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Description
Tony Bennett, one of the most endearing and enduring entertainers of all time is a living legend and had proven to be one of the most resilient, talented and best loved singer and musicians of the 20th and 21st centuries. Known for his smooth vocals, enduring and broad vocal range, plus a unique ability to adapt his singing style to perfectly complement instrumentation, Bennett's popularity has transcended the decades and to many he is as popular today as he was in the 1950's. Bennett's affable personality coupled with an uncanny ability to mesmerize and captivate audiences while performing onstage or via recordings is truly remarkable.
Anthony Dominick Benedetto, who always loved to sing, was born in 1926 in Queens, New York. From a singing waiter to a young man entertaining the troops in World War II Europe, to an appearance in Arthur Godfrey's Talent Show, Bennett was known as a perfectionist when it came to his singing. While performing once at a New York club with Pearl Bailey, he attracted the attention of comedian Bob Hope, who convinces him to change his name to Tony Bennett. Hope was so impressed with the young singer that he booked him into his show at The Paramount Theater, where Bennett's rendition of "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" attracted the attention of Columbia Records head, Mitch Miller. Not long after his career took off and in the early 1050's he had several #1 hit singles, including "Because of You", and "I Won't Cry Anymore", plus a haunting rendition of the classic, "Cold, Cold Heart".
Growing up in the Big Band era and naturally influence by that sound, Bennett was so inspired by the likes of Billie Holliday, Dexter Gordon, Mildred Bailey and many others, including Frank Sinatra, who once called Bennett the best singer in the business. And although Bennett never claimed to be a "jazz singer" per se, some of his best work is a collaboration and affiliation over the years with many of the world's jazz icons, such as Dizzy Gillispie and George Benson. The jazz influence in Bennett's music cannot be underestimated.
From 1950 to 1964 Bennett had 24 "Top 40" hits, including one of his many "signature" songs, "I Left My Heart in San Francisco". Other hits of the genre included "Just in Time", "There'll Be No Teardrops Tonight", and another classic that richly showcased his incredible vocal range, "Rags to Riches".
During the 1960's Bennett began to concentrate on album-oriented recording with 25 records hitting the charts between 1962 and 1972. It was during that period of his illustrious career that Bennett's genius talents were never more evident as he teamed up with legends as Count Bassie, Duke Ellington, Bill Evans, Stan Getz, Bobby Hackett, Zoot Sims, Ralph Burns, Ruby Braff, Woody Herman and Ray Charles to make musical history.
By the late 1970's and into the 1080's Bennett began to concentrate on live performances and to spend more time with his "other" career, that of an accomplished painter. His paintings signed with his original name, Anthony Benedetto have become extremely popular and in great demand as fine art.
A transformation and resurrection was taking place in the mid-1980 and Bennett's brief sabbatical from recording ended and he once again poured himself into his work. In addition to his legions of loyal fans from earlier years, Bennett was now being "discovered" by a younger audience. His popularity once again soared as he released The Art of Excellence album in 1986. Included in the acclaimed piece of work was the now classic duet of Bennett singing with Ray Charles. In 1987 his new fans were treated to a compilation of hits from the 1950's and 1960's in a work entitled Jazz. Bennett's popularity carried over into the 1990's as he released an enormously popular album, Perfectly Frank, devoted to the songs and music of Frank Sinatra. Befitting the history and talent of one of the greatest performers of all time and reflecting upon the genius of this enduring performer, many modern groups such as The Red Hot Chili Peppers have cited Bennett as being a major influence on their work. A successful appearance on "MTV Unplugged" in 1993 helped bolster his new found "alternative" appeal to Baby Boomers and Generation Xers alike.
Tony jokes with audiences, saying he's been singing for 50 years, which draws great applause from the crowd. But then he pauses and says, "I lied! I've been singing for 60 years! Tony Bennett continues to appeal to vast and varied audiences as he takes his talents, popularity and skills into the 21st Century. Pointillism artist, Michael Coupe, has managed to capture a portrait that freezes in time, the magic moment as Tony Bennett sings!
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