By Evan Flores
MSC OPAS will present Tony Bennet, the 18-time Grammy Award-winning musician whose music spans over six decades on April 26 at 7:30 in Rudder Auditorium.
Selling millions of records and boasting a long and prestigious career, Tony Bennett is a staple of American musical culture with his influence lasting 60 years. His past achievements include 18 Grammy Awards, including the prestigious Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
Tony Bennett released “Duets II” and made music history by making Tony the oldest artist to ever have a #1 CD on the Billboard album charts at the age of 85. “Duets II,” followed up “Tony Bennett Duets: An American Classic” CD, released in 2006. 2012 marked the 50th anniversary of the singer’s signature song, “I Left My Heart in San Francisco.” The singer also recently released a new documentary film titled “The Zen of Bennett,” created and conceived by Tony’s son and manager Danny Bennett. Bennett also authored his fourth book, “Life is a Gift,” released in 2012 and entered the NY Times Best Seller list. In 2014, Tony Bennett released a collaborative album with Lady Gaga, “Cheek to Cheek,” featuring these two legendary artists performing jazz standards. The album debuted at #1 on the Billboard Album charts making Bennett the oldest musical artist, at the age of 88, to have an album top the Billboard 200 and won the Grammy Award in the Best Traditional Pop Album category.
Tony Bennett is a Kennedy Center Honoree, an NEA Jazz Master and a recipient of the United Nation’s Humanitarian and Citizen of the World honors. In the fall of 2015, Tony Bennett released “The Silver Lining: The Songs of Jerome Kern” with jazz pianist Bill Charlap, that debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Traditional Jazz Album charts.
In addition to his musical achievements, Tony Bennett has historically been a part of many changes in humanitarian need. Tony Bennett was a part of the Selma March in 1968, along with being an advocate for a number of organizations that impact the community and nation as whole. From building high schools to helping charities that work with diabetes, Tony Bennett has had a hand in making the world a better place for future generations to come.
Tickets are on sale now at the MSC Box Office. Ticket prices range from $40 to $150 depending on where you sit. It will be worth your while on April 26 to come see this musical legend.
