Best Of Tony Bennett

During his first year with Columbia Records, Tony Bennett experienced little commercial success. And a parting of the ways looked likely until, at what was scheduled to be his final session for the label in 1951, he recorded Because Of You. This revival of a number from the decade-old film ‘I Was An American Spy’ resided in the charts for over 30 weeks and would reach the Number 1 spot. Later the same year this was then followed by the Hank Williams penned Cold, Cold Heart. Which also topped the charts, and he was suddenly hot property. With Bennett’s feel-good career flourishing until the mid-Sixties, the hits were coming at regular intervals with Rags To Riches and a Stranger In Paradise hitting it big in 1953. By 1957, he replaced his Musical Director Chuck Wayne with Pianist Ralph Sharon, creating a partnership that would last until 1965 (and be rekindled later). He encouraged Bennett to focus on his Jazzier side, and the result was The Beat of My Heart which featured the track Just One Of Those Things. With a stronger emphasis on Percussion from the likes of Art Blakey, Jo Jones, Latin star Candido and Chico Hamilton, plus well-known Jazz musicians such as Herbie Mann and Nat Adderley also lending their talents.