More than anybody else I’d like to thank Count Basie for teaching me how to perform. Tony Bennett More Quotes by Tony Bennett More Quotes From Tony Bennett I don't look down to an audience. I look up to them. They respond to quality. Tony Bennett look-upqualitylooks I am very much inspired by the great masters of entertainment: Bob Hope, George Burns, Jimmy Durante - who never thought about retiring. When people ask me if I plan to retire, I say, "Retire to what? I am doing what I love best right now!" Tony Bennett boblove-ispeople I think in all of the arts there are just certain people that have a gift. I think it's a certain spirituality, it's a God-given gift that just certain individuals have. Tony Bennett peopleartthinking Just give a drum roll, announce my name & I come out & sing. I have a contract that says I'm a singer. So I sing. Tony Bennett musicnamesgiving We're in an era where the demand is for immediate hits that are destined to become obsolescent. Six months later, everyone forgets the artist and the tune. It's become like a con job. Producers, engineers, lawyers and accountants all make money, but the artists don't. Tony Bennett moneyartistjobs It helps to know there is going to be continuity. Tony Bennett continuityknowshelping I always feel the audience is my best teacher. Tony Bennett best-teacherfeelsteacher I attended the High School of Industrial Arts and studied with many great artists as painting is something that you never stop learning about. Actually, in high school there was a time that I was thinking about just concentrating on painting and I asked my music teacher, Mr. Sondberg, for advice and he encouraged me to stick with the music as well. So all my life I have been singing and painting. Tony Bennett teacherartschool I plan to do my next two albums with Lady Gaga . She is quite a talent. Tony Bennett nextalbumstwo I think one of the reasons I'm popular again is because I'm wearing a tie. You have to be different. Tony Bennett musictiesthinking Don't try to be just like some other singer hitting it big - find your own style and be honest in your performances. And never underestimate your audience. Tony Bennett hittingstyletrying I have to say I owe my career to the master composers of the Great American Songbook who have written such high-quality songs - the best popular music ever composed. Tony Bennett qualitycareerssong I try to tell the story about the song with the believability that I've lived it myself and I understand what it's all about. Tony Bennett storiessongtrying There's always something every night that I learn from reacting to what the audience is reacting to. You learn what to leave out, what to put in, if you need a little more comedy or more drama. Tony Bennett dramanightneeds It's really quite a situation. It's ridiculous. I make $200,000, $300,000 a night. For years I was working little dives, and if I got $700 a week, I'd say, "Wow, I'm really cooking. Tony Bennett cookingnightyears I have a very strong passion to sing and paint. I'm really a student. Tony Bennett passionstrongstudents If you are creative, you get busier as you get older. Tony Bennett busiercreativeifs I still insist that American performers are the best performers in the world. Tony Bennett jazzmusicworld No-one will ever sound as good as Judy Garland as far as I am concerned. Tony Bennett garlandsconcernedsound The biggest message I've given our team, and I think it's really important, is first of all, no one can take away what happened last year. It's obviously a fun year, a terrific year. But I think a big mistake would be to try to compare themselves or ourselves to last year's team. I think the key really is, and I told them this: for you as a group, you're a different team. Tony Bennett teammistakefun
