RIP Tony Bennett

  The Great American Songbook will never fade away.  There will always be Jazz & Pop singer/instrumentalists who will be performing them somewhere. But Tony Bennett was the last household name that was the Songbook's biggest cheerleader.  For eight decades he never strayed from a simple premise to promote the songs he championed since his beginnings in the early 50's. 

  

  The word used to describe Bennett's vocals most often is "warmth".  He had a way of bringing you into his interpretations by the warmth of his voice.  The great songbook singers, Billie, Ella, Sinatra, Armstrong, all had a way of bringing you into a song with their passion.  And Bennett was a master at bringing you into his performances.

  A World War II veteran he also used his celebrity to support Marin Luther King Jr., and the Civil Rights era.  

  Tony Bennett was a name I always knew, but it wasn't until his great comeback in the 1990's that I began to explore his catalog. Over the course of some 70 albums he was highly consistent.   You can't go wrong with his 50's to early 60's albums.  There was a down period beginning in the late 60's throughout most of the 70's and early 80's.  Bennett's son became his manager in 1986 and things began to turn around.  His albums became more consistent resulting in a miraculous comeback in the 90's. Suddenly Bennett was a household name again.  Revered as one of the great vocalists ever. After Frank Sinatra passed in 1998, Bennett became one of the last popular voices of the Songbook era.  At the time of his death he was a beloved legend who epitomized all that was special about the Songbook generation.  

  Where to start with Bennett's catalog is a tough proposition.  Outside of his many compilations here are some studio albums that chart his remarkable career. 

Beat Of My Heart

Count Basie Sings/Tony Bennett Sings

Hometown, My Town

I Left My Heart In San Francisco

Snowfall

The Tony Bennett/Bill Evans Album

Art of Excellence

Steppin' Out

MTV Unplugged

Cheek to Cheek (with Lady Gaga)