Tony Bennett
Tony Bennett
Anthony Dominick Benedetto, known professionally by his stage name Tony Bennett, is an American singer of traditional pop standards, big band, show tunes, and jazz. He is also a painter, having created works under the name Anthony Benedetto that are on permanent public display in several institutions. He is the founder of the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts in Astoria, Queens, New York...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionPop Singer
Date of Birth3 August 1926
CityQueens, NY
CountryUnited States of America
I knew very early that somehow I would sing and draw and paint my whole life.
I have always loved jazz music and as a teen growing up in New York City and then later on as an adult have great memories of the jazz clubs that were all located on 52nd Street. I still catch as many jazz shows as I can when I am in New York. And when I perform, I have my jazz quartet by my side. Jazz musicians keep things spontaneous and very "live," which is the way I like to perform.
Someday, when I'm awfully low, and the world is cold, I will feel a glow just thinking of you, and the way you look tonight.
"Benedetto" means the "blessed one" and I feel that I have truly been blessed.
I left my heart in San Francisco, high on a hill, it calls to me. To be where little cable cars climb halfway to the stars, the morning fog may chill the air, I don't care. My love waits there in San Francisco, above the blue and windy sea, when I come home to you, San Francisco , your golden sun will shine for me.
I am very much inspired by the great masters of entertainment: Bob Hope, George Burns, Jimmy Durante - who never thought about retiring. When people ask me if I plan to retire, I say, "Retire to what? I am doing what I love best right now!"
If you follow your passion, you'll never work a day in your life.
Don't try to be just like some other singer hitting it big - find your own style and be honest in your performances. And never underestimate your audience.
It's really quite a situation. It's ridiculous. I make $200,000, $300,000 a night. For years I was working little dives, and if I got $700 a week, I'd say, "Wow, I'm really cooking.
The bottom line of any country is: what did we contribute to the world? We contributed Louis Armstrong.
I'm still learning about music. The best way to learn is to listen to the audience. When you listen to the audience, they will tell you what they like. I wish these big corporations, instead of telling the audience what they should have, would listen.
Just give a drum roll, announce my name & I come out & sing. I have a contract that says I'm a singer. So I sing.
I still insist that American performers are the best performers in the world.
No-one will ever sound as good as Judy Garland as far as I am concerned.