The world renowned crooner and popular songster, Tony Bennett died today after a long and productive life.

As a tribute, here is an article we published in our website, Golden Agers.

Antonio Benedetto is a true American legend both as a singer and as an example of the American Dream. The son of a grocer and a seamstress who grew up in Astoria, Queens, he first started singing in the Army military band under the name Joe Bari. After his army stint he continued honing his vocal style even while waiting tables. Pearl Bailey spotted him and asked him to open for her. It was at this show that Bob Hope first heard Joe Bari and advised him to use a simplified version of his real name. It was 1949 and Antonio Benedetto became Tony Bennett.

Tony’s style and phrasing resembled musicians more than other vocalists, he sang as if his voice were an insrument he was playing.

Tony had a string of successes in the 50s and even early 60s but when rock arrived with the British Invasion, Tony found young people didn’t want to listen to his kind of music.

In the 80s it was Tony’s son who resurrected his career and Tony reached a new audience and generation. He didn’t compromise on the style or the music, yet his popularity soared amongst young listeners. He’s been going strong ever since.

Although he left art school as a teen to help support his family, Tony never lost his love of art. Today his paintings hang in such prestigious places as the Butler Institute of American Art and The National Arts Club.

Now in his 80th year, Tony Bennett is embarking on a 20 city tour to promote his new album Duets: An American Classic. Tony is teaming up with AARP on this road show and details on cities and dates can be found at their site as well as some interviews with guest stars who appear on the album with Tony.

Also at the AARP site is a gallery of paintings by Tony Bennett, which he signs with his real name “Benedetto”. Included is an amazing and warmly personal portrait of bandleader Duke Ellington.

The first in an occasional series about the famous contralto

I’m writing this from the home of the most beautiful woman in the world, Hilary Scott, who is in another room sorting through letters and papers belonging to her Auntie Kath.

And that’s not just any old Auntie Kath, but probably the finest singer Britain has ever produced, and a bit of a stunner herself.

Hilary told me about her connection with Kathleen Ferrier some time ago, which, as a publisher, whetted my interest, with the result that I asked Hilary to write a book about her illustrious relation, hence the above mentioned sorting through.

The beautiful Kathleen and Hilary’s mother, Florence Wilson, first met at Blackburn High School in the 1920s and became close friends. So much so that Kathleen usually spent more time at the Wilson home than her own, which is where she met Florence’s brother Bert, who, at that time, was a handsome young pupil at Chorley Grammar School. There can be no doubt they were attracted to each other.

A fascinating little snippet that has come to light today is that after leaving Blackburn High Kath and Florence took part in a series of concert parties, which ironically had Florence doing a great deal of the singing, with Kath playing the piano – and of course she was at that time being trained as a classical pianist. As the future was to prove though she was a natural singer with a range and pitch that could, and does break your heart.

Let me quote you from Florence’s book, ‘Memories of Old Withnell Fold’ where she describes that “…other popular concerts held in the Reading Room [ part of Old Withnell Fold’s village hall] were given by Madame Annie Chadwick, a soprano singer of repute from Blackburn – and her pupils of whom I was one. Our solo pianist and accompanist for these concerts was none other Kathleen Ferrier, who at that time was making quite a name for herself as a pianist and broadcast from Manchester on several occasions…”

A few years later Kathleen was to marry Florence’s brother Bert, who by this time was working in a bank in Silloth, Cumberland.

More of this fascinating story to come.

Steve Newman

A British newspaper, The Mail on Sunday, has listed the top ten opera albums “you must own”, as compiled by Eugene Costello.

Apart from #1, there’s no indication of the version or artists involved, so it’s a rather thin exercise. Nevertheless, for what it’s worth here is the list, with my own modifications:

1. The Ring Wagner. Version: Sir Georg Solti [Excellent choice]
2. La Traviata Verdi.
3. La Boheme Puccini.
4. Madame Butterfly Puccini.
5. Carmen Bizet.
6. Don Giovanni Mozart.
7. Peter Grimes Britten.
8. The Barber of Seville Rossini.
9. The Marriage of Figaro Mozart.
10. Rigoletto Verdi.

Well, there you have it, a goodly list. But I would leave out Peter Grimes and The Barber of Seville and promote Tosca by Puccini, and Fidelio by Beethoven.

But, above all, I would include my favourite opera of all: Wagner’s Parsival, which, in my view, tops anything in range, except maybe Puccini at his very best.

And I would also find room for Richard Strauss’s masterpiece, Der Rosenkavalier, which rather makes a mess of Costello’s efforts.

It’s all a matter of taste, of course. What’s your top ten operas?

Yes, another new Placido recording, this time a collection of Neapolitan arias and songs (they mean the same thing, but sound so different).

Italia Ti Amo is on the DG label and, though I haven’t heard it yet, I trust the opinion of David Mellor, who has:

“The warmest of welcomes for Domingo’s other new CD, Italia Ti Amor, which is his first attempt at Neapolitan songs. It’s an unhackneyed collection — no Santa Lucia, for instance, which Domingo thinks should be left to pizzeria waiters — and he sings most beautifully, casting off the yoke of the years in these ardent love songs.”

This is a limited edition, so rush out to get it if it’s your cup of Frascati.

Check out the price. In North America. In the UK.