The Perpetual, Enduring Tony Bennett

How do you say “so long” to one of the greatest vocalists of all time? It is 4 a.m. on July 22nd and I still haven’t figured how to bid this man farewell. He has been gone scarcely 24 hours. I just can’t do it. I think I will pop one of his LPs on the turntable for another round.

I need to hear his voice.

Born Anthony Dominick Benedetto August 3, 1926 in Long Island City, Tony Bennett grew up in the Astoria section of Queens, New York. By age 10 he was a proven singer with an intoxicating velvet throat.

He was so good he was paid as a singing waiter at Italian restaurants around the city. As he came of age, Bennett attended the School of Industrial Art learning his craft and honing his God-given talent.

Like most struggling young performers at the time, Bennett refined his technique in nightclubs around New York and New Jersey developing his own unique style. He wowed audiences everywhere.

Of course, there would be enormous challenges. In 1944, he entered the U.S. Army Infantry and served toward the end of World War II. By 1945, he was involved in some of the fiercest fighting of the war in Europe to supplement the heavy losses of the Battle of the Bulge. That he survived the intense fighting that ensued can be considered no less than remarkable. At the end of the war, he was involved in the liberation of the Kaufering concentration camp – a witness to the horrible atrocities of the war.

Bennett was then assigned to the Special Services band unit there to entertain American troops. He performed with talent he would come to know for decades. When he came home, he studied at the American Theatre Wing where he was taught the “bel canto” singing discipline – a technique he would practice for the rest of his life.

Despite his great talent, Bennett struggled. In 1949, he got his first big break in Greenwich Village, opening for Pearl Bailey. By good luck or fortune, he became acquainted with Bob Hope as a result of his association with Bailey. His career skyrocketed from there. Bennett signed on with Columbia Records and the only way was up.

Whenever I hear Tony Bennett, it takes me back to childhood in the 1960s with his records on the Hi-Fi and the energy he shared to the atmosphere and audiences everywhere. His voice, coupled with the work of great instrumentalists, got my adrenaline flowing. I loved his work and grew to appreciate the way he evolved in the decades to follow. He never lifted.

Bennett got criticism for sticking with tried and proven music. However, this approach worked well for him and he continued to pack houses and cut records. His style never really went out of style. It is no less than remarkable today he wows audiences ranging from The Greatest Generation to Boomers, to the very young.

Despite his struggles with Alzheimer’s, the decline of his health, and his inevitable passage into the great beyond, we can enjoy video footage and audio recordings of his work and enjoy the cool.

Godspeed, Tony – thanks for a great wealth of musical memories we can continue to enjoy for generations to come.