The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: How Do You Keep The Music Playing?

The song of the day for Tuesday, March 25, 2025, is “How Do You Keep The Music Playing?”.

About Today

The Year of Tony Bennett is proud to honor Aretha Franklin, The Queen of Soul, who was born on March 25, 1942, in Memphis, TN. She won 18 Grammy Awards and was the first woman inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1987. Rolling Stone magazine named her the greatest singer of all time twice.

About This Song

“How Do You Keep The Music Playing?” was written in 1982 by Michel Legrand, with lyrics by Alan and Marilyn Bergman, for the movie Best Friends, starring Burt Lancaster and Goldie Hawn. The initial recording was a duet by Patti Austin and James Ingram, which became a hit single in 1983. The song has become a popular standard and has had many fine recordings, including those by Frank Sinatra, Frankie Laine, Johnny Mathis, Tony Bennett and George Michael, and, most recently, Tony Bennett and Aretha Franklin.

About This Version

Tony Bennett and Aretha Franklin recorded “How Do You Keep The Music Playing?” in 2011 for Duets II. Jorge Calandrelli arranged and conducted the recording.

“How Do You Keep The Music Playing?,” as well as Duets II, is available on Apple Music.

Duets II won the 2012 Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Album.

We have two videos today.

First is the official video with Tony Bennett and Aretha Franklin for today’s song. Keep an eye on Tony Bennett at 4:19–a single tear as they are finishing the song. I had the privilege of seeing him live many times and seeing how tuned in he was to his emotions when he sang. There will never be anyone as great as Tony Bennett.

Second is her appearance at the Kennedy Center Honors to honor Carol King by singing “Natural Woman.” This is one of the most amazing things I’ve ever seen. Keep an eye out 2:56 into the video and watch the entire audience go crazy. I’ve never seen anything like it and I don’t think I ever will.

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Song of the Day: How Do You Keep the Music Playing?

The song of the day for Monday, March 24, 2024, is “How Do You Keep the Music Playing?.”

About Today

Today we honor the late Aretha Franklin, who was born on March 25, 1942, in Memphis, Tennessee. Her father, Reverend Clarence La Vaughan Franklin, was a Baptist preacher, and her mother, Barbara Siggers Franklin, was a gospel singer who passed away when Aretha was ten. The Franklin family relocated to Detroit, where Aretha’s gifts were nurtured.

She became known as the Queen of Soul and had many hit records, including “Respect,” “Think,” and “A Natural Woman.” She died on August 16, 2018, at 76.

About This Song

“How Do You Keep the Music Playing” was written by Michel Legrand, with lyrics by Alan and Marilyn Bergman, for the 1982 movie Best Friends. It was one of three songs with lyrics by Alan and Marilyn Bergman that were nominated that year for an Academy Award for Best Song (though the award went to “Up Where We Belong” from the movie An Officer and a Gentleman). The song has become a popular standard and has had many fine recordings, including those by Frank Sinatra (who encouraged Bennett to sing this song), Frankie Laine, Johnny Mathis and Tony Bennett, Tony Bennett and George Michael, and, most recently, Tony Bennett and Aretha Franklin.

About This Version

Tony Bennett and Aretha Franklin recorded “How Do You Keep the Music Playing?” in 2011 for the album Duets II. It was arranged by Jorge Calandrelli.

Duets II won the 2012 Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Album.

“How Do You Keep the Music Playing?,” as well as Duets II, is available on Apple Music.

We have a couple of videos for you today.

First is the official Vevo video of Bennett and Franklin’s recording of “How Do You Keep the Music Playing.”

This video is from the 2015 Kennedy Center Honors. Carole King was an honoree, and Miss Franklin was invited to sing King’s song “A Natural Woman.” The performance was outstanding and is remembered for making the First Couple, Barack and Micelle Obama, cry. It’s one of the greatest performances I’ve ever seen.

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Song of the Day: How Do You Keep The Music Playing

The song of the day for Monday, November 13, 2023, is “How Do You Keep The Music Playing.”

About This Song

“How Do You Keep The Music Playing” was written by Michel Legrand, Alan Bergman, and Marilyn Bergman for the 1982 movie Best Friends, which starred Burt Reynolds and Goldie Hawn. The initial recording was a duet by Patti Austin and James Ingram, which became a hit single in 1983. It was one of three songs with lyrics by Alan and Marilyn Bergman that were nominated that year for an Academy Award for Best Song (though the award went to “Up Where We Belong” from the movie An Officer and a Gentleman). The song has become a popular standard and has had many fine recordings, including those by Frank Sinatra (who encouraged Bennett to sing this song), Frankie Laine, Johnny Mathis and Tony Bennett, Tony Bennett and George Michael, and, most recently, Tony Bennett and Aretha Franklin.

About This Version

Tony Bennett and Aretha Franklin recorded “How Do You Keep The Music Playing” in 2011 for Duets II. It was arranged by Jorge Calandrelli.

“How Do You Keep The Music Playing,” as well as Duets II, is available on Apple Music.

We also have the official video that shows the recording session with Miss Franklin.

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Song of the Day: How Do You Keep The Music Playing

The song of the day for Sunday, February 28, 2023, is “How Do You Keep The Music Playing.”

About This Song

“How Do You Keep The Music Playing” was written by Michel Legrand, with lyrics by Alan and Marilyn Bergman, in 1982 for the movie Best Friends. The initial recording was a duet by Patti Austin and James Ingram, which became a hit single in 1983. It was one of three songs with lyrics by Alan and Marilyn Bergman that were nominated that year for an Academy Award for Best Song (though the award went to “Up Where We Belong” from the movie An Officer and a Gentleman). The song has become a popular standard and has had many fine recordings, including those by Frank Sinatra (who encouraged Bennett to sing this song), Frankie Laine, Johnny Mathis and Tony Bennett, Tony Bennett and George Michael, and, most recently, Tony Bennett and Aretha Franklin.

About This Version

Tony Bennett and Aretha Franklin recorded “How Do You Keep The Music Playing” in 2011 for the album Duets II. It was arranged by Jorge Calandrelli.

“How Do You Keep The Music Playing,” as well as Duets II is available on Apple Music.

Here’s the video from the recording session:

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Song of the Day: How Do You Keep The Music Playing

The song of the day for Friday, March 25, 2022, is “How Do You Keep The Music Playing.”

About Today

Today we are honoring the late Aretha Franklin, who was born on March 25, 1942.

About This Song

“How Do You Keep The Music Playing” was written in 1982 by Michel Legrand, with lyrics by Alan and Marilyn Bergman, for the movie Best Friends, starring Bert Reynolds and Goldie Hawn.

About This Version

Tony Bennett and Aretha Franklin recorded “How Do You Keep The Music Playing” in 2011 for Duets II. It was arranged by Jorge Calandrelli.

“How Do You Keep The Music Playing,” as well as Duets II is available on Apple Music.

Here’s the music video of this recording.

And while we’re paying tribute to Aretha Franklin, this clip from the Kennedy Center Honors in 2015 is one of the greatest moments I’ve ever seen.