On July 21st, we lost vocalist Tony Bennett (1926-2023), but his final milestone is one that celebrates a life and artistry that has lifted America up and brought people together, decade by decade. CNN recently posted a story relating that when Bennett was in the military, he was demoted for bringing a black soldier home for Thanksgiving. That was only the start of his activism and appreciation of humankind.
I am one of many who never fully appreciated Bennett until he found a way to connect with music fans in the 1990s, bridging multiple generations. He also championed young artists; a huge fan of Amy Winehouse, Bennett was obviously dismayed by her tragic end. Altogether, the strength and beauty of his singing is going to stir my soul forever.
Four tracks that I played on last week's radio program:
"A Sleepin' Bee": Recorded in 1959 and from the musical House of Flowers, it was written by Harold Arlen (music) and Truman Capote (lyrics). Here, the master sings with great delicacy and wisdom about the process of finding true love. It takes a few tries.
"Sometimes I'm Happy": This 1963 version is one of four sessions Bennett recorded for National Guard radio broadcasts and he's backed by the Gene Krupa Quartet. Asked how many times he's sung the song, Tony says that he's "stopped counting," but you'd never know it from the way he gently attacks the melody and lyric.
"Lucky to Be Me": From the second (Together Again) of two often inspired albums recorded with pianist Bill Evans (released in 1975 and 1977). There are a few bum tracks on these LPs--the choice of material is inconsistent--yet this one is gorgeous.
"I Get a Kick Out of You" with Lady Gaga, 2021: They play off each other with such skill and joy while Cole Porter's classic never wears out its welcome. Tony is anywhere from age 91 to 93 when the duo recorded the Love for Sale album; what jaw-dropping power (emotive and otherwise) he continued to possess into his final years.
Finally, my friend Lauren suggested "Fly Me to the Moon" (1965) and I didn't remember hearing this version. What a treat! It's slower than the way most artists interpret it, giving Bennett the chance to hold long, elegant notes and take the piece someplace most vocalists couldn't imagine. He starts with the introduction that has largely been forgotten--on record, it's a masterpiece. At one of his Seattle stops that Lauren caught, he performed the song a cappella, without the band, without amplification, singing in the aisles. In this moment, Bennett asked for the house lights to be up and sent the audience into the stratosphere.
Thank you for your incredible catalog, Tony. I clearly have lots more to discover.