Tony Bennett died yesterday at age 96 years. What a wonderful, long and productive life he lead.
"Fly Me To The Moon" is my favorite Tony Bennett song. It is perfection. Every time I hear him sing this song, I choke up and tears come to my eyes.
I first remember hearing Tony Bennett in 1957. This was during the height of the rock 'n roll era. I was waiting for the next Elvis Presley song and here comes Tony with "Just In Time." What? This was a classic crooner song intruding on my rock 'n roll immersion. But I liked it! I never was a fan of the Bing Crosby type of crooning but Tony Bennett? Perfection! Such diction, clarity and sincerity!
Some singers just sing songs. Robert Goulet and John Davidson come immediately to my mind. I always thought Bing Crosby was vastly overrated. What an awful man in his private life! I never got that feeling with Tony Bennett. Every time I saw him he had this big sincere smile on his face. Not a plastered fake smile or ever a scowl many of our so called heart throbs like Brad Pitt and others of his ilk. Those actors and singers who act like they're doing you a favor by performing for us. Not Tony Bennett, you could tell he thoroughly enjoyed through his performances giving pleasure to his audiences.
I sort of "met" Tony once. It was during the Sixties when I work at Girard Bank in center city Philadelphia. Girard Bank was located at Broad and Chestnut Streets, next to Philadelphia City Hall. A block up Broad Street was the Bellevue Strafford Hotel. Apparently Tony was staying at the Bellevue. I was out on the street going to lunch. I passed Tony as he was rounding the corner from Broad Street to Chestnut Street. I recognized him immediately with his thousand watt smile and (obvious) hairpiece. We made eye contact and he nodded to me. I wanted to stop him and tell him how much I admired him and his songs but I didn't want to bother him. He was by himself and obviously enjoying his walk that sunny summer afternoon. Interesting, during that same week I also passed the actor Tony Perkins. That encounter was much different. Tony too was by himself but scowling and not enjoying his walk. Her persona in real life was much like his persona in his films, or at least that was my impression at that time. Of course I didn't dare stop him and tell him how much he scared the bejesus out of me in his film "Psycho". Not for me that scowl, I much preferred the sunny disposition of Tony Bennett.
Rest in peace Tony and God bless you for sharing your gift with us for all these years.
