The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: Blue and Sentimental

The song of the day for Saturday, July 21, 2018 is “Blue and Sentimental.”

About This Song

“Blue and Sentimental” was written in 1938 by Count Basie, Jerry Livingston, Mack David. This song was initially recorded by the Count Basie Orchestra in 1938. It has since been recorded by Ella Fitzgerald, Nat King Cole and Mel Tormé.

About This Version

Tony Bennett and Kay Starr recorded “Blue and Sentimental” in 2001 for the album Playin’ With My Friends: Bennett Sings the Blues.

And he does indeed sing the blues.

Blue and Sentimental (with Kay Starr)

Listen to Blue and Sentimental (with Kay Starr) on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett, Kay Starr · 2001


“Blue and Sentimental,” as well as Playin’ With My Friends, is available from iTunes.

About Today

Today we are honoring Kay Starr, who was born on July 21, 1922 in Dougherty, Oklahoma, though the family soon moved to Dallas. She started singing on radio talent shows at the age of 7 and by the age of 10 she had her own 15 minute radio show. At the age of only 15, she was hired to sing with the Joe Venuti orchestra, with the caveat of a midnight curfew at the insistence of her parents. She went on to have an illustrious singing career that lasted for many years–she released her last album in 1997.

Kay Starr

Starr was successful in every field of music she tried: jazz, pop and country. But her roots were in jazz. Billie Holiday, considered by many the greatest jazz singer of all time, called Starr “the only white woman who could sing the blues.”

Kay Starr died in November 2016. She is buried in her birthplace of Dougherty, Oklahoma next to her parents.

Our Saturday video features one of Kay Starr’s greatest hits: “Wheel of Fortune,” as sung on television in 1952.

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

The song of the day for Tuesday, January 30, 2018 is “I’m Just a Lucky So and So.”

About This Song

Today’s song, “I’m Just a Lucky So and So,” was written in 1945 by Duke Ellington, with lyrics by 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 first recorded “I’m Just a Lucky So and So” in 1957 for his album Tony; he also sang it at his legendary 1962 concert at Carnegie Hall. Our version today is from his 1999 tribute album to Duke Ellington, released in Ellington’s 100th anniversary year: Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool. Ralph Burns wrote the fine arrangement. Your author adores this album.

I"m Just A Lucky So And So

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


“I’m Just a Lucky So and So,” as well as Bennett Sings Ellington Hot & Cool, is available from iTunes.

Tony Bennett’s portrait of Duke Ellington hangs in the National Portrait Gallery of the Smithsonian. You can read about the donation ceremony and listen to Bennett’s remarks here:

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Song of the Day: La Vie en Rose

The song of the day for Wednesday, November 8, 2017 is ” La Vie en Rose.”

About This Song

“La Vie en Rose” was written in 1945 by Marguerite Monnot and Louis Guglielmi (aka Louiguy). Edith Piaf wrote the original French lyrics and Mack David wrote the English lyrics.

While now considered one of Edith Piaf’s most identifiable songs (taking second place only to “Non, je ne regrette rein”), this song had a slow and somewhat troubled beginning. The lyric came to Miss Piaf in 1944. She worked with Louiguy for the melody. At the time the song was written, only Louiguy received songwriter credits, as neither Piaf or Monnot were qualified to copyright their work under the auspices of Société des auteurs, compositeurs et éditeurs de musique, the official French association. Initially, the song was though to be weak as compared to the rest of repertoire and she was encouraged to not sing it at her concerts. She did not sing it publicly until 1946 and it quickly became a favorite of audiences. She finally recorded the song in 1947. “La Vie en Rose” has been widely recorded ever since and used in many films, from Bull Durham to WALL-E. The 2007 film biography of Edith Piaf, which starred Marion Cotillard, was titled La Vie en Rose.

About This Version

Tony Bennett and k.d. lang recorded “La Vie en Rose” in 2002 for their album A Wonderful World.

La Vie En Rose

Listen to La Vie En Rose on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett, k.d. lang · 2002


” La Vie en Rose,” as well as A Wonderful World, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: Blue and Sentimental

The song of the day for Friday, July 21, 2017 is “Blue and Sentimental.”

About This Song

“Blue and Sentimental” was written in 1938 by Count Basie, Jerry Livingston and Mack David. This song was initially recorded by the Count Basie Orchestra in 1938. It has since been recorded by Ella Fitzgerald, Nat King Cole and Mel Tormé.

About This Version

Tony Bennett and Kay Starr recorded “Blue and Sentimental” in 2001 for the album Playin’ With My Friends.

Blue and Sentimental (with Kay Starr)

Listen to Blue and Sentimental (with Kay Starr) on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett, Kay Starr · 2001


“Blue and Sentimental,” as well as Playin’ With My Friends, is available from iTunes.

About Today

The Year of Tony Bennett honors Kay Starr on the anniversary of her birth, July 21,1922.

Born as Katherine Laverne Starks in Oklahoma, Kay Starr got her start in Dallas, Texas when, at the age of seven, she sang on the radio station WRR. From that early start, she won the weekly talent shows so often that she was given her own 15-minute program, earning $3 a week. She soon made a name singing pop and hillbilly songs. By the age of 15, she was singing professionally with Joe Venuti and his orchestra. In 1947 signed a contract with Capitol Records. The label had a number of female singers signed up including Peggy Lee, Ella Mae Morse, Jo Stafford and Margaret Whiting and soon began her career as a jazz singer.

Miss Starr was an immensely versatile and popular singer. She performed, though sporadicly towards the end, well into the 21st century.

Kay Starr passed away in November, 2016 from complications from Alzheimer’s disease at the age of 94.

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Song of the Day: I’m Just A Lucky So And So

The song of the day for Tuesday, June 27, 2017 is “I’m Just A Lucky So And So.”

About This Song

Duke Ellington wrote “I’m Just A Lucky So And So” in 1945; the lyrics were written by 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 first recorded “I’m Just A Lucky So And So” in 1956 for his album Tony and included it in his legendary 1962 concert at Carnegie Hall. Today’s version, though, is from 1999 for the album Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool.

Ralph Burns, our musical collaborator of the month, did the arrangement and it’s really spectacular. Burns has a special feel for the jazz band: there is nothing timid about this arrangement. It’s bold and muscular without stepping on the vocalist. That band is so solid and has a great forward-moving energy. This collaboration of Burns and Bennett doing Duke Ellington is why I love this album so.

I"m Just A Lucky So And So

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


“I’m Just A Lucky So And So,” as well as Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool, is available from iTunes.