tony Bennett has not just bridged the generation gap, he has demolished it. The MTV Video Music Awards were established in the end of the summer of 1984 by MTV to celebrate the top Music videos of the year Red Hot Chili Peppers are William Jonathan Drayton Jr (born March 16, 1959) better known by his stage name Flavor Flav, is an American rapper television star He has solidly connected with a younger crowd weaned on rock. And there have been no compromises. "^[23]

The new audience reached its height with Bennett's appearance in 1994 on MTV Unplugged. MTV Unplugged is a series showcasing popular musical artists playing Acoustic instruments It was produced by Viacom and was directed by Beth Featuring guest appearances by rock and country stars Elvis Costello and k.d. lang (both of whom had a profound respect for the standards genre), the show attracted a considerable audience and much media attention. Elvis Costello (born Declan Patrick MacManus 25 August 1954 is an English Musician and Singer-songwriter, with Irish ancestry kd lang, OC (born Kathryn Dawn Lang, November 2, 1961) is a Grammy Award -winning Canadian Singer and The resulting MTV Unplugged: Tony Bennett album went platinum and, besides taking the Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance Grammy award for the third straight year, also won the top Grammy prize of Album of the Year. MTV Unplugged Tony Bennett is a Live album by Tony Bennett, released in 1995 In the United States, the Recording Industry Association of America awards certification based on the number of Albums and singles sold through retail and The Grammy Award for Album of the Year is the most prestigious award category at the Grammys At age 68, Tony Bennett had come all the way back.

No retirement

Since then Bennett has continued to record and tour steadily, doing up to 200 shows a year. ^[2] In concert Bennett often makes a point of singing one song (usually "Fly Me to the Moon") without any microphone or amplification, demonstrating to younger audience members the lost art of vocal projection. "Fly Me to the Moon" is a Pop standard song written by Bart Howard in 1954 One show, Tony Bennett's Wonderful World: Live From San Francisco, was made into a PBS special. The Public Broadcasting Service ( PBS) is a Non-profit Public broadcasting Television service with 354 member TV stations in the Bennett also created the idea behind, and starred in the first, of the A&E Network's Live By Request series, for which he won an Emmy Award. A&E is a cable and Satellite television network with headquarters in Manhattan and offices in Stamford, Atlanta, In addition to numerous television guest performances, Bennett has had cameo appearances as himself in films such as The Scout, Analyze This, and Bruce Almighty. A cameo role or cameo appearance (often shortened to just cameo) is a brief appearance of a known person in a work of the Performing arts, such as The Scout ( 1994) is a motion picture starring Brendan Fraser and Albert Brooks and directed by Michael Ritchie, the director Analyze This is a 1999 movie produced by Warner Brothers Studios. Bruce Almighty is a 2003 American Comedy film, directed by Tom Shadyac and starring Jim Carrey. Bennett also published The Good Life: The Autobiography of Tony Bennett in 1998.

A series of albums, often based on themes (Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday, blues, duets) have met with good acceptance; Bennett has won seven more Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance or Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album Grammys in the subsequent years, most recently for the year 2006. Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29 1899 &ndash May 24 1974 was an American Composer, Pianist, and Bandleader. Louis Armstrong (August 4 1901 &ndash July 6 1971 nicknamed Satchmo or Sachimo and Pops, was an American Jazz Trumpeter Billie Holiday (born Eleanora Fagan; April 7 1915 – July 17 1959 was an American Jazz singer and songwriter The Blues is a vocal and instrumental form of Music based on the use of the Blue notes It emerged as an accessible form of self-expression The Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album has been awarded since 1992 According to his official biography, Bennett has now sold over 50 million records worldwide during his career.

Tony Bennett's career as a painter has also flourished. ^[24] He followed up his childhood interest with serious training, work, and museum visits throughout his life. He sketches or paints every day, even of views out of hotel windows when he is on tour. Painting under his real name of Benedetto, he has exhibited his work in numerous galleries and has been commissioned by the Kentucky Derby and the United Nations. The Kentucky Derby is a Grade I stakes race for three year-old thoroughbred horses held annually in Louisville Kentucky, on the first Saturday in May The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security ^[24] His painting "Homage to Hockney" (for his friend David Hockney) is on permanent display at the highly regarded Butler Institute of American Art in Youngstown, Ohio as is his "Boy on Sailboat, Sydney Bay" at the National Arts Club in Gramercy Park in New York. David Hockney, CH, RA, (born 9 July 1937 is an English Artist, based in Los Angeles California, United States The Butler Institute of American Art, located on Wick Avenue in Youngstown, Ohio, United States, was the first museum dedicated exclusively to Youngstown is a city in the US state of Ohio and the County seat of Mahoning County. The National Arts Club is a private club founded in 1898 to "stimulate foster and promote public interest in the arts and to educate the American people in the fine arts" Gramercy Park (sometimes misspelled as Grammercy) is a small fenced-in private park in the Gramercy neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City ^[24] His paintings have been featured in ARTnews and other magazines, and sell for as much as $40,000. ARTnews (originally published as American Art News) is an art Magazine, founded in 1902 and claiming a circulation of more than 200000 ^[2] Many of his works were published in the art book Tony Bennett: What My Heart Has Seen in 1996. In 2007, another book involving his paintings, Tony Bennett in the Studio: A Life of Art & Music, became a best-seller among art books. ^[12]

Accolades came to Bennett. For his contribution to the recording industry, Tony Bennett was given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1560 Vine Street. The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a Sidewalk along Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street in Hollywood Los Angeles California, USA, that Vine is a Street in Hollywood Los Angeles California that runs north-south from Melrose Avenue up past Hollywood Boulevard. Bennett was inducted into the Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame in 1997, was awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2001, and received a lifetime achievement award from the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) in 2002. The Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award is awarded by the Recording Academy to "performers who during their lifetimes have made creative contributions of outstanding The American Society of Composers Authors and Publishers ( ASCAP) is a non-profit Performance rights organization that protects its In 2002, Q magazine named Tony Bennett in their list of the "50 Bands To See Before You Die. See also 2002 (disambiguation Year 2002 ( MMII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. Q is a Music Magazine published monthly in the United Kingdom, with a circulation of 130179 as of June 2007 " On December 4, 2005, Bennett was the recipient of a Kennedy Center Honor. "December 4th" redirects here For the song by Jay-Z, see December 4th (song. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Kennedy Center Honors is an annual honor given to artists in the performing arts Later, a theatrical musical revue of his songs, called I Left My Heart: A Salute to the Music of Tony Bennett was created and featured some of his best-known songs such as "I Left My Heart in San Francisco", "Because of You", and "Wonderful. " The following year, Bennett was inducted into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame. The Long Island Music Hall of Fame is an organization located in Lake Grove New York.

Bennett frequently donates his time to charitable causes, to the extent that he is sometimes nicknamed "Tony Benefit. "^[25] In April 2002, he joined Michael Jackson, Chris Tucker and former President Bill Clinton in a fundraiser for the Democratic National Committee at New York's Apollo Theater. See also 2002 (disambiguation Year 2002 ( MMII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. Michael Joseph Jackson (born August 29 1958 is an American musician entertainer and businessman Christopher "Chris" Tucker (born August 31, 1972) is an American Actor and Comedian most widely known for his roles William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton (born William Jefferson Blythe III, August 19 1946 served as the forty-second President of the United States The Democratic National Committee (DNC is the principal organization governing the United States Democratic Party on a day to day basis New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous In the late 1980s, Bennett entered into a long-term romantic relationship with Susan Crow (born c. 1960), a former New York City schoolteacher. In Education, a teacher is one who helps Students or pupils often in a School, as well as in a Family, religious or ^[6] Together they founded Exploring the Arts, a charitable organization dedicated to creating, promoting, and supporting arts education. At the same time they founded (and named after Bennett's friend) the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts in Queens, a public high school dedicated to teaching the performing arts, which opened in 2001 and would have a very high graduation rate. The Frank Sinatra School of the Arts is an arts High school located in Long Island City Queens, New York. ^[3] It was a tribute in return, for in a 1965 Life magazine interview Sinatra had said that:

"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. "^[9]

Danny Bennett continues to be Tony's manager while Dae Bennett is a recording engineer who has worked on a number of Tony's projects and who has opened Bennett Studios in Englewood, New Jersey. Audio engineering is a part of audio science dealing with the recording and reproduction of Sound through mechanical and electronic means Englewood is a city located in Bergen County, New Jersey. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 26203 Tony's younger daughter Antonia is an aspiring jazz singer. ^[6]

In August 2006, Bennett turned eighty years old. The birthday itself was an occasion for publicity, which then extended through the rest of the following year, as his album Duets: An American Classic was released, reached his highest placement ever on the albums chart,^[5] and garnered two Grammy Awards; concerts were given, including a high-profile one for New York radio station WLTW-FM; a performance made with Christina Aguilera and a comedy sketch made with Alec Baldwin on Saturday Night Live; a Thanksgiving-time, Rob Marshall-directed television special Tony Bennett: An American Classic on NBC, which would win multiple Emmy Awards;^[12] receipt of the Billboard Century Award; and guest-mentoring on American Idol season 6 and performing during its finale. Duets An American Classic is an Album by Tony Bennett, released in 2006 WLTW (1067 FM, "1067 Lite FM" is a Radio station with an Adult contemporary format in New York City. Christina María Aguilera (born December 18 1980 is an American pop / R&B Singer and Songwriter. Alexander Rae "Alec" Baldwin III (born April 3 1958 is an Academy Award -nominated and Emmy - and Golden Globe Award -winning American Saturday Night Live ( SNL) is a weekly late-night 90-minute American Sketch comedy / Variety show based in New York City Thanksgiving, or Thanksgiving Day, is a traditional North American Holiday, which is a form of harvest festival. Rob Marshall (born October 17 1960 in Madison, Wisconsin, US) is an American theater and Film director The National Broadcasting Company ( NBC) is an American Television network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's The 59th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards were held at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles California on September 16, 2007 and were televised The Billboard Music Awards, sponsored by Billboard magazine and held annually in December is one of several annual United States music awards shows (among American Idol, with the full title American Idol The Search for a Superstar for the first season only is an American reality-competition The sixth season of American Idol premiered on the Fox Broadcasting Company on January 16, 2007 and ran until May 23, The Grand Finale of American Idol Season 6 aired on May 23, 2007, live from the Kodak Theatre in He received the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees' Humanitarian Award. Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR (established December 14, 1950) is a Bennett was awarded the National Endowment for the Arts - Jazz Masters Award in 2006, (the highest honors that the United States bestows upon jazz musicians). The NEA or National Endowment for the Arts, every year honors up to seven Jazz musicians with Jazz Master Awards

On June 21, 2007, Bennett married long-time partner Susan Crow in a civil ceremony in New York. Events 524 - Godomar, King of the Burgundians defeats the Franks at the Battle of Vézeronce. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ^[26]

Discography

Main article: Tony Bennett discography

See also

• List of best selling music artists
• Frank Sinatra School of the Arts

Books

• Bennett, Tony. See also Tony Bennett This is a partial Discography for Tony Bennett When adding to this page please ensure that your claims are sourced The Frank Sinatra School of the Arts is an arts High school located in Long Island City Queens, New York. Tony Bennett : What My Heart Has Seen. Rizzoli, 1996. ISBN 0-8478-1972-8.
• Bennett, Tony, with Will Friedwald. The Good Life: The Autobiography Of Tony Bennett. Pocket Books, 1998. ISBN 0-671-02469-8.
• Bennett, Tony, with Robert Sullivan. Tony Bennett in the Studio: A Life of Art & Music. Sterling, 2007. ISBN 1402747675.

References

External links

• Official Tony Bennett music website
• Official Tony Bennett art website
• Legacy Records Tony Bennett website
• Exploring the Arts website
• Tony Bennett at the Internet Movie Database
• Video Interview with Tony Bennett
• Official Antonia Bennett music website
• The Tony Bennett MySpace Page
• Interview with Tony Bennett

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