Bennett's upcoming album DUETS II features one of the last recordings of Amy Winehouse.
Happy birthday to legendary crooner Tony Bennett, who turns 85 today.
It's been a long time since he left his heart in San Francisco but the man shows no signs of slowing down and has just finished recording sessions with Lady Gaga and Aretha Franklin, completing the lineup on his highly anticipated DUETS II CD.
Bennett laid the tracks down in New York. The final 2 sessions cap off four months of recording with a celebrated list of artists that includes Michael Bublé, k.d. Lang, Sheryl Crow, Mariah Carey, Andrea Bocelli, Queen Latifah and Willie Nelson.
The record also features one of the last studio recordings of Amy Winehouse, who died on July 23, on a duet of Body and Soul.
Lady Gaga joined Tony for a rendition of the Richard Rodgers song, The Lady Is A Tramp, while Bennett and Aretha Franklin collaborated on the Alan and Marilyn Bergman classic, How Do You Keep The Music Playing. Both tracks were recorded live in the studio in New York in the past week.
Bennett travelled around the world to record in person with each artist. His travels took him from Italy, New Orleans and the legendary Abbey Road studios in London to New York and LA.
DUETS II is the follow-up to the multi-platinum CD, DUETS, released to mark Tony’s 80th birthday in 2006, which won him three Grammy Awards and was his best ever selling CD.
DUETS II will be available from Tuesday, August 2nd on iTunes and Amazon and bn.com. iTunes, in an exclusive offering, will allow fans to receive Tony’s duet with Michael Bublé, Don’t Get Around Much Anymore, instantly upon placing a pre-order. The video for the Bennett/Bublé track will also be available free this week on iTunes. Fans who set up pre-orders through www.tonybennett.com will get an exclusive video of Tony and k.d. lang's duet of Blue Velvet, as well as an instant MP3 download of the track.
Stars wish Tony, a Happy Birthday!
The recording sessions for DUETS II were filmed by Oscar-winning cinematographer Dion Beebe (Chicago, Memoirs Of A Geisha, Collateral) and will be released as a documentary in conjunction with the album.
Video of Tony Bennett and Stevie Wonder from Tony Bennett: An American Classic (2006)
DUETS II Tracklist:
ANDREA BOCELLI, STRANGER IN PARADISE MICHAEL BUBLÉ, I WANNA BE AROUND MARIAH CAREY, WHEN DO THE BELLS RING FOR ME? NATALIE COLE , WATCH WHAT HAPPENS SHERYL CROW, THE GIRL I LOVE ARETHA FRANKLIN, HOW DO YOU KEEP THE MUSIC PLAYING? JOSH GROBAN, THIS IS ALL I ASK FAITH HILL, THE WAY YOU LOOK TONIGHT NORAH JONES, SPEAK LOW LADY GAGA, THE LADY IS TRAMP k.d. lang, BLUE VELVET JOHN MAYER, ONE FOR MY BABY (AND ONE MORE FOR THE ROAD) WILLIE NELSON, ON THE SUNNY SIDE OF THE STREET QUEEN LATIFAH, WHO CAN I TURN TO? ALEJANDRO SANZ, YESTERDAY I HEARD THE RAIN CARRIE UNDERWOOD, IT HAD TO BE YOU AMY WINEHOUSE, BODY AND SOUL
Tony Bennet is one of the greatest singers that ever lived. He has a unique voice, just a wonderful voice to listen too. Nobody like Tony Bennet ! Happy Birthday Tony , and many thanks for your contribution to music.
Happy Birthday Tony. I'm coming to see you Oct 15 in Baltimore from New Brunswick Cda. I've wanted to see you in concert since i was 14. I'm now 52. Really looking forward to see you in person. I'll be buying your new cd. God Bless!
We have never crossed paths but your music has endeared our lives. You and I have something in common, we both are celebrating 85 years on the samr day, the same birth year. Happy birthday. Evelyn
Tony Bennet is one of the greatest singers that ever lived. He has a unique voice, just a wonderful voice to listen too. Nobody like Tony Bennet ! Happy Birthday Tony , and many thanks for your contribution to music.
Posted by: John Shmuir | 08/03/2011 at 04:19 PM
Happy Birthday Tony. I'm coming to see you Oct 15 in Baltimore from New Brunswick Cda. I've wanted to see you in concert since i was 14. I'm now 52. Really looking forward to see you in person. I'll be buying your new cd. God Bless!
Posted by: Lorraine | 08/03/2011 at 07:28 PM
We have never crossed paths but your music has endeared our lives. You and I have something in common, we both are celebrating 85 years on the samr day, the same birth year. Happy birthday. Evelyn
Posted by: Evelyn Kennelly | 11/15/2011 at 12:09 PM