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The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

September 16, 2022 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: I’ve Got Just About Everything

The song of the day for Saturday, September 17, 2022, is “I’ve Got Just About Everything.”

About Today

Today we are remembering Ralph Sharon, Tony Bennett’s pianist and musical director starting in 1957 and worked with Tony (with one hiatus) until 2001. Ralph was born in London on September 17, 1923, and died in Boulder, Colorado on March 31, 2015, at the age of 91. Sharon was instrumental in Bennett’s career. In addition to his work with Bennett, he worked with artists including Rosemary Clooney, Nancy Wilson, Robert Goulet, and Johnny Hartman, in addition to a solo career as a pianist and arranger.

Bennett remembers Sharon in his book Just Getting Started:

Ralph was a great piano player, who would record dozens of albums on his own. But I especially treasured that he was a superb—even the perfect—accompanist. He didn’t play a melody and just expect a singer to follow. We always performed a subtle, unspoken duet, in which Ralph knew when to pull back, when to go ahead, and how to strike a note just right alongside my voice. We got better and more practiced at that over fifty years of working together, sometimes three hundred shows a year. But to be sure, we felt a lot of closeness from the first. And of course, Ralph had the wisdom and talent to find the sheet music to “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” one night in a shirt drawer in the dresser of his hotel room in Hot Springs, Arkansas, a story told earlier in this book. That song took us around the world, in so many ways. But he always said, “If I hadn’t looked for that shirt in that drawer, it would never have happened.”

About This Song

“I’ve Got Just About Everything” was written by composer and jazz pianist Bob Dorough. In his liner notes for Forty/Fifty Years: The Artistry of Tony Bennett, Bennett says that “this one explains how a singer feels when he sings a song everyone likes.”

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “I’ve Got Just About Everything” on March 27, 1964, with the Ralph Sharon Trio, for the album When Lights Are Low. It was arranged by Ralph Sharon.

This has always been a favorite song and recording of mine. Not only is an effective arrangement, but Sharon’s piano is a joy to listen to.

“I’ve Got Just About Everything,” as well as When Lights Are Low is available on Apple Music.

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: Bob Dorough, Happy Birthday Ralph Sharon, Ralph Sharon, Tony Bennett, When Lights Are Low

March 28, 2022 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: I’ve Got Just About Everything

The song of the day for Tuesday, March 29, 2022, is “I’ve Got Just About Everything.”

About This Song

“I’ve Got Just About Everything” was written by the marvelous jazz pianist and composer Bob Dorough, this song is a true joy to listen to. In his liner notes for Fifty Years: The Artistry of Tony Bennett, Bennett says that “this one explains how a singer feels when he sings a song everyone likes.”

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “I’ve Got Just About Everything” in 1964 with The Ralph Sharon Trio for the album When Lights Are Low. The arrangement by Ralph Sharon lets the other members of the trio, Billy Exiner on drums and Hal Gaylord on bass, really shine. This recording is pure joy to listen to.

“I’ve Got Just About Everything,” as well as When Lights Are Low is available on Apple Music.

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: Billy Exiner, Bob Dorough, Hal Gaylord, Ralph Sharon, The Ralph Sharon Trio, When Lights Are Low

September 16, 2021 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: I’ve Got Just About Everything

The song of the day for Friday, September 17, 2021, is “I’ve Got Just About Everything.”

About Today

Ralph Sharon, Tony Bennett’s long-time pianist and musical director, was born on September 17, 1923, in London, England. We’re honoring him with today’s song that really shows what a fine pianist Sharon was.

About This Song

“I’ve Got Just About Everything” was written by Bob Dorough. The song is a joy to listen to. In his liner notes for Forty Years: The Artistry of Tony Bennett, Bennet says that “this one explains how a singer feels when he sings a song everyone likes.”

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “I’ve Got Just About Everything” in 1964 with The Ralph Sharon Trio for the album When Lights Are Low. In addition to Sharon on piano, the trio featured Hal Gaylord on bass and Billy Exiner on drums.

I"ve Got Just About Everything

Listen to I"ve Got Just About Everything on Spotify. Tony Bennett · Song · 1964.

“I’ve Got Just About Everything,” as well as When Lights Are Low is available on Apple Music.

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: Billy Exiner, Bob Dorough, Hal Gaylord, Happy Birthday Ralph Sharon, Ralph Sharon, Tony Bennett, When Lights Are Low

July 15, 2021 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: I’ve Got Just About Everything

The song of the day for Friday, July 16, 2021, is “I’ve Got Just About Everything.”

About This Song

Written by the marvelous jazz pianist and composer Bob Dorough, “I’ve Got Just About Everything” is a true joy to listen to. In his liner notes for Forty/Fifty Years: The Artistry of Tony Bennett, Bennett says that “this one explains how a singer feels when he sings a song everyone likes.”

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “I’ve Got Just About Everything” with The Ralph Sharon Trio in 1964 for When Lights Are Low. This has a great arrangement by Ralph Sharon plus excellent work by Sharon, Hal Gaylord on bass and Billy Exiner on drums.

I"ve Got Just About Everything

Listen to I"ve Got Just About Everything on Spotify. Tony Bennett · Song · 1964.

“I’ve Got Just About Everything,” as well as When Lights Are Low is available on Apple Music.

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: Billy Exiner, Bob Dorough, Hal Gaylord, Ralph Sharon, Ralph Sharon Trio, Tony Bennett, When Lights Are Low

April 11, 2021 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: I’ve Got Just About Everything

The song of the day for Monday, April 12, 2021, is “I’ve Got Just About Everything.”

About This Song

Written by the marvelous jazz pianist and composer Bob Dorough, “I’ve Got Just About Everything” is a true joy to listen to. In his liner notes for Forty/Fifty Years: The Artistry of Tony Bennett, Bennett says that “this one explains how a singer feels when he sings a song everyone likes.” This song has been recorded by composer Dorough, Ann Hampton Calloway, and even Tuck and Patti.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “I’ve Got Just About Everything” in 1964 for his album When Lights Are Low, featuring a Ralph Sharon arrangement. The Ralph Sharon Trio backs Bennett on this album, with Sharon on piano, Hal Gaylord on bass, and Billy Exiner on drums. Gaylord’s bass is especially good on this cut.

I"ve Got Just About Everything

Listen to I"ve Got Just About Everything on Spotify. Tony Bennett · Song · 1964.

“I’ve Got Just About Everything,” as well as When Lights Are Low, is available from Apple Music.

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: Billy Exiner, Bob Dorough, Hal Gaylord, Ralph Sharon, Ralph Sharon Trio, Tony Bennett

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