Anthony Dominick Benedetto, better known as Tony Bennett, is an American singer of pop music and jazz. Bennett is also a serious and accomplished painter with works of art on display at the Frank Sinatra School of Art in New York City.
Raised in New York City, Bennett began singing at an early age, and later in life signed with Columbia Records to create his first album. After facing a stagnant period during the rock era, Bennett staged a remarkable comeback in the late 1980s and 1990s, putting out gold record albums again and broadening his audience to the MTV generation, while still maintaining his classic style.
Duets II is Bennett’s most recent album, released in conjunction with Bennett’s 85th birthday, and is a sequel to his previous duet album, Duets: An American Classic.
The album debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 chart, marking his first #1 album to date, selling 179,000 copies. He also became the oldest living artist to debut at #1 on Billboard 200.
This album is my personal pick of the year. I have written an article weekly on different music topics for the Charger Bulletin, and in celebration of classes ending and summer approaching, I wanted to give you all my personal pick for “studying music.
Duets II features artists such as Lady Gaga, John Mayer, John Legend, and Michael Buble. Bennett definitely used this album as a way to come back into the music scene at age 85; he is a strategic planner for what works in the industry. His experience in the entertainment industry has clearly led him to recognize what sells in terms of records, and just what the current audience wants to hear.
This is the perfect album to create your studying atmosphere. I know most people cannot listen to music while cramming for finals because it will distract them. However, this album has such a complex and mellow sound, that it should ease you right into being able to concentrate for that big exam.
My all time favorite track has to be number six, “How Do You Keep the Music Playing,” a duet between Bennett and the great Aretha Franklin. If you have a chance to watch the music video on YouTube, I definitely advise you to do so. It is amazing to see two timeless musicians creating one outstanding track.
“We recorded the album version in one take,” says Bennett in a Billboard 200 interview. “It was almost like our souls had been wanting to sing it for a while, and when we finally came together…magic.”
That is exactly what this album is: magic. Bennett created yet another timeless classic that I’m sure will be played for generations to come. I strongly encourage you all to go buy at least one song, if not the entire album on iTunes. There is a track for every person, every genre, and every music lover out there.