• 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

July 20, 2022 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: Blue and Sentimental

The song of the day for Thursday, July 21, 2022, is “Blue and Sentimental.”

About Today

Today we are celebrating the life of the late Kay Starr, who was born on July 21, 1922, in Oklahoma. At the age of 7, she placed third in a talent contest and was given a 15-minute radio show. By the age of 10, she was making $3 a night, which was good money in the Great Depression. She started out singing mostly Western Swing and Country and Western music. She soon branched out to include pop and jazz songs. Starr died on November 3, 2016, at the age of 94 from complications of Alzheimer’s disease.

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 May 2001 and released that same year on Playin’ With My Friends: Bennett Sings The Blues. The vocals were arranged by Rob Mathes.

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

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: Count Basie, Happy Birthday to Kay Starr, Jerry Livingtson, Kay Starr, Mack David, Playin' With My Friends: Bennett Sings The Blues, TonyBennett

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

March 14, 2022 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: Don’t Cry Baby

The song of the day for Tuesday, March 15, 2022, is “Don’t Cry Baby.”

About This Song

“Don’t Cry Baby” was ” was written in 1929 by James P. Johnson, Saul Bernie, and Stella Unger. Jimmy Johnson was a composer and pianist who, along with Jelly Roll Morton, came into prominence in the era between ragtime and the stride piano techniques in early jazz. Saul Bernie and Stella Unger were both composers who were active in the 1920s. It was first sung by Bessie Smith in 1929. Erskine Hawkins recorded it in 1943; this version reached #1 on the Harlem Hit Parade in 1943 and #15 on the popular charts. Etta James recorded it in 1961 as well.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Don’t Cry Baby” in 2001 for his album Playin’ With My Friends: Bennett Sings The Blues. The album won the 2003 Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Album.

“Don’t Cry Baby,” as well as Playin’ With My Friends: Bennett Sings The Blues is available on Apple Music.

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: James P. Johnson, Playin' With My Friends: Bennett Sings The Blues, Saul Bernie, Stella Unger, Tony Bennett

July 20, 2021 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: Blue and Sentimental

The song of the day for Wednesday, July 21, 2021, is “Blue and Sentimental.”

About Today

Today we are remembering the great Kay Starr, who was born on July 21, 1922, and died at the age of 94 on November 3, 2016. She was a remarkably versatile singer who excelled in popular music, jazz, and country music. Over her career, she worked with Glenn Miller, Bob Crosby, Roy Acuff, Count Basie, and many more.

About This Song

“Blue and Sentimental” was written in 1938 by Count Basie, Jerry Livington, and Mack David. Count Basie recorded his song in 1938; other recordings include those by The Mills Brothers, Michel Legrand, The King Cole Trio, and Ella Fitzgerald.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Blue and Sentimental” with Kay Starr for his 2001 album Playin’ With My Friends: Bennett Sings The Blues. The vocals were arranged by Rob Mathes.

Blue and Sentimental (with Kay Starr)

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

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

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: Count Basie, Happy Birthday to Kay Starr, Jerry Livingston, Kay Starr, Mack David, Playin' With My Friends: Bennett Sings The Blues, 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

No Description

“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

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 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

  • Song of the Day: Stella by Starlight
  • Song of the Day: The Good Life
  • Song of the Day: Make Someone Happy
  • Song of the Day: From This Moment On
  • Song of the Day: Maybe September
  • Song of the Day: Stranger in Paradise
  • 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