The Wisdom of Tony Bennett (August 3, 1926 – July 21, 2023)

Our Playlist & Favorite Quotes from The Zen of Bennett

Jul 24, 2023

On Friday, just after we finished uploading our Aesthetic Arrest podcast, we saw the sad news about the passing of the great Tony Bennett, arguably the last Titan of the Golden Age of the Great American Songbook and one of our favorite singers of all time. It truly feels like the end of an era.

But what a life! Ted Gioia over at The Honest Broker (one of our favorite Substacks by the way) wrote two insightful must-reads — A Tribute to Tony Bennett (1926-2023) and Tony Bennett’s Greatest Jazz Collaborations. Check those out for a perfect introduction to the life of this kind and beautiful man.

R&R’s Playlist — Tribute to Tony Bennett

While Tony Bennett’s remarkable duets are justly acclaimed, this weekend we decided to cobble together a playlist highlighting some of our favorite Tony Bennett tracks as a solo vocalist, featuring an abundance of treasures by one of the Songbook’s supreme interpreters:

We also wanted to recommend Tony Bennett’s delightful memoir, Life is a Gift: The Zen of Bennett, a must-read for any Tony Bennett fan as well as any creative artist looking for wisdom and inspiration from one of the masters:

Life is a Gift: The Zen of Bennett

Pearls of Wisdom from Tony Bennett:

“There should be no planned obsolescence; don’t just pick up the money and run. Instead, create something of lasting quality and you will reap the rewards.” — Tony Bennett
“Instead of focusing on being number one, attempt to be one of the best.” — Tony Bennett
“When you choose your friends, realize that you are also choosing your teachers.” — Tony Bennett
“The definition of a true friend is someone who is happy for your success.” — Tony Bennett
“We can always seek beauty and inspiration in the world around us.” — Tony Bennett
“When the uncreative tell the creative what to do, it stops becoming art.” — Tony Bennett
“You can’t successfully break the rules until you learn the rules you’re breaking.” — Tony Bennett
“The more you go back, the more you move ahead.” — Tony Bennett
“Everything you do should be done with love.” — Tony Bennett
“Being angry is a waste of time. Instead, count your blessings every day.” — Tony Bennett
“Make a real effort to appreciate the gifts that life has given you.” — Tony Bennett
“In reality, we are not Italian, Jewish, Christian, or Catholic; instead, we are all citizens of the world.” — Tony Bennett
“In order to appreciate the gifts we’ve been given, we need to learn the beauty of being alive, and of being good to one another.” — Tony Bennett
“Before we do something, we need to ask ourselves, Is this good for all of us on the planet?” — Tony Bennett
“If we can learn to embrace some of our differences and coexist, everyone on the planet will benefit.” — Tony Bennett
“Go with truth and beauty, and forget everything else.” — Tony Bennett
“The more you study, the more you learn what to leave out and what to keep in.” — Tony Bennett
“A lifelong habit of reading allows you to learn from the masters.” — Tony Bennett
“Shed the idea of competition, and of being the best. Instead, desire to improve only by being yourself.” — Tony Bennett
“If you follow your passion, you’ll never work a day in your life.” — Tony Bennett

The Zen of Bennett (2012)

Another way to celebrate the life of Tony Bennett is to watch the fantastic documentary, The Zen of Bennett, directed by Unjoo Moon:

[Click here for viewing options!]

Exploring the Arts: Tony Bennett Legacy Fund

Lastly, in addition to his music and painting, Tony Bennett was also a dedicated philanthropist, humanitarian and champion of civil rights, even earning the nickname “Tony Benefit” for his lifelong support of charitable causes. He was also a passionate advocate of arts education. In 1999, he and his wife, Susan Benedetto (a former public school teacher), co-founded Exploring the Arts, a non-profit organization serving public schools with their mission “to provide greater equality of resources and opportunity in the arts to traditionally under-served teens.”