The music legend Tony Bennett turned 90 four months ago but he will be celebrating tonight with a special show on TV. The singer says he feels half his age.
If you are looking for some entertainment tonight, watch “‘Tony Bennett Celebrates 90: The Best Is Yet to Come,’’ a post-birthday celebration held at Radio City Music Hall. He will be performing alongside Lady Gaga, Stevie Wonder, Billy Joel and Elton John. Anthony Dominick Benedetto, best known as Tony Bennett was born on august 3, 1926 in Astoria (Queens), to an Italian Family. He has had several hits such as “because of you”, “Rags to Riches”, “I left my heart in San Francisco” and others.
‘‘It feels like I’m 45,’’ Bennett said, laughing. ‘‘And I remember 45 very well. I feel completely healthy. My doctor kicks me out of his office.” He added, ‘there’s nothing wrong with you. Go home. You don’t have to come and visit me’
Bennett is just getting started
Bennett is known as a jazz singer; however, he has developed other artistic abilities such as painting. He has around 65 years of career and has managed to sell more than 50 million records worldwide.
Now, he has turned 90, but he assures he feels so much younger. He still enjoys performing and he is planning to continue to do so.
‘‘I’m very fortunate,’’ he said, ‘‘and I love performing so much because I love to make people feel good. It’s just so wonderful that I’m not going to retire at all. I’m going to keep going until I cut out.
Bennett has recently published a book entitled ‘‘Just Getting Started,’’. It was published in November by Harper Collings. In October, there was a celebration for him who counted with the presence of Alec Baldwin, Andrea Bocelli, Michael Buble, Lady Gaga, Diana Krall, K.D. Lang, Leslie Odom Jr., Kevin Spacey, among other celebrities.
Alec Baldwin hosted the event and imitated Bennett throughout the evening. Then Bennett took the stage and sang five of his more celebrated hits including ‘‘How Do You Keep the Music Playing?’’
‘‘Tony Bennett Celebrates 90’’: a two hours special event
Today, ‘‘Tony Bennett Celebrates 90’’ will air on NBC. It is a two hours special show. Columbia records recorded it and released the standard and deluxe CD versions of the show on Friday.
After more than a month since the event took place, Bennett is still very enthusiastic about it. He said everyone did a great job that night, praising Lady Gaga in particular. He said he felt so honored, and that it was something he would never forget.
Bennett has had such an important musical career since 1949 that even Sinatra once referred to him as the best in the business. He has won 19 Grammy awards and two Emmy Awards. He has had ups and downs along the way, especially during the 60’s and 70’s but he managed to come back to the business in the 80’s. On that, he said that it is part of life but he is thankful to be healthy enough to perform. Moreover, he said that people in the U.S have always been really beautiful to him.
Source: The Columbus dispatch