Tony Bennett was born a century ago, on Aug. 3, 1926. His singular career, spanning more than 70 years, set the gold standard for vocalists engaging with the Great American Songbook, and it revealed more than a casual foothold in jazz.
WRTI will celebrate this incomparable singer in our jazz broadcast leading up to his centennial — beginning with Bob Craig on the Sunday Jazz Brunch and Big Band Jazz, and continuing with Nicole Sweeney on Monday’s edition of Evening Jazz. (Press the "play" button above to hear a conversation between Bob, Nicole, and Nate Chinen.)
Bob Craig has been listening to Tony Bennett almost since the very beginning, in the early 1950s. Years later, when he was on the air in the Philadelphia market, Bob had a handful of encounters with the great singer.
He was working at WPEN (950 AM), home to a legendary duo of Philly broadcasters named Joe Grady and Ed Hurst. “Grady and Hurst were the first to play Tony Bennett’s records, things like ‘Boulevard of Broken Dreams’ and ‘Because of You,’” Bob explains. “So whenever Tony came to Philadelphia, he would stop by the station. I was at that time programming WMGK, but I would get to meet Tony, and he was so low-key. He would walk in unannounced, by himself, no entourage, no crew. He would come in, sit down, and they would interview him.”
Nicole, who first gravitated to Bennett during his ‘90s comeback era, there’s a special place for The Tony Bennett-Bill Evans Album, which she’s sure to play during Monday’s broadcast. “ I always liken it to eavesdropping on a conversation that you’re not supposed to be listening to, but supposed to listen to,” she says. “Annie Ross actually brought that idea together. And because Tony and Bill’s managers were close friends, it just made it that much easier — which to me, I don’t believe in coincidence, soI feel like it’s a sign that that album was supposed to happen when it did.”
In addition to our broadcast on 90.1 FM, Bob will throw a spotlight on Tony during Voices in Jazz, his Sunday afternoon show on HD-2. In the 3 p.m. hour, he’ll feature “Tony Bennett’s New York” — songs about his hometown, including a few selections from a 1962 concert at Carnegie Hall.
Starting at 4 p.m., Bob’s special guest will be Dick Golden, a veteran radio host who was Bennett’s friend and confidant for some 40 years. “We’ll play recordings and take a deep dive into Tony’s fabulous career with personal insight from Mr. Golden,” Bob says. “Our interview and recordings offer insight into Tony’s long career.”
Our entire celebration is designed to put a focus on Tony Bennett’s artistry — and on the songs themselves, whose craft was a point of continual emphasis for the singer. Bennett was in many ways, a storyteller, and he always found the feeling at the core of every song.
“ Tony really gets emotionally involved, with his ballads especially,” attests Bob. “In the later years, if you listen to his recording of ‘How Do You Keep the Music Playing,’ it’s very, very deep. I mean, he just feels the words that he’s singing.” Tune in to our Tony Bennett broadcasts, and chances are, you’ll feel it too.