• 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

February 8, 2021 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: Undecided Blues

The song of the day for Tuesday, February 9, 2021, 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” on 2001 for Playin’ With My Friends: Bennett Sings The Blues.

Undecided Blues

Listen to Undecided Blues on Spotify. Tony Bennett · Song · 2001.

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

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: Jimmy Rushing, Playin' With My Friends: Bennett Sings The Blues, Tony Bennett

May 26, 2020 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: Undecided Blues

The song of the day for Wednesday, May 27, 2020, 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 a musical family; his father was a 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. This album features duets with singers Bonnie Raitt, B.B. King, k.d. lang, and Kay Starr among others. Bennett also sings several songs solo.

What? You didn’t know that Tony Bennett can sing the blues? Listen up!

“Undecided Blues,” as well as Playin’ With My Friends: Bennett Sings The Blues, is available from iTunes.

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: Jimmy Rushing, Playin' With My Friends: Bennett Sings The Blues, Tony Bennett

September 4, 2019 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: Undecided Blues

The song of the day for Thursday, September 5, 2019, 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 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.” This album has several Bennett solos, including this recording, as well as duets with artists including B.B. King, Stevie Wonder, Kay Starr, Diana Krall, k.d. lang, Ray Charles, and Bonnie Raitt. It’s a great listen!

“Undecided Blues,” as well as Playin’ With My Friends: Tony Bennett Sings the Blues, is available from iTunes.

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: Jimmy Rushing, Playin' With My Friends: Bennett Sings The Blues, Tony Bennett

March 13, 2019 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of Day: Undecided Blues

The song of the day for Thursday, March 14, 2019, 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 delightful album Playin’ With My Friends: Bennett Sings the Blues, which features some wonderful duets as well as several solos. “Undecided Blues” is one of my personal favorites from this album and features an arrangement by Rob Mathes.

Undecided Blues

Undecided Blues, a song by Tony Bennett on Spotify

“Undecided Blues,” as well as Playin’ With My Friends: Bennett Sings the Blues, is available from iTunes.

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: Jimmy Rushing, Playin' With My Friends: Bennett Sings The Blues, Rob Mathes, Tony Bennett

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 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

  • Duke Ellington and the Harlem Renaissance
  • Song of the Day: Can't Get Out Of This Mood
  • Song of the Day: The Right To Love
  • Song of the Day: Yesterday I Heard The Rain
  • Song of the Day: Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered
  • Song of the Day: La Vie En Rose
  • Home
  • About
  • Song of the Day
  • Album of the Week
  • Music and Art
  • And More
  • The Interactive Tony Bennett Discography

Copyright © 2023 The Year of Tony Bennett · Genesis Framework by StudioPress · WordPress