A Crooner Columnist Says Goodbye To Tony Bennett, Who Was Cape Cod’s Favorite Singer:
Tony Bennet, I like you. Like a lot of other people on this planet, your voice lit a fire in me. I heard the relaxing sounds of your singing for the first time before I was even born.
While my mom is pregnant with my brother, sister, as well as me, my parents played a CD of Bennett’s best songs. It seems that “Just within Time” was everyone’s choice.
And when they had three children yes, triplets they kept loving crooners. I was named shortly after Frank Sinatra, yet I knew his voice prior to I knew his name or anyone else’s.
We Lose A National Treasure On Friday With The Death Of Tony Bennett’s:
Tony Bennett’s death on Friday took away a national gem. His life and work were truly amazing. Bennett was a talented singer, songwriter, and performer who worked with many other acts, like Lady Gaga.
At the age of 95, he was the oldest person to put out a new record, which is within the Guiness Book of World Records.
Almost everyone knows a minimum of one, and possibly quite a few, of his songs. Since World War II, songs including “Fly Me to the Moon,” “The Lady is a Tramp,” as well as “I’ve Got You Under My Skin” have made us laugh.
Now, I and everyone else are sad about Bennett’s death. Like when other famous people die, Bennett’s death on July 21 was one of those sad days when the world seems to stop because one of the individuals who affects all aspects of our daily lives was gone.
The Stage Name Bennett Was Given By Anthony Dominik Benedetto On August 3, 1926:
Even though we might never know them above the stage name Bennett, which was given to Anthony Dominick Benedetto upon August 3, 1926, or beyond their ability, we feel like we do because they’re a part of the most significant aspects of our lives.
Bennett was a regular at the Melody Tent within Hyannis, which was near the Cape. Here, Bennett kept people entertained for decades and at times made wonders happen, such as for Saralee Perel within 2010. Her wish to meet Bennett came true upon her big night out to see his show after she broke her back.
Bennett Spend His Birthday At Music Circus Within Cohasset:
Richard Evans, a board member for the Melody Tent as well as Music Circus, said in an email that he remembered fondly how he and Bennett spent their birthday at the Music Circus within Cohasset.
“My favorite memory is of a big birthday cake that was given to him at the Music Circus on his 84th birthday,” he wrote. “Thanks, Tony, for giving us so many wonderful musical memories.”
Within 1994 Bennett Joined Army And Became A Infantryman:
When the war began, Bennett was 15 years old. When he turned 18, in 1944, he was told that he had to join the Army and became an infantryman.
After training, he was sent to Le Havre, France, to replace troops who had died fighting the Germans across Europe throughout the Battle of the Bulge. He was in the 7th Army, 63rd Infantry Division, G Company.
In his book, he wrote about how Gen. George S. Patton himself woke up his group at 4 a.m. and yelled, “Now listen up! Don’t think about your mother or anything else you’ve ever known. You’ll get to the line.”
Bennett Learned On Battle Ground That “Once You Have Been In Combat Your Life Will Never Be The Same” And Disliked War:
Bennett additionally stated that the war made him discover he didn’t like war and that, “Even though I know why the conflict was fought, it was a scary, demoralizing experience for me. Once you’ve been in combat, your life will never be the same.”
Bennett was almost killed by German gun fire on his first night upon the front lines. He wrote, “It’s a joke that they make ‘horror’ movies about Dracula and Godzilla and ‘adventure’ movies about war. War is much scarier than anything anyone might come up with.
But for Tony Raine, who was in charge of operations at the Melody Tent, every time he went there was something to see.
Raine Initially Met Tony At Tent Within 1994 While Working There For Vince Longo:
Raine first met Tony at the tent in 1994, when Tony started working there for Vince Longo. Raine said that he as well as Longo were thrilled to work with Bennett because he sold out the performance quickly than any other act in the history of the building.
“Because we both came from rock clubs as well as floating rock concerts, we were both kind of amazed that we were working alongside Tony Bennett,” he said.
“We made him a plaque because I think he sold out the quickest, and we also gave him an award for selling out the quickest within the history of the place.”
Meeting Bennett And Becoming Friend It’s Just Like Dream Come True For Raine:
Bennett, on the other hand, was always talked about in Raine’s English home, where his dad, a drummer with a band, frequently played Bennett as well as Sinatra records. As an adult, meeting Bennett and becoming friends with him was like a dream come true for Raine.
During the time that Bennett was at the tent, he as well as Raine grew close. Often, it was Raine’s job to pick up Bennett from the hotel across the street, which is now the Hyannis Resort as well as Conference Center, and drive him to the venue for sound check.
“His manager was an Englishman named Vance Anderson. One day, he told me, ‘Why don’t you take Tony from the hotel?'” Raine said. “Tony was right across the street.”
“There were no SUVs or cars to pick him up. I’d just go over to grab him, then we’d walk back over once more. Just jump the fence. It was a lot of fun.” In his younger years, Bennett would visit the Cape and hang out at places like the Roadhouse Café or play a game or two of tennis.
Bennett Frequently Go To Roadhouse And Play Jazz Alongside With The Group There:
Always, he would go. He was close with Dave Colombo and Dave’s father, Lou Colombo, at the Roadhouse Cafe. Lou Colombo used to play in his band, so after the shows, Raine said, he’d often go to the Roadhouse and play jazz with the group there.
But the horrors of war were still going on. His regiment’s last official task was to free a concentration camp close to the town of Landsberg, which was thirty kilometers south of the Dachau Concentration Camp. This would be something he would remember for the rest of his life.
Bennett stayed as part of the military force after Germany gave up. He was sent to Special Services to keep the Allied soldiers who had to stay behind entertained.
He got out of the military as a private first class as well as went to school to learn how to sing and act on stage.
During his trips, he was also a guest upon Dick Golden’s radio shows. Raine said, “Dick was a big fan of Tony’s and frequently hung out with him, put him on the radio, as well as played his music.” “There was a good following in the area.”
Bennett’s shows amazed people at the Melody Tent as well as elsewhere. Raine said that they were a reason to dress up, and people did just that.
Bennett Always Turned Off The Music System And Sing His Song “Fly Me to the Moon”:
Raine said, “He was out of this world.” “The best thing I remember about him within the tent was how every year he turned off the sound system in the set.
They would turn off the mic and everything else, and he would sing “Fly Me to the Moon” by himself. Bennett, we want to give a slow salute to a senior entertainer who has been making us laugh for over seventy years.
