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| Tony Bennett at the Grand 1894 Opera House Saturday, October 7, 2006 the Grand 1894 Opera House's spectacular 2006-2007 Performing Arts Season "At the Heart of it All…The Grand" opens with the legendary Tony Bennett. The thirteen-time Grammy winner, will have a new CD out this fall, featuring duet performances with Bono, The Dixie Chicks, Billy Joel, Elton John, Barbra Streisand, and many others. Tony Bennett is the kind of artist that moves the hearts and souls of audiences. He is the singer's singer and has received high praise from his colleagues through the years, including Frank Sinatra who stated unequivocally, "Tony Bennett is the best singer in the business." As well, he is an international treasure who was honored by the United Nations with their "Citizen of the World" award, which aptly describes the scope of his accomplishments. The son of a grocer and Italian-born immigrant, Bennett's big break came in 1949 when comedian Bob Hope noticed him working with Pearl Bailey in New York's Greenwich Village. And the rest – as they say – is history. His success began with a string of Columbia singles in the early 1950's, including such chart-toppers as "Because of You, " "Rags to Riches" and a remake of Hank Williams' "Cold, Cold Heart." He had 24 songs in the Top 40, including "I Wanna Be Around, " "The Good Life, " "Who Can I Turn To (When Nobody Needs Me)" and his signature song, "I Left My Heart In San Francisco, " (which garnered him two Grammy Awards.) Bennett is one of a handful of artists to have new albums charting in the 50's, 60's, 70's, 80's, 90's and beyond. He introduced a multitude of songs into the Great American Songbook that have since become standards for pop music. This world-class entertainer has toured the globe to sold out audiences and received rave reviews whenever he performs. Other recent accolades include being named a Kennedy Center Honoree in December of 2005, and NEA Jazz Master this past January. write your comments about the article :: © 2006 Jazz News :: home page |