The song of the day for Thursday, August 14, 2025, is “Blue and Sentimental.”
A Belated Birthday
We’re remembering the late Kay Starr, who was born on July 21, 1922. Normally, we remember Tony Bennett’s collaborators on their birth date, but because July 21 also marked our remembrance of Tony Bennett on the anniversary of his passing, we skipped Kay Starr.
Kay Starr was a remarkable singer who sang songs in several genres: jazz, pop, blues, country, and rock ‘n’ roll. Jazz was her primary calling. Her first professional job occurred when she was discovered by jazz violinist Joe Venuti when Starr was only 15 years old. Venuti was playing at the Peabody Hotel in Memphis, TN, for the summer. Her parents allowed her to perform, as long as she was home by midnight. After she graduated from high school, she moved to Los Angeles to work with Joe Venuti.
You can learn more about Kay Starr on Wikipedia and All About Jazz.com.
About This Song
“Blue and Sentimental” was written in 1938 by Count Basie, Jerry Livingston, and Mack David. Recordings of the song include those by The King Cole Trio, The Mills Brothers, Ella Fitzgerald, and Catherine Russell.
About This Version
Tony Bennett and Kay Starr recorded “Blue and Sentimental” in May 2001 for Playin’ With My Friends: Bennett Sings The Blues. Rob Mathes wrote the vocal arrangements.
“Blue and Sentimental,” as well as Playin’ With My Friends: Bennett Sings The Blues, is available on Apple Music.
Playin’ With My Friends: Bennett Sings The Blues won the 2003 Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Album.
As a special treat, we’re including Kay Starr’s 1952 recording of “Wheel of Fortune,” which was a smash hit and was later inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
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