Tony Bennett -- No one in popular American music has recorded for so long and at such a high level of excellence than Tony Bennett. With millions of records sold world-wide and platinum and gold albums to his credit, Bennett has received seventeen Grammy Awards including the Grammy Lifetime Award. His initial successes came via a string of Columbia singles in the early 1950’s, including such chart-toppers as “Because of You,” “Rags to Riches,” and a remake of Hank Williams “Cold, Cold Heart.” Tony Bennett is one of a handful of artists to have new albums charting in the 50’s, 60’s, 70’s, 80’s, 90’s, and now in the first two decades of the 21st century. He has introduced a multitude of songs into the Great American Songbook that have since become standards for pop music. He has toured the world to sold-out audiences with rave reviews whenever he performs. In the new millennium, Bennett’s artistry and popularity was higher than ever. In 2006, the year of his 80th birthday, his “Duets: An American Classic” was released. The album won three Grammy Awards and went on to be one of the best-selling CDs of the year and Bennett’s career. Bennett’s first “Duets” album also inspired the Rob Marshall-directed television special “Tony Bennett: An American Classic,” which won seven Emmys. In celebration of his 85th birthday in 2011 the release of Bennett’s highly anticipated, “Duets II,” featured Bennett performing with a new roster of celebrated artists and earned him two Grammys. The album debuted at No.1 on the Billboard Album charts, making Bennett the only artist at the age of 85 to achieve this in the history of recorded music. Bennett’s latest endeavor is a collaborative jazz album with Lady Gaga, released this September, titled, “Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga: Cheek To Cheek.” “Cheek To Cheek” debuted at #1 on the Billboard Top 200 album charts making Bennett, at the age of 88, the oldest artists to have a #1 album – a record he originally established when his “Duets II” debuted at #1.
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