The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Birthday Greetings

I wasn’t surprised to wake up this morning to Facebook and Twitter full of birthday greetings to Tony Bennett. Here are some of them, in case you missed them today.

Lady Gaga on Twitter: "Today is @itstonybennett"s 95th birthday! To celebrate him and the love all of his fans have for him, I"m making a special video with 95 Reasons Gaga, Little Monsters, and Bennett Monsters Love Tony! pic.twitter.com/nBvUrgY4dX / Twitter"

Today is @itstonybennett"s 95th birthday! To celebrate him and the love all of his fans have for him, I"m making a special video with 95 Reasons Gaga, Little Monsters, and Bennett Monsters Love Tony! pic.twitter.com/nBvUrgY4dX

Tony Bennett on Twitter: "Lots of love to Robert De Niro, too. Thanks for the birthday message. #Happy95Tony #IGetAKickOutOfYou pic.twitter.com/4s1go2EApa / Twitter"

Lots of love to Robert De Niro, too. Thanks for the birthday message. #Happy95Tony #IGetAKickOutOfYou pic.twitter.com/4s1go2EApa

Katie Couric on Twitter: "Happy 95th birthday @itstonybennett! We love you xoxoxo ❤️😊🎉 https://t.co/BEcot3Nj5j / Twitter"

Happy 95th birthday @itstonybennett! We love you xoxoxo ❤️😊🎉 https://t.co/BEcot3Nj5j

James Taylor on Twitter: "Put on a happy face... and help us with a very happy 95th birthday to the amazing @ItsTonyBennett! 🎂 🎉📷 @LutchPhoto pic.twitter.com/exOT0Fbq3H / Twitter"

Put on a happy face... and help us with a very happy 95th birthday to the amazing @ItsTonyBennett! 🎂 🎉📷 @LutchPhoto pic.twitter.com/exOT0Fbq3H

Tony Bennett on Twitter: "Thanks to another fellow New Yorker, Steve Buscemi for the birthday message! #IGetAKickOutOfYou #Happy95Tony pic.twitter.com/RFplnqfS1N / Twitter"

Thanks to another fellow New Yorker, Steve Buscemi for the birthday message! #IGetAKickOutOfYou #Happy95Tony pic.twitter.com/RFplnqfS1N

Tony Bennett on Twitter: "Had to share this card from a fellow artist. Thank you @johntravo_ for the birthday wishes 🎂 #Happy95Tony #IGetAKickOutOfYou pic.twitter.com/qyi0kfEO7H / Twitter"

Had to share this card from a fellow artist. Thank you @johntravo_ for the birthday wishes 🎂 #Happy95Tony #IGetAKickOutOfYou pic.twitter.com/qyi0kfEO7H

Jon Bon Jovi on Twitter: "I get a kick out of @itstonybennett, the greatest of the greats. #Happy95Tony pic.twitter.com/Pmug7IjKBk / Twitter"

I get a kick out of @itstonybennett, the greatest of the greats. #Happy95Tony pic.twitter.com/Pmug7IjKBk

Carole King on Twitter: "Wishing @itstonybennett a very happy 95th birthday! pic.twitter.com/U5wOBhN8Vw / Twitter"

Wishing @itstonybennett a very happy 95th birthday! pic.twitter.com/U5wOBhN8Vw

Natalie Cole on Twitter: "Happy 95th Birthday to the Incomparable @itstonybennett 🎊. Here are some memorable moments of Natalie and Tony at the 50th Grammy Awards and Natalie"s 60th birthday celebration. pic.twitter.com/jYWKF46jU2 / Twitter"

Happy 95th Birthday to the Incomparable @itstonybennett 🎊. Here are some memorable moments of Natalie and Tony at the 50th Grammy Awards and Natalie"s 60th birthday celebration. pic.twitter.com/jYWKF46jU2

Nat King Cole on Twitter: "Happy Birthday to @itstonybennett -- he turns 95 today! Tony was a guest on the Nat King Cole show in 1957 on October 1, when he was just 31 years old. Happy birthday!#NatKingCole #TonyBennett #Happy95Tony #TonyBennettDay pic.twitter.com/BBZmllqyd8 / Twitter"

Happy Birthday to @itstonybennett -- he turns 95 today! Tony was a guest on the Nat King Cole show in 1957 on October 1, when he was just 31 years old. Happy birthday!#NatKingCole #TonyBennett #Happy95Tony #TonyBennettDay pic.twitter.com/BBZmllqyd8

Stevie Van Zandt on Twitter: "Happy Birthday Tony! ⁦@itstonybennett⁩ pic.twitter.com/RoEfgrxc3b / Twitter"

Happy Birthday Tony! ⁦@itstonybennett⁩ pic.twitter.com/RoEfgrxc3b

Barbra Streisand on Twitter: "Dear @ItsTonyBennett - You always make me "Smile!" Happiest birthday wishes! xo B #IGetAKickOutOfYou pic.twitter.com/geHsgVaBgR / Twitter"

Dear @ItsTonyBennett - You always make me "Smile!" Happiest birthday wishes! xo B #IGetAKickOutOfYou pic.twitter.com/geHsgVaBgR

Tony Bennett on Twitter: "Doesn"t get much cooler than Bono & The Edge singing #IGetAKickOutOfYou on my birthday! Thanks, @U2 #Happy95Tony pic.twitter.com/gJONVRCw5V / Twitter"

Doesn"t get much cooler than Bono & The Edge singing #IGetAKickOutOfYou on my birthday! Thanks, @U2 #Happy95Tony pic.twitter.com/gJONVRCw5V

Cyndi Lauper on Twitter: "Happy Birthday @itstonybennett! And Happy #TonyBennettDay! 💗🥂https://t.co/PW59XRSIkl / Twitter"

Happy Birthday @itstonybennett! And Happy #TonyBennettDay! 💗🥂https://t.co/PW59XRSIkl

Billy Joel on Twitter: "Happy birthday to @itstonybennett!"I get a kick out of Tony Bennett because he sings "New York State of Mind" better than anyone - including me." - Billy Joel 📸: @MyrnaSuarez25 📍: @TheGarden pic.twitter.com/yvMiWEknwc / Twitter"

Happy birthday to @itstonybennett!"I get a kick out of Tony Bennett because he sings "New York State of Mind" better than anyone - including me." - Billy Joel 📸: @MyrnaSuarez25 📍: @TheGarden pic.twitter.com/yvMiWEknwc

Paul McCartney on Twitter: "Happy 95th birthday, @itstonybennett! #IGetAKickOutOfYou pic.twitter.com/M0a4HMC9Cg / Twitter"

Happy 95th birthday, @itstonybennett! #IGetAKickOutOfYou pic.twitter.com/M0a4HMC9Cg

Tony Bennett on Twitter: "It"s officially #TonyBennettDay in NY! As a lifetime New Yorker of now 95 years, this is an honor. Thanks to New York State. pic.twitter.com/jGq7yL561F / Twitter"

It"s officially #TonyBennettDay in NY! As a lifetime New Yorker of now 95 years, this is an honor. Thanks to New York State. pic.twitter.com/jGq7yL561F

Tony Bennett on Twitter: "And an extra thank you to @SonyMusicEnt who have endowed a park bench in my honor today for New Yorkers to enjoy my most cherished place, Central Park. As the plaque says: "Nature is the boss" 🌳 pic.twitter.com/uaDdU3Qx6u / Twitter"

And an extra thank you to @SonyMusicEnt who have endowed a park bench in my honor today for New Yorkers to enjoy my most cherished place, Central Park. As the plaque says: "Nature is the boss" 🌳 pic.twitter.com/uaDdU3Qx6u

Tony Bennett on Twitter: "A birthday note from @officialkeef - you are another true leader. #Happy95Tony #IGetAKickOutOfYou pic.twitter.com/IYych63del / Twitter"

A birthday note from @officialkeef - you are another true leader. #Happy95Tony #IGetAKickOutOfYou pic.twitter.com/IYych63del

Tony Bennett on Twitter: "Thanks to a dear friend, @AlecBaldwln____ for your birthday video. 🎂 #IGetAKickOutOfYou #Happy95Tony pic.twitter.com/dEHviDxC6b / Twitter"

Thanks to a dear friend, @AlecBaldwln____ for your birthday video. 🎂 #IGetAKickOutOfYou #Happy95Tony pic.twitter.com/dEHviDxC6b

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Song of the Day: Lullaby of Broadway

The song of the day for Sunday, January 5, 2020, is “Lullaby of Broadway.”

About Today

Every weekend for the rest of 2020, I’ll be featuring recordings of Tony’s live performances, in order by date. I hope you enjoy Tony Live!

About This Song

“Lullaby of Broadway,” written by Harry Warren and Al Dubin, was introduced in the 1935 movie Gold Diggers of 1935; it won the Academy Award for Best Original Song. It is one of the great show biz anthems. The 1980 musical 42nd Street featured Jerry Orbach singing the song. (I only mention this as I had the good fortune to see this show soon after it opened and Mr. Orbach was wonderful!)

About This Version

Tony Bennett opened his legendary 1962 concert at Carnegie Hall with “Lullaby of Broadway.” The concert was recorded and was released as Tony Bennett at Carnegie Hall. Ralph Sharon was the musical director for this show and wrote the arrangements.

“Lullaby of Broadway,” as well as Tony Bennett at Carnegie Hall, is available from iTunes.

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Playlist of the Week: Happy Birthday, Tony!

The playlist for the week of August 4, 2019, is a continuation of our celebration of Tony’s 93rd birthday–Happy Birthday, Tony!

For this playlist, I chose fifteen recordings that were either really great songs or recordings that I really, really like. I hope you like it too.

Happy Birthday, Tony!

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St. James Infirmary Blues (ca. 1949) from Rarities, Outtakes & Other Delights Vol. 1
Lost in the Stars (1956) Tony
All The Things You Are (2015) The Silver Lining – The Songs of Jerome Kern
The Way You Look Tonight (1997) Rarities, Outtakes & Other Delights Vol. 2
Fascinatin’ Rhythm (1949) Rarities, Outtakes & Other Delights Vol. 1
Last Night When We Were Young (1992) Perfectly Frank
One For My Baby (And One More for the Road) (1992) Perfectly Frank
Fly Me to the Moon (1965) If I Ruled the World: Songs for the Jet Set
Body and Soul, with Amy Winehouse (2011) Duets II
I Wanna Be Around (1962) I Wanna Be Around
The Rules of the Road (1964) When Lights Are Low
But Beautiful, with Bill Evans (1975) The Tony Bennett/Bill Evans Album
Some Other Time, with Bill Evans (1975) The Tony Bennett/Bill Evans Album
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas (2004) A Swingin’ Christmas
Trav’lin’ Light (1996) Tony Bennett On Holiday

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Song of the Day: I Left My Heart in San Francisco

The song of the day for Saturday, August 3, 2019, is “I Left My Heart in San Francisco.”

About This Song

“I Left My Heart in San Francisco” was written in 1953 by George Cory and Douglas Cross.

This song is, of course, Tony Bennett’s signature song. It actually became that quite by accident. As Bennett’s musical director, songwriters were constantly giving Ralph Sharon copies of their songs. Cross and Cory had done that and Sharon had stuck the song in a drawer and forgotten all about it. In 1961, he and Bennett were heading out on tour, which included a stop in San Francisco at The Venetian Room at the Fairmont Hotel on Nob Hill. Sharon came across the music and thought it might be a nice local number for the San Francisco audience. After a performance in Hot Springs, Arkansas (a performance that an underage high school kid name Bill Clinton listened to through a window in the hall), they found a piano and started to work on the song a bit. An early fan was the bartender, who said that he’d buy the first copy if they ever decided to record it. Of course, “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” was a huge hit at the performance and in January 1962, Bennett recorded it and released it on a 45 RPM record on the B-side to “Once Upon a Time.” But gradually, “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” started getting all the airplay and it became a major hit for Bennett, winning him his two Grammy Awards: one for Best Solo Vocal Performance, Male and the other for Record of the Year. It is his signature song and is beloved by all of his fans.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” on January 23, 1962; it was released as a single on February 2, 1962. Marty Manning wrote the arrangement. It was also the title song for the album I Left My Heart in San Francisco, released in 1962.

We are of course celebrating Tony Bennett’s 93rd birthday! I’ve always found it interesting that the composer of “I Left My Heart in San Francisco,” George Cory, also was born on August 3.

The Year of Tony Bennett wishes Tony Bennett the happiest of birthdays.

(I Left My Heart) In San Francisco

Listen to (I Left My Heart) In San Francisco on Spotify. Tony Bennett · Song · 1962.

“I Left My Heart in San Francisco,” as well as I Left My Heart in San Francisco, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: You’re All the World To Me

The song of the day for Friday, August 3, 2018 is “You’re All the World To Me.”

About This Song

“You’re All The World To Me” was written by Burton Lane and Alan Jay Lerner for the 1951 MGM musical Royal Wedding, starring Fred Astaire. Astaire performed this song in one of the most famous shots in all of musical film: the dancing on the ceiling number.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “You’re All the World To Me” in 1993 for his album Steppin’ Out. Tony Bennett and Ralph Sharon wrote the arrangement.

You"re All the World to Me

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“You’re All the World To Me,” as well as Steppin’ Out, is available from iTunes.

About Today

The Year of Tony Bennett would like to wish Tony Bennett a very happy 92nd birthday. You’re all the world to us, your fans!

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