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The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

February 19, 2022 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Album of the Week: Tony Sings For Two

The album of the week starting on February 20, 2022, is Tony Sings For Two.

Tony Sings For Two

On October 28, 1959, Tony Bennett and Ralph Sharon entered the CBS 30th Street Studio with a briefcase full of sheet music to record an album with no orchestra, just Bennett and Sharon on piano. They looked through the music and tried different tunes. Once a song was selected, they recorded it in one or two takes; the arrangements were spontaneous. In one afternoon, they recorded 16 songs, 12 of which made it onto the album; a 13th song was added to the 1995 CD re-release. Mitch Miller showed up at the start of these sessions, furious that they were really going through with it. When he saw that there was no dissuading Bennett, he turned to Frank Laico and said, “I’m leaving. I can’t support this.” The resulting album, Tony Sings For Two was released until early 1961. The album was a masterpiece and is one of Bennett’s finest albums.

Album Facts

Release Date February 6, 1961
Label Columbia
Producer Mitch Miller
Vocals Tony Bennett
Piano Ralph Sharon
Recording Date October 28, 1959
Recording Engineer Frank Laico

Listen to Tony Sings For Two

You can also listen to Tony Sings For Two on

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Filed Under: Album of the Week Tagged With: A Sleepin' Bee, Bewitched, Frank Laico, Happiness is a Thing Called Joe, I Didn't Know What Time It Was, I'm Thru With Love, Just Friends, Mam'selle, Mitch Miller, My Funny Valentine, Nobody's Heart Belongs To Me, Ralph Sharib, Skylark, Street of Dreams, The Man That Got Away, Tony Bennett, Where Or When

May 23, 2020 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Tony Live! Once Upon a Time

The song of the day for Saturday, May 24, 2020, is “Once Upon a Time.”

About This Song

“Once Upon a Time” was written by Charles Strouse and Lee Adams for the 1962 Ray Bolger musical All American, where it was introduced by Bolger and Eileen Herlie. While the musical was not a major smash hit, the song is quite lovely. In addition to Tony Bennett’s fine recordings, it was also recorded by Frank Sinatra, Andy Williams, Howard Keel, Bobby Darrin, and Mandy Patinkin.

About This Version

Tony Bennett sang “Once Upon a Time” in 1964 at his appearance at The Sahara in Las Vegas. Recorded by the great Frank Laico, the set (including a comedy break with Milton Berle and Don Rickles), was released in 2011 on CD as Live at The Sahara: Las Vegas, 1964.

“Once Upon a Time,” as well as Live at The Sahara: Las Vegas, 1964, is available from iTunes.

Filed Under: Song of the Day, Tony Live! Tagged With: Charles Strouse, Frank Laico, Lee Adams, Live at the Sahara: Las Vegas 1964, Tony Bennett

March 20, 2020 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Tony Live! This Could Be the Start of Something Big

The song of the day for Saturday, March 21, 2020, is “This Could Be the Start of Something Big.”

About This Song

“This Could Be the Start of Something Big” was written in 1956 by multi-talented Steve Allen. Allen was the first host of The Tonight Show in 1953. He was also an accomplished pianist and singer and, as evidenced by this song, a fine composer as well.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “This Could Be the Start of Something Big” on April 6, 1964, at The Sahara Hotel in the Congo Room. Frank Laico recorded the show, which was finally released in 2011 as part of the Complete Collection box set as Live at the Sahara: Las Vegas 1964.

“This Could Be the Start of Something Big,” as well as Live at the Sahara: Las Vegas 1964, is available from iTunes.

Filed Under: Tony Live! Tagged With: Frank Laico, Live at the Sahara: Las Vegas 1964, Steve Allen, Tony Bennett, Tony Live!

September 16, 2019 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: Bewitched

The song of the day for Tuesday, September 17, 2019, is “Bewitched.”

About Today

Ralph Sharon, Tony Bennett’s long-term pianist and musical director, was born on September 17, 1923, in London. Sharon first started working with Tony Bennett in 1957 and, after a hiatus in the late 1960s and 1970s, rejoined Bennett, touring and recording until his retirement in 2001. Ralph Sharon passed away on March 31, 2015. Tony remembered him in his book Just Getting Started:

I’m still inspired and guided by what Ralph told me so many years ago, in so many words: keep growing, and believe in what you do. I lost a real brother when Ralph passed away in 2015. I hope to keep going for a while. But it’s nice to know that when my time comes, Ralph and I will accompany each other.

About This Song

“Bewitched,” which often goes by its “full” name “Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered,” was written in 1940 by Richard Rodgers and Larry Hart for the Broadway musical Pal Joey. Notable recordings are by Benny Goodman, Mel Tormé, Oscar Peterson, Ella Fitzgerald, and Frank Sinatra. Alec Wilder admired the lyric and the verse, but found the song “notey.” In spite of being notey, it’s a cornerstone of the American Songbook.

About This Version

Tony Bennett and Ralph Sharon recorded “Bewitched” on October 29, 1959. Bennett describes that day in Getting Started:

We booked time at the studio and pored through music books, trying one tune after another. The arrangements were spontaneous, and we finished each song in one or two takes. In one afternoon we laid down sixteen tunes—which must be some kind of record—twelve of which made is onto the album, which became 1961’s Tony Sings For Two. Mitch Miller showed up at the start of these sessions, furious that I was really going through with it. When he saw that there was no dissuading me, he turned to Frank Laico and said, “I’m leaving. I can’t support this.” Tony Sings For Two turned out to be one of my finest records ever.

Tony Sings For Two wasn’t released until 1961. It’s a remarkable album created by two remarkable artists.

“Bewitched,” as well as Tony Sings For Two, is available from iTunes.

As a postscript, I will also note the search term used by an anonymous reader who found information about this song on this blog by typing “bewiced bwildered”. Other related search terms include “how to play like Ralph Sharon” and my favorite of all “i just want to hear tony bennett and nobody else right now”.

I think if I were ever tempted to write an essay or book about my experience with The Year of Tony Bennett, I would have to name it I Just Want to Hear Tony Bennett and Nobdy Else Right Now.

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: Frank Laico, Happy Birthday Ralph Sharon, Larry Hart, Lorenz Hart, Mitch Miller, Ralph Sharon, Richard Rodgers, Tony Bennett, Tony Sings for Two

June 9, 2019 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: The Man That Got Away

The song of the day for Monday, June 10, 2019 is “The Man That Got Away.”

About This Song

“The Man That Got Away” by Harold Arlen and Ira Gershwin, was written for Judy Garland for the 1954 version of A Star Is Born, with James Mason. Her performance of the song is legendary in film history, with 27 takes in three days, three separate sessions, and two different directors. The filmed scene is brilliant and made the song a huge hit for Garland, who sang it in most of her concerts.

About This Version

Tony Bennett and Ralph Sharon recorded “The Man That Got Away” on October 28, 1959, released in 1961 on the album Tony Sings For Two. It was a remarkable session, as Bennett relates in his autobiography, The Good Life:

We booked time in the studio and pored through music books, trying one tune after another. The arrangements were spontaneous, and we finished each song in one or two takes. In one afternoon we laid down sixteen tunes–which must be some kind of record–twelve of which made it onto the album, which became 1961’s Tony Sings For Two. Mitch Miller showed up at the start of these sessions, furious that I was really going through with it. When he saw there no dissuading me, he turned to Frank Laico and said, “I’m leaving. I can’t support this.” Tony Sings For Two turned out to be one of my finest records ever.

The Man That Got Away – Remastered

The Man That Got Away – Remastered, a song by Tony Bennett on Spotify

“The Man That Got Away,” as well as Tony Sings For Two, is available from iTunes.

About Today

Today marks the anniversary of the birth of Judy Garland, born as Frances Ethel Gumm in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, on June 10, 1922. In her short life of just 47 years, she left us with a body of work that will never be forgotten. Her performance in 1954’s A Star Is Born was legendary, as shown in this clip of her singing “The Man That Got Away.”

The Man That Got Away – A Star Is Born (1954)

Of course this is the original version that was written for Judy by Harold Arlen for the film A Star Is Born in 1954. Judy Garland is 32 years old here.

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: A Star Is Born, Frank Laico, Harold Arlen, Ira Gershwin, Judy Garland, Tony Bennett, Tony Sings for Two

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