The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Tony Live! A Foggy Day

The song of the day for Saturday, September 19, 2020, is “A Foggy Day.”

About This Song

“A Foggy Day” was written by George and Ira Gershwin. It was introduced by Fred Astaire in the 1937 movie A Damsel in Distress. The song has been quite popular with many great recordings, including those by Ella Fitzgerald, Judy Garland, Frank Sinatra, and Billie Holiday.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “A Foggy Day” with The Ralph Sharon Trio on his live performance on MTV Unplugged. In addition to Sharon on piano, the trio consisted of Doug Richeson on bass and Clayton Cameron on drums.

“A Foggy Day,” as well as MTV Unplugged, is available from Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: The Man That Got Away

The song of the day for Thursday, September 17, 2020, is “The Man That Got Away.”

About Today

Today we are celebrating Ralph Sharon, on the anniversary of his birth on September 17, 1923. Sharon was born in London and emigrated to the United States in 1954. He served as Tony Bennett’s pianist and musical director for many years.

About This Song

“The Man That Got Away” was written by Harold Arlen and Ira Gershwin for Judy Garland to sing in the 1954 film A Star Is Born. Her performance of the song is legendary in film history, with 27 takes in three days, three separate sessions, and two different directors. The filmed scene is brilliant and made the song a huge hit for Garland, who sang it in most of her concerts.

About This Version

Tony Bennett and Ralph Sharon recorded “The Man That Got Away” in 1959. They booked the studio for the day. Sharon brought a briefcase of sheet music and they leafed through the music, picked songs that they liked, and recorded them in one or two takes. The result was the album Tony Sings For Two, released in 1961.

“The Man That Got Away,” as well as Tony Sings For Two, is available from Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: The Rules of the Road

The song of the day for Friday, September 11, 2020, is “The Rules of the Road.”

About This Song

“The Rules of the Road” was written in 1961 by Cy Coleman and Carolyn Leigh. In addition to several recordings by Tony Bennett, the song has also been recorded by Lena Horne, Shirley Horne, Nat King Cole, and Rosemary Clooney. But as far as I’m concerned, Tony Bennett owns this song.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded this version of “The Rules of the Road” in 1964 for the album When Lights Are Low, backed by The Ralph Sharon Trio, which featured Sharon on piano, Hal Gaylord on bass, and Billy Exiner on drums.

“The Rules of the Road,” as well as When Lights Are Low, is available from Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: I’ve Got Just About Everything

The song of the day for Thursday, September 10, 2020, is “I’ve Got Just About Everything.”

About This Song

“I’ve Got Just About Everything” was written by the great Bob Dorough. In addition to being a composer, he was a noted pianist and musical director, including his work with Blossom Dearie and Miles Davis. He is best known outside the jazz world for his work on Schoolhouse Rock.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “I’ve Got Just About Everything” in 1964 with The Ralph Sharon Trio for the album When Lights Are Low. Sharon shines on piano in this recording.

“I’ve Got Just About Everything,” as well as When Lights Are Low, is available from Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered

The song of the day for Monday, September 7, 2020, is “Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered.”

About This Song

“Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered,” written by Richard Rodgers and Larry (Lorenz) Hart, was one of the hit songs from the 1940 musical Pal Joey, where it was introduced by Vivienne Segal. Notable recordings are by Benny Goodman, Mel Tormé, Oscar Peterson, Ella Fitzgerald, and Frank Sinatra. Alec Wilder admired the lyric and the verse, but found the song “notey.” In spite of being notey, it’s a cornerstone of the American Songbook.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered” in 1959 with Ralph Sharon in a remarkable recording session: just Bennett and Sharon with a briefcase full of sheet music. They would pull out a song and record in one or two takes. They recorded 16 songs that day, 12 of which were released on Tony Sings For Two. The album was released in 1961.

“Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered,” as well as Tony Sings For Two, is available from Apple Music.

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