The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

By Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: Alright, Okay, You Win

The song of the day for Sunday, December 10, 2023, is “Alright, Okay, You Win.”

About This Song

“Alright, Okay, You Win” was written in 1955 by Maymie Watts and Sid Wyche
or the Count Basie Orchestra. It was first recorded in 1955 by the Basie Orchestra with their male vocalist, Joe Williams. In addition to the Bennett/Krall recording, this song has been recorded by Peggy Lee, Elvis Presley, Ella Fitzgerald, and Bette Midler.

About This Version

Tony Bennett and Diana Krall recorded “Alright, Okay, You Win” in May 2001 for Playin’ With My Friends: Bennett Sings The Blues. The vocals were arranged by Rob Mathes.

“Alright, Okay, You Win,” as well as Playin’ With My Friends, is available on Apple Music.

By Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: Blues in the Night

The song of the day for Thursday, October 26, 2023, is “Blues in the Night.”

About This Song

“Blues in the Night” was written in 1941 for the film of the same name by Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer. Arlen wrote the music first and wrote a true blues song. Johnny Mercer, who later wrote the lyrics, drew on his Southern heritage to write the exceptional blues lyrics.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Blues in the Night” in May 2001 for his album Playin’ With My Friends.

“Blues in the Night,” as well as Playin’ With My Friends, is available on Apple Music.

By Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: Blue and Sentimental

The song of the day for Friday, July 21, 2023, is “Blue and Sentimental.”

About Today

We are celebrating Kay Starr, Tony’s duet partner for today’s song, on the anniversary of her birth in Oklahoma on July 21, 1922. Kay loved to sing as a small child and won her first talent show at the age of 7. By then the family had moved to Dallas, Texas, where Kay found many opportunities to sing and earn money. She was discovered at the age of 15 by Joe Venuti and worked with Venuti for several years. Starr considered herself a jazz singer, but she also sang traditional pop, country, and Western swing music. She performed well into her 80s, including a stint in the revue 3 Girls, with Helen O’Connell and Margaret Whiting. She died in 2016 from complications of Alzheimer’s disease.

About This Song

“Blue and Sentimental” was written in 1938 by Count Basie, with Jerry Livingston and Mack David, and was originally recorded by The Count Basie Orchestra. 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 for the album Playin’ With My Friends: Bennett Sings The Blues.

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

By Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: I Gotta Right To Sing The Blues

The song of the day for Tuesday, June 13, 2023, is “I Gotta Right To Sing The Blues.”

About This Song

“I Gotta Right To Sing The Blues” was written by Harold Arlen and Ted Koehler for the 1932 Broadway show, Earl Carroll’s Vanities. It has been a blues and jazz standard ever since. Notable recordings include those by Cab Calloway, Louis Armstrong, Benny Goodman, Lean Horne, Judy Garland, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, and Billie Holiday.

About This Version

Tony Bennett and Bonnie Raitt recorded “I Gotta Right To Sing The Blues” in May 2001 for the album Playin’ With My Friends. They were accompanied by The Ralph Sharon Quartet (Sharon on piano; Gray Sargent on guitar; Paul Langosch on bass; and Cameron Clayton on drums), Mike Melvoin on the Hammond B3 organ, and Harry Allen on saxophone.

“I Gotta Right To Sing The Blues,” as well as Playin’ With My Friends is available on Apple Music.

By Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: Undecided Blues

The song of the day for Saturday, May 13, 2023, 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 was 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 May 2001 for his album Playin’ With My Friends: Bennett Sings The Blues. Rob Mathes wrote the arrangement.

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