An interview with an American Classic – Tony Bennett
BY JENNIFER JONES
TONY BENNETT IS TIMELESS. HIS SONGS HAVE ACCOMPANIED AMERICAN FAMILIES FOR DECADES. ONLY A FEW ARTISTS HAVE IMPACTED AMERICA IN ALL DECADES STARTING WITH THE 1950s UNTIL TODAY, THE 21ST CENTURY.
IN CELEBRATION OF HIS 85TH BIRTHDAY IN 2011, THE RELEASE OF BENNETT’S “DUETS II” FEATURED TONY PERFORMING WITH A NEW ROSTER OF CELEBRATED ARTISTS INCLUDING THE LATE AMY WINEHOUSE (HER LAST RECORDING WAS THEIR DUET OF “BODY AND SOUL”), MICHAEL BUBLÉ, ARETHA FRANKLIN, JOSH GROBAN, LADY GAGA, JOHN MAYER, AND MANY OTHERS. “DUETS II” DEBUTED AT #1 ON THE BILLBOARD ALBUM CHARTS, MAKING TONY AT THE AGE OF 85 THE ONLY ARTIST TO ACHIEVE THIS IN THE HISTORY OF RECORDED MUSIC. BENNETT WON TWO GRAMMYS FOR “DUETS II” IN THE 2012 GRAMMY CEREMONY.
HIS MOST RECENT PROJECT IS THE RELEASE OF “CHEEK TO CHEEK” A DUET WITH LADY GAGA. TONY BENNETT WILL COME TO THE MARINA CIVIC CENTER IN PANAMA CITY ON FEBRUARY 16, 2015, IN AN INTERVIEW WITH PANAMA CITY LIVING, HE TALKS ABOUT HIS CAREER, HIS LIFE AND THE ARTS.
[divider]PCL: Was music a big part of your family life growing up?
Tony Bennett: I grew up in the depression so, when you bought a record since there wasn’t a lot of money to spend on things like that, you had to make sure you picked something the whole family would like. The first record I bought was of Enrico Caruso. I come from a large Italian-American family. My father passed away when I was 10 and my mom was left a widow with three children. Every Sunday my entire family would come to our house. We would have a big meal together and then we would sit in a circle and my brother, sister and I would entertain everyone. It was those Sundays that made me realize that I wanted to be a performer and entertain people and make them feel good.
PCL: Who would you credit with being your strongest musical influence?
Tony Bennett: As a singer I would have to say Mildred Bailey. I listened to her records all the time and, interesting enough, when Bing Crosby first heard me sing he said to me “You were influenced by Mildred Bailey weren’t you?” which amazed me that he was able to hear that. Bing himself was greatly influenced by Mildred Bailey and she is a “singer’s singer.” I hope more people check out her music. I just recently learned that she was of Native American heritage.
PCL: At what age did you realize you would have a career as a musician?
Tony Bennett: I started out as a singing waiter in Astoria, Queens where I grew up and, looking back, I realized that if I had never managed to make it as a recording artist I would have been perfectly happy to just be a singing waiter – it was that much fun. I had my scuffling years after I returned back from WWII but, under the GI Bill of Rights, I was fortunate enough to be able to attend the American Theatre Wing, where I received excellent training. By 1950 I had signed with Columbia Records and had a semi-hit with “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” but it still took a few more years and some hit records before I felt established. My premise has always been to achieve a “hit catalog” rather than to just go after novelty songs that would hit it big for a few weeks and then be instantly forgotten.
PCL: Do you consider your visual art as great a passion as singing?
Tony Bennett: I have been sketching and painting all of my life and I have always had the need to do both painting and singing. I was on a plane with the singer Joe Williams once and he said to me about creative pursuits that “It’s not that we want to do it, we HAVE to do it.” And that is how I have felt about art and music my entire life.
PCL: Is there a common value that permeates all your artistic pursuits?
Tony Bennett: I think all the art forms are connected in one way or another and, particularly with art and music, I find it’s always about picking the right song or the right subject to paint that resonates with you and makes you want to communicate. For me, it’s always been about expressing truth and beauty. Then you need to make the creative decisions on what to leave out, what to leave in, line, form, and balance. It’s all related when you are in the creative zone and, in fact, it’s why I love that I have both singing and painting in my life so if I get burned out with singing, then I paint for a few hours and then am ready to go back and hit the stage.
PCL: Could you name just one song that you’d describe as bringing you the most joy when you sing it?
Tony Bennett: When I answer this question most people don’t believe it but I love my signature song, “I Left My Heart in San Francisco.” It made me an international performer as I have been commissioned all over the world to perform it and audiences always want to hear it. That is what gives me the most joy – performing for an audience and knowing that for those hours in the theatre they are forgetting their own daily problems and enjoying themselves. That makes me feel great.
PCL: Could you offer a musician advice on how to choose their music?
Tony Bennett: Like any other decision you make, my advice is to stick with quality – don’t just go after a catchy tune that has no depth – look for the songs that are classic and timeless and will always be appreciated.
PCL: Why should the Arts be included in public education?
Tony Bennett: When my wife Susan and I decided to start a public high school, Frank Sinatra School of the Arts, in Astoria, Queens, the entire premise was to ensure that the school would be strong academically but provide the best arts education possible. After more than a decade, the school has been a huge success with one of the highest graduation rates in NYC and a high percentage of students continuing on to higher education. When you give students access to the arts during their school day, they love it and, as a result, they want to come to school. We had such success that we created a non-profit, Exploring the Arts. We now support 17 public high schools, 14 in New York City and three in Los Angeles.
[box type=”shadow” align=”aligncenter” ]Tony Bennett will come to the Marina Civic Center in Panama City on February 16, 2015 for one evening, to make memories. PCLM[/box]