The song of the day for Tuesday, February 4, 2025, is “Trav’lin’ Light.”
About Today
Tony Bennett On Holiday: A Tribute to Billie Holiday was released 28 years ago on February 4, 1997.
In 2014, a reader left a thoughtful comment on The Interactive Tony Bennett Discography, our sister site, about this album:
I was surprised to discover that Tony Bennett’s tribute to Lady Day rang truer than all of the other attempts to politicize her, racialize her, or use her as a self-promotional “career stepping stone.” Tony captures the Lady of the Gardenias that struck Sinatra to the core when he first heard her in the late ’30s, causing him to list her as chief among all his inspirations and influences.
I couldn’t agree more.
About This Song
“Trav’lin’ Light” was written by Trummy Young and Jimmy Mundy in 1942. Paul Whiteman was set to record the song for Capitol Records, founded by Johnny Mercer. Trummy Young brought his girlfriend, Billie Holiday. Mercer quickly wrote the lyrics to the song so that Holiday could record the vocals. As Holiday was under contract with Columbia at the time, she was credited as Lady Day on the record.
About This Version
Tony Bennett recorded “Trav’lin’ Light” in June 1996 for his tribute album to Billie Holiday, Tony Bennett On Holiday, released in 1997. Jorge Calandrelli wrote the arrangement.
Tony Bennett On Holiday won the 1998 Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Performance.
“Trav’lin’ Light,” as well as Tony Bennett On Holiday, is available on Apple Music.
Here’s Billie Holiday’s 1942 recording of “Trav’lin’ Light” with Paul Whitman and His Orchestra:
Please feel free to leave a comment