Anthony Dominick Benedetto was born in 1926 in the rough-hewn New York City borough of Queens.
Growing up during the Great
Depression, Benedetto attended the High School of
Industrial Arts in New York City, but dropped out to help the family. Working as
a singing waiter, he then served in the Army during World War II and fought in the infamous
Battle of the Bulge.
Like so many infantry soldiers, Anthony saw the very worst of humankind during
the war, and he came home determined to spread positive feelings to an ailing world
through his singing. That’s when Anthony
Dominick Benedetto became Tony Bennett, who took some terrific advice from his vocal coach Mimi Spear, who told him not to imitate other
singers but instead emulate instrumentalists.
The rest of course
is American music history. Tony enjoyed his first hit
single, "Because of You," in 1951. And he’s been wowing audiences
ever since. Unbelievably, that's just about 70 years in the limelight. Sure, there’ve been ups and downs in his unprecedentedly long career (mostly ups). But he’s
never fallen out of favor among those of us who love traditional American popular music: pop
standards, big band songs, show tunes and, of course, jazz.
Tony to me has
always been a jazz guy above all else. I think that is frankly where he will always leave his heart. But he has managed to
transcend most of the fads and fashions and admirably stuck to his original
plan. At times he has locked horns with record company execs and others over what
he should be singing. But his musical choices have been spot on, and it has paid off. He's gained newfound fame among younger music fans with his hugely popular DUETS albums and his choice to sing with some of today's biggest stars such as Lady Gaga.
Tony is arguably America's finest singer of jazz and pop standards. And even Frank Sinatra would agree. Frank often
said that Tony was his favorite singer. Tony’s singing heals, calms and inspires. He has complete command
of his voice, which indeed does often sometimes sound more like a musical instrument. The way he teases, manipulates and negotiates a melody
is uncanny. He really has no rival.
Tony, who appears at Sycuan Casino in El Cajon, just east of San Diego, on Jan. 28 as part of his "I Left My Heart" tour, is also an
acclaimed author and painter whose works are on display at the Smithsonian and the Metropolitan Museum of Art,
among other lofty locales.
Not bad for a kid from Astoria, Queens.
Not bad for a kid from Astoria, Queens.
In an exclusive interview with The
Reno Dispatch, Tony both reminisced and looked forward. He was spry, effusive
and reflective. My interview with Tony revealed at least one sad and shocking truth: At age 93, Tony
Bennett has far more energy than me!
The Reno
Dispatch: Of all the shows you have done over the last 70 years, does one performance
stand out as your very favorite?
Tony Bennett: “It’s so hard to pinpoint that, but I would have to
say performing live at Carnegie Hall in 1962, which became a live album.
That was a true highlight as it came on the heels of the success of my
signature song, ‘I Left My Heart in San Francisco'. And the celebrating of my
85th birthday by performing on the stage of the Metropolitan Opera House. It
doesn’t get much better than that. But I have always said that my first
job as a singing waiter in Queens was something I loved doing, and if I
hadn’t made a career as an entertainer professionally I would still be
happy doing that.”
As a member of the Greatest Generation, you fought in the Battle of the Bulge. How did serving in World War II change
your perspective on life, and on your music?
“Well, being a foot soldier at the end of the
war in Europe, stationed in Germany, I can say that my experience made me a
life-long pacifist with the understanding that violence is the lowest form of
human behavior. Years later when Ella Fitzgerald was my next-door neighbor she
would say, ‘Tony, we are all here.’ So simple but so true that we are all on
this planet together and we have to move forward with cooperation and not
divisiveness. As to music, I was fortunate enough to perform in Army bands
during that time, and we would perform blues and in particular jazz tunes all
the time, so it was an incredible training ground. And then after I returned to
the U.S. under the GI Bill of Rights, I was able to study at The American
Theatre Wing which gave me an exceptional foundation as a performer.”
Why do you think that your singing transcends
generations, why do you think you are you as popular now as you were 70 years
ago?
“When I started out with Columbia Records in
1950, even at the very start of my career, I had it as my intention to stick
with quality material and take the long view of establishing a ‘hit catalog,
and not just ‘hit songs’ which often led to recording novelty songs that hit it
big for a few weeks and then were forgotten. I had to fight for the
opportunities to bring a jazz-influenced style to the popular standards. Eventually
Mitch Miller and I came to an agreement that for every pop record I made, the
next one would be jazz. The point is that I had to fight to record the material
that I felt would stand the test of time by virtue of its quality, and looking
back 70 years later I know it was worth that effort.”
Which of
today’s singers do you enjoy the most and why?
“I think Beyonce’ is terrific and is an artist who has kept true
to her creative vision and then of course ‘Lady’ [Gaga] is one
of those rare authentic artists who had it all and does it all. She has a
true understanding of herself but more importantly of her audience and I
have never seen an artist with a more loyal following - not just fans but
followers who feel very committed to her at all times. That’s a very
special thing to achieve and reflects back to the time and effort that she
makes in everything she does. Sinatra once told me when I went to him for
advice that it’s important to let the audience know that you care
about them. I have always felt that being an entertainer was a very noble
endeavor, and if you can make people feel good and forget about their own
problems for a few hours in the theatre and they walk away saying they
enjoyed themselves, then you can hit the pillow at night satisfied.
So, I appreciate performers who understand their audience and make sure that
they have been entertaining - it sounds simple but it’s often forgotten.”
Is there
anyone you have not sung with that you would like to sing with?
“Although I have sung with Stevie Wonder on many occasions, I
have always wanted to do a jazz piano album with him. I remember when he
came into the studio to record with me on my DUETS album. We had a bit of downtime while they were setting
things up and he sat down at the piano and did this jazz solo - completely
spontaneously - that made me think I was listening to Oscar Peterson. I
remember when we recorded the track of ‘For Once In My Life,’ I ended the
song by calling him Stevie Wonderful. Which he is.”
What are you
working on now, is there another recording in the near future?
I hope so. There are always a few projects in the mix.
Thank you, Tony.
