Antonia is the daughter of the late, great Tony Bennett and she discusses her new work and the impact her dad made on her career.
Taking a Walk.
I think it was probably before I was conscious of it, because there was always music around. There was always music in the house and musicians. And I think for most of us that our parents sing to us when we're children, and people don't really know what comes first music or language. You know, are babies singing or are they trying to speak? We don't know.
Thanks for checking out the Taking a Walk podcast Music history on foot. Today, your host Buzz Night is joined by Antonia Bennett, daughter of the legendary Tony Bennett. She's launching her solo music career with new music and concert appearances across the country. Joined Buzz Night with Antonia Bennett on Taking a Walk.
Hi, Buzz Hi, Antonia, Welcome to a virtual Taking a Walk.
Thank you. I'm glad to be here.
So we've created new music right on time. You've put yourself out to perform live. Tell me how this all feels right now?
I mean it feels good. I took a long hiatus during COVID, so it's nice to be back out there and doing my thing.
So tell me about your creative process when you are creating your own music. How does it work for you?
Well, I like collaboration. I wrote this song with Cliff Coldmacher, and he's a longtime collaborator friend of mine, and we got together. We always kind of start with a conversation and throw a few little ideas out there, and then this one kind of stuck. And usually melody comes for me first with maybe a couple lyric lines, and then we create the form of the song and then finish the lyrics after. That's usually what happens for me.
And had you collaborated with him previously.
I have. Yeah, we've been working together for years writing songs and so, but this is the first time that I'm releasing any of the songs that we've recorded, so it's really nice.
So tell me about the moment you first discovered the joy of music.
I mean, I don't think I can. I think it was probably before I was conscious of it, because there was always music around, and there was always music in the house and musicians and artists, and you know, I think for most of us that our parents sing to us when we're children, and you know, people don't really know what comes first music or language. You know, are babies singing or are they trying to speak? We don't know. You know, it's a very similar part of the brain that works. And even when you listen to infants, you know, the inflections and their voice are quite musical. So I think it really started from the beginning.
I love it. So you really think about the science and emotion of music as.
Well, I mean I do. I think that, you know, it's the most natural thing. I think that most children are musical, and that it's only when they start comparing themselves to others that things kind of change, you know. But for the most part, in the beginning, I think, you know, we're all very natural at being creative.
So there were so many encounters you referenced that that came together as a result of your dad's friends. Let's talk about some of those experiences there. I'll mention some of these folks and just get your reaction. I'm going to start with this guy named Frank Sinatra.
Yes, they were very good friends, and you know, and they both respected each other immensely and worked together, and you know you couldn't have I mean, what an incredible singer and performer.
Another person I'm going to mention is Lewis Armstrong. I happened to be out at his house and museum. A few weeks back, I saw this amazing photo or drawing artwork on the wall there with the inscription of Benedetto. But what about Louis Armstrong.
Well, I don't ever remember meeting him, but I've been to that house too, and I certainly listened to a lot of his records, and you know, he was incredible. I mean and still today. I listened to those records and my one of my favorite records is a record that he did with Ellis Fitzgerald. It's all duets, and I just love it. And no matter how terrible of a mood I'm in, if I listen to that record, it always makes me feel better. I love that to this day.
I love it.
Ella Fitzgerald, Yeah, she was a tremendous person, friends, musician to my father, and we spent most of our Christmas days. We would go over to her house for a little bit and you know, always she would always hold court for us. So she was always so warm and loving. Her family was always so nice.
And then how about mel Tourmee.
Mel Tourmee, I met on many occasions, wonderful singer. He was off and around, you know, at Christmas parties or whatnot, and he would come and sing by the piano and he he Sinatra Sammy Kahn, a wonderful songwriter. You know. What they would do is every year there would be Christmas carollers and they would come from to one house and they would send the carrollers from one house to the other. And each each time they would go to Sinatra Soud. They send them to Ella's houses, send them to Ella's house, and Ella would send them to our house or vice versa. And uh, you know, it was always such a sweet experience.
And then what type of experience for you was it? Playing with the great Les Paul.
I mean, Les was a good friend and a mentor, and he was amazing. You know, he had so many great ideas and so much to give, and sitting in with him was like you know, show business one oh one, Like you know, you learn everything from him. He's just such a pro and he had so much personality and he really could help you to just kind of relax and be yourself. And I miss him every day.
So who are some of your musical mentors besides some of the folks we just talked about.
I mean, I think that you know, if I didn't say Ralph Sharon, who was my dad's a companist for so many years, that that would be a huge misgiving because he was really the one that was around when I was very very young, and he, you know, I would get up and sing on stage with my dad and we would sit down and work out a song, and he he really, he was such a tremendous musician and support to me. And that whole band, you know, Paul lang Goosh was on bass, and Soila Barbara on drums, and those guys really, you know, they were there for me. They supported me and and they made it fun. And count Basie he was also somebody that used to tour with my dad a lot, and I would come out on the road in the summers in the winter, and it was always fun to be around all those musicians in one place and just kind of run in and out of the dressing rooms and hear those guys playing warming up. And another one was Rosie Clooney. She was really a big influence on me, and I really loved her personally, and she sang as clear as a bell, and she had incredible stage presence and she was an amazing storyteller.
So You've played at some pretty cool venues in your career, you know, recently just at Dizzy's Club at Lincoln Center there. But what are some of your other favorite venues that you've performed.
Well, I love one of the places that I've performed was at the Umbria Jazz Festival and I loved playing that festival. It's always so fun. There's always so many incredible musicians around, and you're in Italy where the food is great and you know, the people are beautiful, so that's always a lovely experience. Royal Albert Hall beautiful, beautiful room. Obviously, Radio City is just so special to perform at a place like that. There's just so many incredible places. Back in the day, I sat in with my dad at Harbor Lights, which is now I think the Fleets. I don't know. They keep changing the name in Boston of that outdoor venue, but so I don't know what the current name of it is. But you know, places like that, tangle Wood, those are all beautiful, beautiful places.
You know you mentioned earlier about you know how music can just sort of change the mood and if you're in a bad mood, then be in a great mood. There's a venue that want to ask you about whether you've played there that whenever I either go there to listen to music, I feel the same way the Cafe Carlisle or Bemmoman's those places you must have played there.
I did play Cafe Carlisle. It was such a beautiful experience when you think about how many wonderful people have come through that room. And also as a kid, I would go see Bobby Short there or earth a kit you know, or so many great musicians. And then as an adult to be able to go there and perform there was so special because the room is so magical and there's so much history in that hotel as well.
I love it and it does it is a mood and answer. There's no doubt right absolutely so when you when you look out over the musical landscape, who are the people creating today that are this next generation of these great storytellers and songwriters.
I mean, I think Sarah Burrellis is pretty substantial as far as storytelling. She's quite amazing. There's also a lot of great country acts that that are really fantastic, like a big little town and there's just so many I like Billie Eilish. I think she's a really great singer. I mean I wouldn't call her an American songbook singer per se, but she has a beautiful voice. She likes to uh a lot of great people. Her brother Phineas is also a little great. You know, there's no shortage of talent, that's for sure.
And how do you discover, you know, new talent. Is it just word of mouth from friends or how do you find you know some of this music?
Well? I mean I listened to a lot of different music and across a lot of different genres, and I try to keep an open mind and search for things and stretch myself a little bit so that I can, you know, kind of sometimes you're surprised in some things out of a genre that isn't maybe the genre that you would listen to, but there's still something so special to listen to there. So I think it's important to kind of a lot of it's word of mouth and what your friends are listening to, but a lot of it is just kind of searching and looking around.
And your dad was always very curious and exploring new things, right, Yes.
He always did. He always kept an open mind and he was very supportive to other artists and especially young artists, like he really wanted them to feel comfortable. I think that he felt that if somebody was comfortable, that they could do a lot more. So he always gave room for that whenever he would collaborate with young artists.
So for you, what is the next the next year going to look like creatively performance wise? What sort of things are you setting your sights on?
Well? Touring? You know, I've got these shows coming up in Chicago and Indiana, and I just finished obviously New York and LA and I'm going to keep you know, booking more shows and and and touring and and also collaboration. I'm I'm planning to go to Nashville soon and do a couple of weeks of writing, and you know, doing those trips fairly, uh frequently, so that I can kind of get ready for my next record after this one, and and uh and that really it like just you know, continuing to get together with musicians and write songs and get back into the studio and record. I mean, it's just endless. There's always something to do.
Do you like the studio.
I do, It's a completely different animal. I mean, I really love performing live. I've been doing that for so many years. But it's a you know, it's it's also cool to really be able to cultivate something and to hear yourself back. And you know, and especially if you surround yourself with people who are really good at that, you know, you know, because it's a whole other kind of ear to listen, to listen with when you're when you're mixing or mastering a record, that's a whole other thing. So if you surround yourself with great people, you know, it's also a much more pleasurable experience.
So in closing, I know, continuous learning is something that's important. What are you still learning and what do you want to learn as you continue to grow as an artist?
Well, you know, believe it or not, when COVID happened, I went back to school. I took some online classes at Berkeley Online, and I took a music publishing class and a couple of music business classes, just because things are so different now, and you know, I think it's important to just always keep expanding. Plus, I have a seven year old at home, so I'm always learning from her. From her, you know, I'm teaching her things and I'm learning it better myself, so that's kind of a plus. I think what I really would like to just focus on is becoming maybe a better piano player. I mean, it's not something that I want to do publicly, but at home for when I'm writing stuff like that, it definitely helps to be more fluid and you just kind of dive into that a bit more.
Well, I do have one last question. So if someone who's listening to this is starting out in the business, what advice would you give them that you think would stick.
I would say be yourself because everybody else is taken.
That's so great. Wow, well said Antonia. Congratulations on everything. I'm so honored to get to speak to you and thank you for being on Taking a Walk.
Thank you so much.
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