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
More than anybody else I’d like to thank Count Basie for teaching me how to perform.
I attended the High School of Industrial Arts and studied with many great artists as painting is something that you never stop learning about. Actually, in high school there was a time that I was thinking about just concentrating on painting and I asked my music teacher, Mr. Sondberg, for advice and he encouraged me to stick with the music as well. So all my life I have been singing and painting.
Sometimes the teacher would tell me that if you're singing a love song and you just don't feel it with a person or something you've experienced, just think of a dog or cat that you love.
You can't teach it [jazz singing]. There's nobody who can teach you how to sing jazz. Either you know how to sing jazz, or you don't.
I always feel the audience is my best teacher.
I've tried to do that for my top assistant wherever I've been, but this is even better because it'll be for my son. I will feel like I've finished the job I was called to do in coming here,
The sign says 'Welcome to Lancashire', it doesn't say 'Welcome to the administrative unit of Lancashire County Council - that would be all right.
Believe it or not, it's my signature song, 'I Left My Heart in San Francisco,' because it's given me a license to sing all the great songs that I could sing.
The talent is on the rise in the Valley. That's why Valley teams can play with anyone in the country. As a conference we've beaten some pretty big programs this season and it's no accident. And the talent is only going to get better now that recruits can see what we're all about. We can play any style of ball.
Rosemary Clooney took all of us on the road. We were the first American idols.
He's a cult hero over here for doing it.
My favorite song is "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" because it's become my signature song. I sang it for six American presidents and five command performances... it's made me a world citizen.
We've got a good group of guys, and the character is strong. Whether we win or lose the game, I told them the best gift you can give him is to go all out and lay it on the line. I hope the next two or three games we go through will exhibit that.
It was good that Jim put this in writing, ... It puts Tony's mind at ease and certainly mine as well.