Religion & Spirituality Remembering Tony Bennett

By HERB BOYD Special to the AmNews

Tony Bennett, the great singer, best known for his numerous Grammys and being the voice of the American songbook, was also an exceedingly generous man, often taking time to share a few words with a total stranger.

This kind expression occurred in August 2005 in Los Angeles at the Hollywood Bowl after a concert performance. My wife and I were there at the invitation of Bennett’s pianist and musical conductor Lee Musiker. We had arrived in the city to visit relatives when Musiker, out of nowhere at the airport, approached and commented on my colorful shirt. When he discovered I was a music reporter, he in- vited us to the concert.

Memory of this moment hit me on Friday, July 21, 2023, when we learned that Tony, 96, had joined the ancestors. Earlier this year, we heard that he had Alzheimer’s disease.

None of this ailment marred that lovely evening at the Bowl, an event more memorable because Tony’s daughter, Antonia, who opened the show and sang several of her father’s famous songs. Bennett, as expected, flawlessly delivered a repertoire of his favorites—and his fans’ favorites. The only one I really recall was his finale—you know: “I Left My Heart in San Francisco.” When he finished, there was a standing ovation and then he worked his way back to his dressing room. To show our gratitude to Musiker for the invitation, we waited for him. He invited us to speak with Tony and we kept it short, although I found it difficult to stifle my impulse to interview him.

Beyond his musical genius, I was always interested in Bennett’s choice of songs, his longevity (I remember the first time I heard his recording of “Because of You” and “Rags to Riches”), and especially about his political commitments. That conversation would obviously include his presence in Selma, Alabama, where he marched with Dr. King, Harry Belafonte, and other notables. Not a decade went by from the 1950s to the 21st century that didn’t include him among the Grammy winners. I am not sure where Lee Musik- er is now and if, in fact, he’s still performing, but my wife and I will never forget that time we spent with him and Tony at the Hollywood Bowl. I still have that shirt