• Home
  • About
    • About This Blog
    • About the Authors
  • Song of the Day
  • Album of the Week
  • Music and Art
    • Tony Live!
    • Music
      • Viva Duets
      • Songs
      • Albums
    • Art
  • And More
    • Collaborator of the Month
    • Songwriter of the Month – 2016
    • News
      • Cheek To Cheek
      • Bennett & Brubeck -The White House Sessions Live 1962
      • Life is a Gift
      • Viva Duets
      • Zen of Bennett
      • Other News
    • About His Collaborators
    • Musings
    • Extras
      • Books
      • Interviews
      • Media
  • The Interactive Tony Bennett Discography

The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

May 8, 2022 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: Undecided Blues

The song of the day for Monday, May 9, 2022, is “Undecided Blues.”

About This Song

“Undecided Blues” was written in 1941 by blues shouter Jimmy Rushing (also known as Five-by-Five, due to his stature). Rushing was born in Oklahoma City into to a musical family; his father was trumpet player and his mother a singer. He started his career as an itinerant blues singer in the early 1920s. He sang with Jelly Roll Morton and other early jazz orchestras before joining the Bennie Moten band in 1929. When Moten died in 1935, he joined the Count Basie Orchestra, which was his home for many years. Rushing with the Count Basie Orchestra first recorded “Undecided Blues” in 1941.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Undecided Blues” in 2001 for his album Playin’ With My Friends: Bennett Sings The Blues. The Ralph Sharon Quartet (Sharon on piano; Gray Sargent on guitar; Paul Langosch on bass; and Clayton Cameron on drums) backs Bennett on this album. The vocal arrangements are by Rob Mathes. The album won the 2003 Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Album.

“Undecided Blues,” as well as Playin’ With My Friends: Bennett Sings The Blues is available on Apple Music.

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: Clayton Cameron, Gray Sargent, Jimmy Rushing, Paul Langosch, Paul Mathes, Playin' With My Friends: Bennett Sings The Blues, The Ralph Sharon Quartet, Tony Bennett

November 13, 2021 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: Old Devil Moon

The song of the day for Sunday, November 14, 2021, is “Old Devil Moon.”

About This Song

“Old Devil Moon” was written by Burton Lane and Yip Harburg for the 1947 musical Finian’s Rainbow, which also gave us “How Are Things in Glocca Morra?” While Alec Wilder was no fan of “How Are Things in Glocca Morra?”, in America Popular Song, he praises “Old Devil Moon” as “a well-written, wholly convincing song. It drives, and its initial intensity is sustained throughout.”

About This Version

“Old Devil Moon” was the first song Tony Bennett performed for his now-legendary live performance on MTV Unplugged on April 12, 1994. Singing with The Ralph Sharon Trio (Sharon on piano, Doug Richeson on bass, and Clayton Cameron on drums), Tony Bennett was ecstatically received. The resulting album, MTV Unplugged, won the 1994 Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance and Album of the Year.

The performance on television and the resulting album was key to introducing Tony Bennett to a completely new audience.

“Old Devil Moon,” as well as MTV Unplugged is available on Apple Music.

We are delighted to include a video of “Old Devil Moon” from the performance.

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: Burton Lane, Clayton Cameron, Doug Richeson, Finian's Rainbow, MTV Unplugged, The Ralph Sharon Trio, Tony Bennett, Yip Harburg

November 7, 2021 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: A Shine On Your Shoes

The song of the day for Monday, November 8, 2021, is “A Shine On Your Shoes.”

About This Song

“A Shine On Your Shoes” was written by Arthur Schwartz and Howard Diets in 1932 for the Broadway musical Flying Colors. The same song was used for the 1953 movie The Band Wagon, which starred Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “A Shine On Your Shoes” in 1993 for the album Steppin’ Out, an album of songs associated with Fred Astaire. Bennett and Ralph Sharon wrote the arrangements for the album. Bennett is accompanied by The Ralph Sharon Trio, featuring Sharon on piano, Doug Richeson on bass, and Clayton Cameron on drums.

“A Shine On Your Shoes,” as well as Steppin’ Out is available on Apple Music.

I hope you have time to watch this wonderful dance number from The Band Wagon. Astaire insisted on using a real bootblack instead of an actor for the number. They discovered the 23-year old Leroy Davis. You can read more about him here. I think he gives Astaire a run for his money.!

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: Arthur Schwartz, Clayton Cameron, Doug Richeson, Fred Astaire, Howard Dietz, Ralph Sharon, The Band Wagon, Tony Bennett

August 12, 2021 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: I’m Just a Lucky So and So

The song of the day for Friday, August 13, 2021, is “I’m Just a Lucky So and So.”

About This Song

“I’m Just a Lucky So and So” was written in 1945 by Duke Ellington and Mack David. A favorite song of Tony Bennett, “I’m Just a Lucky So-and-So” has also been recorded by Billy Eckstine, Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, and Sarah Vaughan.

About This Version

Tony Bennett has recorded today’s song three times; today I’ve chosen his 1999 version for Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool. Bennett recorded the album with The Ralph Sharon Quartet, featuring Sharon on piano, Gray Sargent on guitar, Paul Langosch on bass, and Clayton Cameron on drums. Ralph Burns, who Bennett first worked with in 1950, wrote the arrangement.

I"m Just A Lucky So And So

Listen to I"m Just A Lucky So And So on Spotify. Tony Bennett · Song · 1999.

“I’m Just a Lucky So and So,” as well as Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool is available on Apple Music.

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: Clayton Cameron, Duke Ellington, Gray Sargent, Mack David, Paul Langosch, Ralph Burns, Ralph Sharon

July 3, 2021 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: When You Wish Upon A Star

The song of the day for Sunday, July 4, 2021, is “When You Wish Upon A Star.”

About This Song

“When You Wish Upon a Star” was written by Leigh Harline, with lyrics by Ned Washington, for the 1940 Walt Disney adaption of Pinocchio. It was sung by Cliff Edwards as Jiminy Cricket. “When You Wish Upon A Star” won the Academy Award for Best Original Song, and was the first Disney song to win this award. The American Film Institute rated it seventh in its 100 Greatest Songs in Film History. The song has also been recognized by the Library of Congress, which preserved the song in the National Recording Registry in 2009.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “When You Wish Upon A Star” in 1998 for his album for children, The Playground with the Ralph Sharon Quartet, featuring Sharon on piano, Paul Langosch on bass, Gray Sargent on guitar, and Clayton Cameron on drums. Up to this album, Bennett worked with the Ralph Sharon Trio; starting with this album, the guitar was added, played by Gray Sargent. Sargent has played with Bennett in studio recordings and live performances ever since. His work on this song is quite lovely.

When You Wish Upon A Star

Listen to When You Wish Upon A Star on Spotify. Tony Bennett · Song · 1998.

“When You Wish Upon A Star,” as well as The Playground is available on Apple Music.

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: Clayton Cameron, Gray Sargent, Leigh Harline, Ned Washington, Paul Langosch, Ralph Sharon Quartet, The Playground, Tony Bennett

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • …
  • 5
  • Next Page »

Subscribe to The Year of Tony Bennett

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Current Reader Favorites

  • The Quartet
  • Song of the Day: Dat Dere
  • Song of the Day: The Right To Love
  • Song of the Day: Watch What Happens
  • Song of the Day: The Good Life
  • Song of the Day: Penthouse Serenade
  • Home
  • About
  • Song of the Day
  • Album of the Week
  • Music and Art
  • And More
  • The Interactive Tony Bennett Discography

Copyright © 2022 The Year of Tony Bennett · Genesis Framework by StudioPress · WordPress

Posting....