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The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

July 20, 2016 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: Blue and Sentimental

The song of the day for Thursday, July 21, 2016 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 Bennett’s blue’s album, which has a good number of great duets, Playin’ With My Friends.

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, is available from iTunes.

About Today

Today I very pleased to honor Kay Starr on her 94th birthday. Miss Starr was born on July 21, 1922 in Oklahoma but her family soon relocated to Dallas, Texas. By the age of seven, she was appearing in and winning talent shows on the radio in Dallas. By the age of ten, she was singing on stage and earning $3 a night, which was pretty good money in the Depression.

Kay Starr
Kay Starr

Kay Starr did it all: pop, country, and great jazz. She was one of the great female voices of the 20th century. Happy birthday, Kay Starr!

THE DINAH SHORE CHEVY SHOW -- "Swingin' at the Summit" Episode 518 -- Pictured: (l-r) Jazz musician Louis Armstrong, singers Kay Starr, Tony Bennett --
THE DINAH SHORE CHEVY SHOW — “Swingin’ at the Summit” Episode 518 — Pictured: (l-r) Jazz musician Louis Armstrong, singers Kay Starr, Tony Bennett —

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: Count Basie, Happy Birthday to Kay Starr, Kay Starr, Mack David, Playing With My Friends

May 15, 2015 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

RIP B. B. King

America has lost one of its greatest musicians and I have lost one of my greatest friends. #BBKing pic.twitter.com/GbGj7vxDwv

— Tony Bennett (@itstonybennett) May 15, 2015

Your author lived in Jackson, Mississippi for a few years and had the great pleasure of hearing B.B. King play live there. He was most certainly one the greats. His influence on the blues and blues musicians will live on for generations.

We leave you today with his duet with Tony Bennett from Playin’ With My Friends (2001): “Let The Good Times Roll.”

Let the Good Times Roll (with B.B. King)

Listen to Let the Good Times Roll (with B.B. King) on Spotify. Tony Bennett · Song · 2001.

Filed Under: About His Collaborators Tagged With: B.B. King, Let The Good Times Roll, Playing With My Friends

July 21, 2014 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: Blue and Sentimental

The song of the day for Monday, July 21, 2014 is “Blue and Sentimental.”

About This Song

“Blue and Sentimental” was written in 1938 by Count Basie, Jerry Livingston and Mack David. It’s been recorded, of course, by Count Basie and His Orchestra, as well as Ella Fitzgerald, Mel Tormé and Nat King Cole.

About This Version

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

#85351890 / gettyimages.com

The Year of Tony Bennett has chosen this song today to acknowledge the great artist Kay Starr, who celebrates her 92nd birthday today, July 21. Miss Starr is an amazing artist who has sung jazz, blues, country and popular music over her career. We honor her today as one of America’s greatest female singers.

http://open.spotify.com/track/0he261W43mOKxVp0Tdbwam
“Blue and Sentimental,” as well as all of the songs on Playin’ With My Friends: Bennett Sings The Blues, is available from iTunes.

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: Count Basie, Jerry Livingston, Kay Starr, Mack David, Playing With My Friends

June 26, 2012 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Blue Velvet

Tony and kd lang have collaborated on several occasions: A Wonderful World, Playing With My Friends and both Duets albums. Here is a video of them singing–beautifully– Blue Velvet, from Duets II. Their voices match perfectly on everything they sing together.

They also did an interview with NPR in 2002 when A Wonderful World was released. Click here to listen.

 

Filed Under: Media Tagged With: A Wonderful World, Blue Velvet, Duets II, k d lang, NPR, Playing With My Friends, Tony Bennett

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