The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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It’s Been a Year

A year ago today, I woke up and tuned into NPR on the radio. In just a few seconds, I heard that Tony Bennett had died. While not unexpected, the news cut me to the core. I had loved Tony Bennett and his music for many years, resulting in my starting this blog and creating the sister discography site.

In this journey, as I learned more about Tony Bennett, I not only grew to love his music more but became aware of what an extraordinary man he was. He deeply cared about people and justice. His pacifism and his strong stance as an anti-racist demonstrated his love for peace, truth, and beauty. The school of the arts he built with his wife Susan Benedetto demonstrated his love and caring for subsequent generations of artists and performers.

I was fortunate to meet him backstage a few times, and he was kind and gracious to me as well as all of the fans who met him.

So, today, I’m thinking about him a lot. I miss him everyday and I always wished there had been one more time to see him perform. But what I have also learned this year is that he left us with an extraordinary body of work that brings us joy every day: the recordings, his books, and film documentaries. Like John Pizzarelli said “Tony Bennett had died. But I don’t I don’t have to believe it if I don’t want to.” He still lives in the hearts of his fans.

I leave you with the last song he sang, just two days before his death.

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Tony Bennett on Piano Jazz

This episode aired in Fall 1990.

Setlist:

“Wait Till You See Her” (Hart, Rodgers)

“Stay as Sweet as You Are” (Gordon, Revel)

“Willow Creek” (McPartland)

“While We’re Young” (Coots, Gillespie)

“Jazz Waltz For A Friend” (Wilder)

“Let There Be Love” (Rosnes)

“Portrait of Tony Bennett” (McPartland)

“Imagination” (Burke, Van Heusen)

“Watch What Happens” (Demy, Gimbel)

“Love Is Just Around the Corner” (Gensler, Robin)

“I’ve Grown Accustomed to Your Face” (Lerner, Loewe)

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Tony and Lady Gaga — in his own words

Tony wrote about his friendship and collaboration with Lady Gaga in his book Just Getting Started.

We began our musical association by recording “The Lady Is a Tramp,” the great Rodgers and Hart song we both love, at Avatar Studios in New York City. One of the first things you see about Gaga when you work together in the studio is her utter professionalism and thoughtfulness. She doesn’t just sweep in, like some other stars, oblivious to others. She stops to shake hands and talk to the engineers, the musicians, the office personnel, and the people who run out for bagels and coffee. She is that rare, huge talent who knows that you need to nurture and encourage collaboration to become a truly big star.

Gaga and I got better together as we went along. But from the first, there were sparks, banter, and a kind of effortless back-and-forth that inspired improvisation. It was fun, and it was electric.

There is no mistaking the fact that the collaboration I’ve enjoyed with Lady Gaga has made me and the music to which I’ve devoted my artistic life appreciated by a whole new generation. They have kept me going past the age of ninety. And they have kept the music going on and on and on, into new generations.

We were being interviewed once, and I heard Gaga say that one of the things she’s learned from our partnership is that “You don’t have to fear growing older. In my generation, this is like at the center of everything, especially in celebrity culture: it’s all about staying young and staying perfect and staying youthful. . . . But Tony has remained the same, and there’s nothing hipper. There’s nothing hipper than being talented at something that you love, in having passion, and that is classic, and that is timeless.” Did you catch that? I think Lady Gaga called me hip.

Just Getting Started is available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other booksellers.