FLY HIM TO THE MOON — REMEMBERING TONY BENNETT
Tony Bennett (ne Anthony Benedetto) wasn’t just an American cultural icon and a giant in music. It’s also important for us to remember him for consistently being on the right side of history.
At 18, Bennett enlisted in the U.S. Army and served as an infantryman during WWII. He was sent to the front lines in Europe as a replacement soldier for severe losses incurred in the Battle of the Bulge. Bennett’s unit liberated three concentration camps, including Dachau.
As a second-generation Italian-American, he faced ceaseless discrimination during his time in the Army. He was given the worst jobs by his superiors but never complained. Bennett was punished for dining with a Black soldier (the military was racially segregated at the time), and was even demoted. Bennett never forgot those insults and indignities.
READ MORE: Tony Bennett saw racism and horror in World War II. It changed him.
After he became a singing star, it wasn’t fashionable to associate with Martin Luther King at the time, especially given his older, White, more traditional fan base. But Bennett marched with MLK anyway, including participating in the famous Selma civil rights march in 1965.
Everyone who knew Bennett and worked with him spoke of a kind and often quiet man, who let his voice and unique interpretation of lyrics melt the hearts of all generations. Even when he was older, he was never ancient, nor out of touch. He never changed his tune, but he did manage to update his repertoire and fan base, which will remain the soundtrack of many lives that continue on long after him.
I saw Tony Bennett perform one time at Resorts International in Atlantic City, in 1999. I’ll try and recall some memories of that concert and write up the experience later.
Tony Bennett went from rags to riches, leaving we, his audience, the richest of all for having enjoyed the man and his music. Moreover, with his actions offstage, he left us with something even greater — serving as an example of doing the right thing, when it counted most.
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