Biography
A towering figure in the history of popular singers, Tony Bennett's muscular, burnished voice underscored the romance, the longing and the joy in the Great American songbook, as well as his own hits, which included "Because of You" and "I Left My Heart in San Francisco. " A pop crooner in his early years, Bennett's devotion to jazz and standards spurred him to move away from the mainstream and dig deeply into the works of Irving Berlin, Cole …
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Career Milestones
| Began collaborating with his son Danny Bennett, who took over as his manager | ||
| Began making appearances on shows with a younger audience such as "Late Night with David Letterman" (CBS) and "The Simpsons" (Fox) | ||
| Changed name to Tony Bennett as suggested by Bob Hope | ||
| Collaborated with jazz pianist Bill Evans for the albums The Tony Bennett/Bill Evans Album (1975) and Together Again (1976) | ||
| Discovered by Pearl Bailey in Greenwich Village | ||
| Served in the Army infantry during World War II | ||
| Studied singing and acting at the American Theatre Wing | ||
| Took a ten year hiatus from recording | ||
1949 | Began touring with Bob Hope after being introduced by Pearl Bailey | |
1950 | Signed with Columbia Records and started working with record producer Mitch Miller | |
1951 | Charted at No. 1 with the song "Because of You" | |
1953 | Recorded "Stranger in Paradise" for the Broadway musical "Kismet" | |
1955 | Released first long-playing album, Cloud 7 | |
1956 | Hosted the NBC Saturday night television variety program called "The Tony Bennett Show" as a summer replacement for "The Perry Como Show" | |
1962 | Performed on the debut episode of "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson" (NBC) | |
1962 | Released his most famous song "I Left My Heart in San Francisco," which earned him his first Grammy Award | |
1962 | Staged a highly-promoted concert performance at Carnegie Hall with musicians Al Cohn, Kenny Burrell, and Candido | |
1966 | Made his film debut in the poorly received "The Oscar" | |
1970 | Ended his 20 year relationship with Columbia Records and formed his own label, Improv | |
1977 | Closed his record company, Improv | |
1986 | Re-signed with Columbia Records and returned to recording music with the album The Art of Excellence | |
1990 | Released the studio album Astoria: Portrait of the Artist | |
1993 | Played a series of benefit concerts organized by alternative rock radio stations around the country | |
1994 | Made an appearance on "MTV Unplugged" | |
1996 | Starred in the first of A&E Network's popular "Live By Request" series | |
1998 | Published The Good Life: The Autobiography of Tony Bennett | |
1999 | Had cameo appearance as himself in "Analyze This" | |
2002 | Headlined the PBS special concert "Tony Bennett's Wonderful World: Live From San Francisco" | |
2003 | Made a cameo as himself in the comedy feature "Bruce Almighty" | |
2006 | Headlined the Rob Marshall-directed television special "Tony Bennett: An American Classic" on NBC | |
2006 | Released the album Duets: An American Classic, featuring collaborations with Barbra Streisand, Paul McCartney, and Celine Dion | |
2008 | Performed with Billy Joel at the final concerts given at Shea Stadium | |
2008 | Released the album A Swingin' Christmas with The Count Basie Big Band | |
2010 | Joined various artists for "We Are the World: 25 for Haiti," a charity single in aid of the 2010 Haiti earthquake | |
2011 | Released Duets II, a follow-up album to "Duets: An American Classic that featured collaborations with Lady Gaga, Amy Winehouse, and Aretha Franklin | |
Awards
1962 | Grammy Award for Best Solo Vocal Performance, Male |
1962 | Grammy Award for Record Of The Year |
1992 | Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance |
1993 | Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance |
1994 | Grammy Award for Album Of The Year |
1994 | Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance |
1996 | Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance |
1996 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Performance For a Variety or Music Program in Tony Bennett Live By Request: A Valentine's Special |
1997 | Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance |
1999 | Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance |
2002 | Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album |
2003 | Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album |
2005 | Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album |
2006 | Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals |
2006 | Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album |
2007 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual Performance In a Variety or Music Program in Tony Bennett: An American Classic |