Tony Bennett Biography, Photos and Posters

Tony Bennett

Biography

Born: August 3, 1926
City and Country of Origin: Queens, New York
Music Background:
Awards: 2005 Grammy Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album, The Art Of Romance; 2003 Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album, A Wonderful World; 2002 Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album, Playin' With My Friends - Bennett Sings The Blues; 1999 Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance, Bennett Sings Ellington - Hot & Cool; 1997 Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance, Tony Bennett On Holiday; 1996 Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance, "Here's To The Ladies;" 1994 Album Of The Year, "MTV Unplugged;" 1994 Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance, "MTV Unplugged;" 1993 Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance, "Steppin' Out;" 1992 Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance, "Perfectly Frank;" 1962 Record Of The Year, "I Left My Heart In San Francisco;" Best Solo Vocal Performance, Male, "I Left My Heart In San Francisco"
Top Recordings: "Because of You," "Cold, Cold Heart," "Rags to Riches," "Stranger in Paradise," "In the Middle of an Island," "I Left My Heart in San Francisco," "The Good Life,"
Tony Bennett Biography: Anthony Dominick Benedetto was born to an Italian grocer and and seamstress in Astoria, Queens. He attended the HIgh School of Industrial Arts where he studied music and painting. Besides being a singer Tony is also an accomplished painter. He dropped out of school at 16 to help support his family working as a waiter in several Italian restaurants.

In 1944 he was drafted into the Army. He fought on the front line in France and in Germany and was involved in the liberation of a Nazi concentration camp near Landsberg. After the fighting ceased he stayed on as part of the occupying force where he was assigned to an informal Special Services band as a singer. He then sang with the Army military band under the name Joe Bari. The band included several musicians who would go on to having post war careers in music.

Upon leaving the service he studied the bel canto singeing method under the GI bill at the American Theater Wing. While studying he worked waiting tables and singing at every opportunity. He was spotted by Pearl Bailey who asked him to open for her in Greenwich Village. She invited Bob Hope to the show and Hope asked Tony to join him on the road, but suggested that he use his real name shortened to just Tony Bennett. After cutting a demo he was signed to a recording contract by Mitch Miller the new music director of Columbia Records. His first big hit was "Because of You" which reached number 1 on the charts in 1951. He follwed it up with his rendition of the Hank Williams classic "Cold, Cold Heart," as with his first big hit the arrangements were done by orchestra leader Percy Faith. In 1952 he married Patricia Beech, a jazz fan and art student from Ohio. His next number 1 hit would be the up tempo "Rags to Riches" in 1953. Later that year "Stranger in Paradise" from Kismet also hit the top of the charts. Like many crooners of his era his career was affected by the advent of the Rock era.

During the latter part of the 50s he would place 8 more singles on the charts, but none higher than "In the Middle of an Island" which rose to number 9 in 1957. In 1956 he was chosen to do a variety show as a summer replacement for Perry Como. In 1957 he released his first LP the jazzy Cloud 7. It was at this time that Ralph Sharon became his pianist and music director. He advised him that a career singing sweet ballads would be short lived and that he shuld set his goals toward becomeing a jazz singer. In 1957 he released the album Beat of My Heart which included jazz artists like Herbie Mann and Nat Adderley. In 1958 he teamed up with Count Basie on Basie Swings, Bennett Sings and in 1959 repeated with In Person! Tony Bennett/Count Basie and his Orchestra. The early 60s brought guest appearances on The Johnny Carson Tonight Show and the Merv Griffen Show and in 1962 a much heralded concert at Carnegie Hall. That same year he released "I Left My Heart in San Francisco," a single from the album of the same name, which only rose to number 19 on the Billboard top 100, but spent a whole year on many other charts. I Wanna Be Around was released the following year and included the top 20 hit "The Good Life." The following year would prove devastating for many American singing acts as it marked the onset of the British Invasion. Bennett's performance on the charts first weakened by the advent of Rock and Roll was now almost comatose. Finally, he relented and on the advice of music mogul Clive Davis Tony released an album of contemporary songs in 1969, Tony Sings the Great Hits of Today! The results were not good. In 1972 he left Columbia and signed on with MGM Records, but the results were still the same. In 1972 he finally divorced his wife of many years and eventually married actress Sandra Grant. He started his own record company Improv and recorded a few tracks of standards like "What is This Thing Called Love?," and even move to England for a bit, but still the results were the same. By the end of the 70s Tony had now record contract, no manager and no work outside of Las Vegas. To make matters worst his second marriage fell apart and he became addicted to drugs.

After a near fatal cocaine overdose in 1979 he hooked up with his son Danny who became his manager. By the mid 80s the music world had overdosed on new music trends like disco, punk rock and new wave. It was time for some good old standards. With artists like Linda Ronstadt releasing albums of standards Tony's son Danny booked his dad on the David Letterman Show, The Simpsons and MTV. His music was so old hat that to a new young audience it seemed brand new. His career once again began to blossom. Bennett continues to record and perform to this day.

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