NPR has a segment with Scott Simon, who co-authored Bennett's book "Just Getting Started". It was just getting started as I returned home from some errands, so I listened in my driveway.
I guess we can't feel too bad about someone going at 96, and even though he dealt with Alzheimer's in his later years he still had an amazing ride, but damn, such a classic 20th Century icon.
I was lucky to see him many times, every single one classy magic. IMO it wasn't his voice that made him brilliant, it was his perfect sense of meter, rhythm, intonation... the space between the notes. Plus, he was as charming on stage as anyone could be.
"For my money, Tony Bennett is the best singer in the business. He excites me when I watch him. He moves me. He's the singer who gets across what the composer has in mind, and probably a little more."
‟Among my favorite moments ever with Jerry Garcia was the day the Grateful Dead sang the national anthem for the Giants, which was April something 1993. There are two things every band has to do: you have to do benefits, and you have to do the National Anthem. It just comes with the territory. And, of course, the Grateful Dead was the only band in world history that had never done the National Anthem, for a number of reasons.
”A guy named Eric Colby was a Grateful Dead production assistant and a maniacal baseball fan. His wife worked in the ticket office for the San Francisco Giants. Jerry was not a sports fan, really. As he put it that day, ‟I’m just a camp follower.When they get good, I sort of check in, but I can’t take the extra heartache of being a day-to-day fan.” Anyway, Jerry was sentimental about San Francisco. He was sixth generation on his mother’s side, he loved the city, he loved what it stood for.
‟So it’s opening day. We do soundcheck at ten, the game’s at one, which meant I had to entertain Jerry, Bobby, and Vince Welnick for three hours because there’s no way I was going to let them leave the grounds. Traffic madness and whatnot. I was cat herding.
”Tony Bennett’s there, and he’s going to sing, ‟I Left My Heart in San Francisco.” Jerry and Tony had met before. Tony’s son was a Deadhead, and Tony came backstage at Madison Square Garden a couple of times and said hi. He is just a gentleman. Very sweet guy.
‟So, we are waiting around for the National Anthem moment, and these veterans—ex-Giants, stars—walk by. One is Willie Mays, one is Willie McCovey, and one is Gaylord Perry. Bobby is a sports fan—he was born here, so these are real heroes. I’m introducing everybody to everybody, and Willie McCovey, who is one of God’s gentlemen, is shaking hands with Jerry and saying hi, and Gaylord Perry and Bobby start verbally jamming. Bobby just loves Gaylord Perry. So that’s all going well, and I turn to Willie Mays, who is legendary for being cranky, and I said, ”Mr.Mays, can I introduce you to Jerry Garcia? He is going to be singing the National Anthem today.‟ And Willie says, ”NO!‟ and then he yells at the other two guys, ”Come on! We have to get to this alumni event. Let’s go.‟ And they go. And I turned to Jerry, and he was cracking up.
”What I realized with Jerry at that moment was that he was so fed up with people wanting something from him that the idea that somebody didn’t give a shit who he was absolutely made his day.‟
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Zzzzzz
Shit.
Shit.
Saw him at the Bridge Benefit with Neil and Paul McCartney. One of the greatest shows I attended. He crushed it.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: GDTRFB
He seemed like a really good
He seemed like a really good guy. I love the stuff he did with Lady Gaga too. RIP Tony.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Tim
Took my MIL every chance we
Took my MIL every chance we got
took her 7 times always fun
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: skifurthur
IMO, the best voice I have
IMO, the best voice I have ever heard. Next level.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Strangha
Total class. They broke the
Total class. They broke the mold. And yes, what a voice.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Semolina Pilchard
NPR just did a segment with
NPR has a segment with Scott Simon, who co-authored Bennett's book "Just Getting Started". It was just getting started as I returned home from some errands, so I listened in my driveway.
Audio here: https://www.npr.org/2023/07/21/1189235069/nprs-scott-simon-reflects-on-c...
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Lord Kalvert
Tone
Tone
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San Francisco equals Tony
San Francisco equals Tony Bennett...
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Semolina Pilchard
(No subject)
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: GDTRFB
^ Great pic and memory, Mike!
^ Great pic and memory, Mike! I was just swinging by to drop that one off here myself and Thank You.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Lance minimum goad Newberry
Sigh.
Sigh.
I guess we can't feel too bad about someone going at 96, and even though he dealt with Alzheimer's in his later years he still had an amazing ride, but damn, such a classic 20th Century icon.
I was lucky to see him many times, every single one classy magic. IMO it wasn't his voice that made him brilliant, it was his perfect sense of meter, rhythm, intonation... the space between the notes. Plus, he was as charming on stage as anyone could be.
"For my money, Tony Bennett is the best singer in the business. He excites me when I watch him. He moves me. He's the singer who gets across what the composer has in mind, and probably a little more."
Frank Sinatra
On it goes.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Roarshock
RIP Tony Bennett.
RIP Tony Bennett.
What was the occasion when Jerry and Tony sang together?
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RIP
RIP
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Druba
"Tony Bennett and his Mother,
"Tony Bennett and his Mother, Anna Benedetto"
From Vintage Recipes on FB
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: dimethyllovebeam
If you copy one artist, you
If you copy one artist, you're a thief. If you copy a bunch of them, you're doing research."
-- TB
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Semolina Pilchard
> What was the occasion when
> What was the occasion when Jerry and Tony sang together?
April 93, according to Dennis McNally via Reddit.