Description:
One of the most well-known and beloved vocalists of our time, Tony Bennett is an American icon. Now, in this rich and beautiful memoir, the legendary Grammy and Emmy Award-winning singer takes us behind the scenes of his multi-platinum career. Revealing, insightful, and always moving, Life Is a Gift tells the stories of Bennett's experiences in the music industry, what he learned, and who he met along the way, including Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Ella Fitzgerald, Aretha Franklin, and Duke Ellington, as well as Amy Winehouse, John Mayer, and Lady Gaga. A "master class in life," this revealing retrospective offers an intimate look at Tony Bennett's journey, from growing up during the Great Depression to carving a career in popular music that has spanned more than six decades as his popularity among all generations continues to grow.
Brief description:
Tony Bennett (1926 - 2023) grew up in Astoria, Queens, during the Great Depression. After serving as an infantryman in World War II, he studied singing and signed with Columbia Records in 1950, releasing his first hit with the label in 1951. Over the course of his career, which spanned more than sixty years, he sold millions of albums that achieved gold and platinum status both in the United States and worldwide, and won twenty Grammy Awards.
Review Quotes:
"Writing in the same style as he sings... Bennett shares countless tales about showbiz, his famous friends, his family, and his artistic career... he remains Zen-like in his delivery... Bennett's tips for happiness, success, and longevity are like music to the ears." - Publishers Weekly
"Bennett offers inspiring observations from a joyful life fully lived ... [in] this generous, upbeat memoir." - Booklist (starred review)
"Bennett's career has had a peerless longevity and has likely provided him with wisdom and anecdotes for two or three books of this nature...there is...a great deal of wisdom in the [Zen] suggestions at the close of each chapter when they stem directly from Bennett's own richly lived life." - Kirkus Reviews
"A gentle read--maybe the equivalent of easy listening--filled with vignettes from the great crooner's life and lots of stories on his showbiz pals--Sinatra, Judy Garland, Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, and, more recently, Amy Winehouse and Lady Gaga." - New York Post