Biography of Tony Bennett

A true American legend

August 3, 1926 the great singer Anthony Dominick Benedetto, as is well known to the registry office, then known simply as Tony Bennett, born in New York on 3 August 1926. Probably, after the death of Frank Sinatra is the last great jazz crooner in the stars and stripes, true legend, active until late in life in the world of music and entertainment. In fact, the real name of Tony Bennett would be Antonio simply due to its Italian origins. His father was a grocer in Astoria, Queens, New York, and his name is John Benedetto, emigrated in 1906 from a small village in the province of Reggio Calabria, Podargoni. Her mother, she too is Italian Anna Suraci, and is a seamstress. It is highly likely that the love of music the little Anthony he inherited from his uncle, who was a noted tap dancer. At the age of ten the future crooner studies already singing and performed at the inauguration of the bridge of Tiborough, in New York. He studied at the High School of Industrial Arts, giving up, however, at the age of sixteen, and she argues as a singer in many restaurants in Queens, but often also serving at tables in the trattorias of Italy. In 1944, an adult, Bennett is enlisted in the 63.ma United States Infantry Division and sent to Germany, where he participated in the liberation of the concentration camp at Landsberg. The war service lasted until 1946, when resumed performing in clubs and restaurants in New York. Meanwhile, with the stage name "Joe Bari", Bennett performs in the orchestra of the army. He studied "Bel canto" and in 1949, he was noticed by Pearl Bailey, actress and jazz singer, who invited him to open her concert in Greenwich Village. The show also intervenes on comedian Bob Hope, known also as patron of jazz, which is recommended for the singer of Italian origin to change their name. This is how the name of Tony Bennett and a year later, in 1950, he signed his first contract with Frank Sinatra's label, Columbia Records. Her first single is called "Because of You", produced by Mitch Miller and orchestrated by Percy Faith and remains atop the charts for nearly three months, selling over a million copies. It's time to success, thanks to songs like "Cold, Cold Heart," "Blue Velvet" and "Stranger in Paradise". Between 1952 and 1954 he manages to perform six or seven times a day, in front of crowds of young people into a frenzy for him, as is the case at the Paramount Theatre, with concerts start at 10:30 and end at three in the morning. Meanwhile in 1952 marries Patricia Beech, which will give him two children and divorced in 1971. The turning point is the 1955 marking his transition to jazz, though not permanently. The album that documents it is "The Beat of My Heart", where he played with Herbie Mann and Nat Adderley. Later he worked with the "Count Basie Orchestra" which has released two albums in the years 1958-1959. Swings, like and maybe better than Frank Sinatra, American pop music and jazz among the coolest. To increase its popularity there thinks the tv, with the "Tony Bennett Show, aired in summer and followed by the Americans. In 1962, the year in which also performs at Carnegie Hall with 44 songs and an orchestra of jazz phenomena, affects also the most representative song of his career, "I left my heart in San Francisco", with which she won two Grammy Awards. The album of the same name, becomes a gold record. The British invasion of 1965 also marks the decline of credit from the standpoint of popularity. Young people want to rock and good Tony Bennett, always suspended between pop music and jazz, is no longer appreciated as a time. In 1966 debuted at the cinema with the film "Oscar", but no luck. The same label that made him great, Columbia, after having "intimated", so to speak, an artistic change of course, ends up abandoning him in 1972. In the Decade of the 70 's though, not the New York crooner comes crashing down. Remarried with Sandra Grant, released a couple of jobs highly appreciated, with the great Bill Evans. He moved to Britain and on one occasion, also performs in front of Queen Elizabeth. Stateside throughout the Decade holds only one major concert, in Las Vegas. Falls into a heavy drug abuse and, when his second marriage is about to fail, after giving him two more sons, in 1979 va in overdose. Asks for help from his son Danny Bennett, who from that time takes care of him. The move turns out great, especially from an artistic point of view. In the years ' 80 and ' 90, Bennett recovered all its popularity, signing again for Columbia and undertaking a series of collaborations in studio and live together with different artists, but precisely for this reason of great impact. Play and record with Frank Sinatra, wins a Grammy and performed again during some special concerts with bands like the Red Hot Chili Peppers and artists like Elvis Costello. MTV Music channel dedicated to young people and to their music, puts it in the 1989, 1994 and Unplugged, even, in 2000. Even the cameos to the movies are more than hit the spot. Appears in "The scout" in 1994, "therapy and bullets" of 1999, and in the famous film "Bruce Almighty", dated 2003 and starring Jim Carrey. After more than fifty million records sold, in 1997 is placed in the "Jazz & Big Band Hall of Fame and in 2000 also receives a Grammy for lifetime achievement. In 1997 his autobiography, titled "The Good life". On 21 June 2007 he married his third wife, Susan Crow. The year before, on the occasion of his 80th birthday, is honored by the most famous American artists, at a ceremony-show much appreciated by critics and audiences, in which also a Duet with Christina Aguilera. In 2011, publishes "Duets" album again signed by Columbia. With this work, becomes the oldest artist to get first place in the standings. The album also contains the latest song to life by Amy Winehouse. At the end of November 2011 participates in Italy as a guest on the format Rai "The greatest show over the weekend," a Duet with the conductor and showman Fiorello. Tony Bennett is considered, to date, a true living legend of American culture.
Article contributed by the team of collaborators.