SIMON: These are songs that we grew up with, that we hear, that are familiar points of references in our life. And as he used to say to me all the time, talking about the kind of songs that - he said, it's all classical music. And that's what so many people treasured about him. He had a quality of excellence and taste and craftsmanship and professionalism that, I think, communicated across generational lines. SIMON: And Amy Winehouse, whom he worshipped and felt so bad when she left us, particularly under such tragic circumstances. Of course, Lady Gaga is one that immediately comes to mind. MARTIN: One of the things that I think people who are, let me just put it this way, of a different generation understand about him or know about him is that he collaborated with artists from very different eras and. And I remember leaving his studio every day after we'd worked together and think, boy, that's a lesson in life in and of itself, isn't it? He only told me the stories about people he liked and experiences he treasured and savored. And his stories never really had a villain. You know, he was - what - I will just never forget the blessing I had in my life to sit with him in his artist studio, as a matter of fact, because he became a very serious painter, and just listening to him tell story after story. MARTIN: Do you feel up to talking more about him? I know it's a tough day for you. It was on the flip side of "Once Upon A Time," which was a song from the musical the "All American." And, of course, it became one of the all-time hits of American popular music. They reached San Francisco on their nightclub tour. ![]() If you record that, I'll buy the first copy. They took it out one night after their show in Hot Springs. It had been written in the early '50s by George Cory and Douglass Cross for Claramae Turner, who'd been a soprano at the San Francisco Opera. His longtime pianist, Ralph Sharon, had the sheet music in a shirt drawer. He was playing in Hot Springs, Ark., a nightclub. SIMON: He had never so much seen a cable car when he saw the song. So what did he tell you about his signature piece, "I Left My Heart In San Francisco"? ![]() The only time I ever took second billing in my life was with Frank Sinatra and Duke Ellington. And Tony said to me - forgive my bad imitation - (impersonating Tony Bennett) Yeah, you know, kid, I had the same reaction. ![]() I love you, but I don't know about being a co-writer on anything. He asked me to do this book with him of some of his memories of people in show business.Īnd I remember having lunch in New York. ![]() He'd played a couple of the same places my parents did. He liked the way I'd written in previous books about show business. SIMON: You know, he liked what I'd written - my parents, as you know, from a show business background of not a lot of distinction. MARTIN: So first of all, how did it come about that you wrote a book together? And I'm so sorry for the loss of your friend. It's called "Just Getting Started." And Scott is with us to tell us more about it. Our colleague Scott Simon, the host of Weekend Edition here at NPR, actually wrote a book with Tony Bennett, which came out in 2016, when Bennett was just turning 90.
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