Just Getting Started

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HarperCollins, Nov 15, 2016 - Biography & Autobiography - 289 pages
“As breezy and meaningful as one of his trademark songs as readers learn about the man by the company he kept and the heroes he worships.” —Booklist

“For my money, Tony Bennett is the best singer in the business, the best exponent of a song. He excites me when I watch him. . . . He moves me. He’s the singer who gets across what the composer has in mind, and probably a little more.” —Frank Sinatra

Tony Bennett was one of our most vibrant musicians ever to grace the stage. In his previous book, Life Is a Gift, Tony reflected on the lessons he learned over the years. In Just Getting Started, he pays homage to the remarkable people who inspired those lessons.

In his warm and inviting voice, Tony talks about who and what have enriched his own life, including Charlie Chaplin, Judy Garland, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Cole Porter, Amy Winehouse, Fred Astaire, Lady Gaga, members of his family, and more. Just Getting Started chronicles the relationship Tony enjoyed with each one of these legends, entertainers, humanitarians, and loved ones, and reveals how the lessons and values they imparted have invaluably shaped his life.

As unforgettable as his music, Just Getting Started is a beautiful compilation of reflections every Bennett fan will treasure, and a perfect introduction for those just getting to know this remarkable star and humanitarian.

“Fans of heralded crooner Bennett will revel in this inviting charming book.” —Publishers Weekly

“What comes through in all forty-two chapters is the singer’s gratitude . . . Let’s hope this new generation can learn a lesson from Mr. Bennett’s unflagging class and graciousness. —Wall Street Journal
 

Contents

DEDICATION FOREWORD
INTRODUCTION
Anna Suraci Benedetto
Bob Hope
Bing Crosby
Louis Armstrong
Fiorello La Guardia
Pyrites
Harold Arlen
Harry Belafonte
Martin Luther King
Fred Astaire
Cary Grant
Cole Porter 16 Nat King Cole 17 Rosemary Clooney
Bill Evans
Jackie Kennedy

Count Basie
Judy Garland
San Francisco
Pablo Picasso
Copyright

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About the author (2016)

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. Scott Simon is the New York Times bestselling author of Unforgettable: A Son, a Mother, and the Lessons of a Lifetime. He is one of America’s most admired writers and broadcasters, having reported from all over the world and from many wars. He is now the award-winning host of Weekend Edition Saturday. With more than four million listeners, it is the most-listened-to news program on National Public Radio. Simon has won Peabody and Emmy Awards for his reporting.

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