I’m writing this piece from memory, because Tony Bennett will forever live in my memory. Accordingly, I may be off on some of the timeline, but not on substance. His most iconic song, “I Left my Heart on San Francisco,” was actually recorded by Frank Sinatra. When Sinatra (who greatly admired Bennett) heard Bennet’s take, he withdrew his own recording from circulation. Frankie knew a good thing when he heard it. I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Bennett on the occasion of his release of “40 Years: the artistry of Tony Bennett,” his career defining box set. It is a superb collection of many of his wonderful songs, including a number of lesser -known gems. I had the temerity to suggest to him that he record “The Way We Were,” the classic Streisand standard. Knowing him to be a great fan of the late Marilyn Bergman (he managed to outlive just about everyone), he shook his head and smiled. “It’s a great song,” he said, but it belongs to Barbra. Like Sinatra, he knew a good thing when he saw it. Listening to just about any of the 70 odd albums Bennett recorded, one thing that stands out is the consistency of good taste in the songs he sung.
As with many generations of lovers of the “American Songbag” of standards, I grew up with Tony’s music in my ears. As a kid, I remember immediately loving “Rags to Riches” and “Cold, Cold Heart.” A little later on, it was “Stranger in Paradise” and “Because of You.” I was on college when “San Francisco” hit the charts, and find me a jilted lover who didn’t relate to “I Wanna be Around.” Not unlike Sinatra (or, in a different way Dylan, McCartney and Billy Joel) the songs of Tony Bennett play as background music to our lives. Interestingly, both Dylan and McCartney—master songwriters to be sure—have recorded albums of just the kind of standards Bennett included in his repertoire. As for Billy Joel, make sure to hear their duet on “New York State of Mind.” It’s nothing short of wonderful
Many music lovers rightly salute Frank Sinatra’s longevity. While Sinatra started recording in the late 30’s and continued into the 80’s—covering parts of six decades, Tony did him one better. Bennett actively performed from the early 50’s until—and this is amazing—2022. That’s not only seven decades, but seventy years of performing. Most remarkably, Bennett remained in fine voice. He was said to have practiced the bel canto scales every day, and his strong high register remained a staple of his performances. No question, his voice frayed a bit near the end, and he tended to speak, rather than croon, some of his lines. That said, he could always hit and sustain the high notes, and did so like no one else. I heard him only once in concert. In was in the mid-90’s at The Boca Raton Resort & Club and the seats were up close and personal. He was playing with the Ralph Sharon trio, and the performance was nothing short of wonderful. As was his practice, he turned off the microphone for a song, projecting his solo voice across the large auditorium. It was a memorable evening.
Most notably, he stayed actively in touch with the current generation of singers, as his recordings with K.D .Lang and Lady Gaga will attest. Last year, in the serious throes of dementia, Lady Gaga put together a 95th birthday salute to her dear friend. While he could still sing, many simple tasks like tying his shoes eluded him. He couldn’t even remember Lady Gaga’s name. But when the evening came, I was expecting a salute to him by others, and didn’t expect him to perform, But oh, perform he did. If you haven’t seen this show, I’m sure it can be streamed. It is memorable, not only because of the high level of his performance, but because it demonstrated the degree to which his mastery of his craft not only survived, but transcended, the ravages of dementia. To quote a line from one of his favorite songs, “,,,the music never ends.” And it never will Good-bye, dear Tony, and God bless.
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