Remembering Judy Garland

The fabulous Judy Garland was born on June 10, 1922.

In his autobiography The Good Life, Tony Bennett remembers her:

The following year I got the chance to work with Judy Garland for the first time when she invited me to sing on her CBS television special. It was the beginning of a long and treasured friendship. Just like everyone in America, I’d fallen in love with Judy in 1939 when I saw her sing “Over the Rainbow# in The Wizard of Oz. She was always a fantastic entertainer, and like Louis Armstrong, Frank Sinatra and Jimmy Durante, one of my major influences. Judy was only a few years old than me, but since she’d been a child star, I’d been her fan for my entire life.

I first met Judy in 1958 when she came backstage after my show at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles and congratulated me on my performance. It was a thrill that never wore off. She was a true original, full of life and fun.

and

The last time I saw her was in London in April, 1969, when I was there doing a TV special with Count Basie. After the show, she came backstage to see me, and the last thing she said to me was, “You’re pretty good!” She died two months later. I’ve never gotten over it. She was so kind, so talented, such a dear friend. When I look back, it’s hard to believe that most of the time she was just trying to hold on for dear life.

We remember Judy Garland today with this video of Tony and Judy singing “I Left My Heart in San Francisco.”