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The son of a grocer and Italian-born immigrant, Anthony Dominick Benedetto was born in August 3, 1926, in the Astoria section of Queens. |
He attended the High School of Industrial Arts in Manhattan, where he studied both singing and painting. His boyhood idols included Bing Crosby and Nat King Cole, both influences on his singing style.
Bennett sang while waiting tables as a teenager then performed with military bands during his Army enlistment in World War II. He later took vocal studies at the American Theatre Wing School. The first time Bennett sang in a nightclub was 1946 when he sat in with trombonist Tyree Glenn at the Shangri-La in Astoria.
Bennett's big break came in 1949 when comedian Bob Hope noticed him working with Pearl Bailey in Greenwich Village in New York City. As Bennett recalls, "Bob Hope came down to check out my act. He liked my singing so much that after the show he came back to see me in my dressing room and said, 'Come on kid, you're going to come to the Paramount and sing with me.' But first he told me he didn't care for my stage name (Joe Bari) and asked me what my real name was. I told him, 'My name is Anthony Dominick Benedetto,' and he said, 'We'll call you Tony Bennett’."
His initial successes came via a string of Columbia singles in the early 1950's, including such as "Because of You," "Rags To Riches" and a remake of Hank Williams' "Cold, Cold Heart." He had 24 songs in the Top 40, including his signature song, "I Left My Heart In San Francisco," which earned him two Grammy Awards.
The MTV generation first took notice of Tony Bennett during his appearance with the Red Hot Chili Peppers on the 1993 MTV Video Awards ceremony. He appeared on MTV Unplugged and the resulting recording of the same name won "Album of the Year," Grammy's top award.
With over 50 million records sold worldwide and platinum and gold albums to his credit, Bennett has won ten Grammy Awards including the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. He has also received an Emmy Award and a Cable Ace Award for his television special Live By Request... Tony Bennett which featured an interactive format in which the viewing audience called in song requests to the performer live during the program.
Tony Bennett is also a dedicated painter whose interest in art began as a child. He continues to paint every day, even while touring internationally. He has exhibited his work in galleries around the world and was chosen to be the official artist of the 2001 Kentucky. The United Nations has commissioned two paintings from him, including one for its 50th anniversary. His original painting "Homage to Hockney" is on permanent display at the Butler Institute of American Art and the National Arts Club in New York is home to his painting, "Boy on Sailboat, Sydney Bay."
Tony Bennett has raised millions of dollars for philanthropic causes. The Martin Luther King Center in Atlanta bestowed upon him their "Salute to Greatness Award" for his efforts to fight discrimination. He conceived and spearheaded the effort to honor his friend with the establishment of the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts, which opened its doors as a New York City public high school offering an extensive arts curriculum in September of 2001.
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Set List for Tony Bennett on Piano Jazz:I Thought About You (Mercer, Van Heussen)
Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams (Koehler, Harris, Moll)
While We're Young (Wilder, Engvick)
Twilight World (McPartland, Lee)
Last Night When We Were Young (Arlen, Harburg)
Don't Worry 'Bout Me (Bloom, Koehler)
All of Me (Marks, Simons)
Blackberry Winter (Wilder, McGlohon)
Don't Get Around Much Anymore (Ellington, Russell)
Bennett sang while waiting tables as a teenager then performed with military bands during his Army enlistment in World War II. He later took vocal studies at the American Theatre Wing School. The first time Bennett sang in a nightclub was 1946 when he sat in with trombonist Tyree Glenn at the Shangri-La in Astoria.
Bennett's big break came in 1949 when comedian Bob Hope noticed him working with Pearl Bailey in Greenwich Village in New York City. As Bennett recalls, "Bob Hope came down to check out my act. He liked my singing so much that after the show he came back to see me in my dressing room and said, 'Come on kid, you're going to come to the Paramount and sing with me.' But first he told me he didn't care for my stage name (Joe Bari) and asked me what my real name was. I told him, 'My name is Anthony Dominick Benedetto,' and he said, 'We'll call you Tony Bennett’."
His initial successes came via a string of Columbia singles in the early 1950's, including such as "Because of You," "Rags To Riches" and a remake of Hank Williams' "Cold, Cold Heart." He had 24 songs in the Top 40, including his signature song, "I Left My Heart In San Francisco," which earned him two Grammy Awards.
The MTV generation first took notice of Tony Bennett during his appearance with the Red Hot Chili Peppers on the 1993 MTV Video Awards ceremony. He appeared on MTV Unplugged and the resulting recording of the same name won "Album of the Year," Grammy's top award.
With over 50 million records sold worldwide and platinum and gold albums to his credit, Bennett has won ten Grammy Awards including the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. He has also received an Emmy Award and a Cable Ace Award for his television special Live By Request... Tony Bennett which featured an interactive format in which the viewing audience called in song requests to the performer live during the program.
Tony Bennett is also a dedicated painter whose interest in art began as a child. He continues to paint every day, even while touring internationally. He has exhibited his work in galleries around the world and was chosen to be the official artist of the 2001 Kentucky. The United Nations has commissioned two paintings from him, including one for its 50th anniversary. His original painting "Homage to Hockney" is on permanent display at the Butler Institute of American Art and the National Arts Club in New York is home to his painting, "Boy on Sailboat, Sydney Bay."
Tony Bennett has raised millions of dollars for philanthropic causes. The Martin Luther King Center in Atlanta bestowed upon him their "Salute to Greatness Award" for his efforts to fight discrimination. He conceived and spearheaded the effort to honor his friend with the establishment of the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts, which opened its doors as a New York City public high school offering an extensive arts curriculum in September of 2001.
Check out this week's Piano Jazz Shorts: the Piano Jazz podcast.
Subscribe!
Set List for Tony Bennett on Piano Jazz: