This Week on Vintage Favourites: August 6th
Aug 01, 2023
By Gene Stevens
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TONY BENNETT SALUTE
We knew the day had to come, but it was still a shock when we heard of Tony Bennett’s death on July 21st. Alzheimer’s finally took his life just two weeks shy of his 97th birthday. Tony was the last of the ‘golden age of crooners’ – starting his career in the late 1940s and blossoming into a superstar in the 50s and 60s.
As music tastes changed, he made some lifestyle mistakes in the 70s and 80s but, with his sons’ help, Bennett roared back in the 90s and the new millennium. Suddenly Tony was ‘cool’ again – though ironically, he never changed – we did. Much younger singers loved recording duets with him, from Billy Joel and k .d. lang to Amy Winehouse and Lady Gaga.
Tony Bennett was a very big part of this radio station. When nobody else was playing his music in Toronto, AM 740/Zoomer Radio proudly played his classic songs, as well as his newer recordings; we presented his local live appearances, and we were blessed to interview him as well. I hope you’ll tune in for this very special hour-long tribute to the unique Tony Bennett from 3-4pm.
I’ll also play some Canadian reggae songs to mark the final days of the Toronto Caribbean Festival. And in the show’s first hour – ‘Our Sunday Best – A Century of #1 Hits‘ listen for chart-toppers from this day in the 1920s, 30s and 40s, as well as the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s and 2000s. I’ll take us from Eddie Cantor and a very early swing classic by Jimmie Lunceford to Perry Como, Elvis, The Troggs, Peter Cetera and Daniel Powter – and I’ll tell you the amazing ‘Story Behind the Song‘ ‘Macarena !
It’s the long Civic Holiday weekend – so drive your Civic carefully – and please join me for one fascinating Sunday afternoon of music on ‘Vintage Favourites’ from 2:00 to 4:30. Cheers.
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