Singer Tony Bennett, renowned for the American Songbook, passed away at 96. He battled Alzheimer's but continued performing and releasing music, achieving Billboard success at 95.
Tony Bennett: smooth singer of the 1950s, radio hitmaker, showman, and timeless personality. Recorded "St. James Infirmary Blues" at 20 with a US Army band after World War II.
Tony Bennett, born Anthony Dominick Benedetto, worked as a singer-waiter and found joy despite challenges. Bob Hope gave him the name Tony Bennett.
In this interview, Bennett shared his family's musical heritage, with his father charming the community with opera in Italy. Bennett studied bel canto and learned to find his own voice by emulating instrumental phrasing.
Tony Bennett's demo of "The Boulevard Of Broken Dreams" led to a contract with Columbia Records in 1950. He became a renowned singer with a passion for jazz.
Tony Bennett's arranger, Ralph Sharon, praised his jazz sensibility in pop music. Bennett collaborated with jazz legends like Duke Ellington and Miles Davis, recording jazz albums with Art Blakey and the Count Basie Orchestra. Musicians loved performing with him for his great sense of swing.
Regardless of the style, Bennett's identifiable sound shined through. In 1962, his career took off with "I Left My Heart In San Francisco," which became his signature song. Sharon stumbled upon the sheet music by accident, tucked away in a drawer along with some shirts, just before hitting the road.
Sharon remembers suggesting San Francisco, discovering "I Left My Heart In San Francisco." It became a global hit, topping the US charts and earning Bennett two Grammy Awards.
With his stardom, Bennett used his voice for social causes, including civil rights. He resisted changing his music to rock, staying true to standards and jazz collaborations. He performed on various shows, including The Muppet Show, David Letterman, The Simpsons, and MTV. He also took a stand against violence in the South by performing in Montgomery after the "Bloody Sunday" incident.
In 1994, Bennett's MTV Unplugged performance, featuring kd lang, boosted his career, reaching a new generation. He collaborated with artists like Stevie Wonder and Lady Gaga, gaining a legion of new fans. Bennett cherished life and his passions, including music and painting landscapes and portraits as "Antonio Benedetto."
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