Inspiring Words: Tony Bennett
Singing the Praises of Education
While he may have led you to believe otherwise in his famous ballad to San Francisco, Tony Bennett’s heart never really strayed far from Astoria, his boyhood neighborhood in Queens, New York City. “I loved growing up there,” says the 15-time Grammy-winning vocalist. “Queens was all family-oriented. Family meant everything, and it still does to me.”
It’s not surprising to learn, then, that the singer’s career has become a family affair. Three of his four children work professionally with him. One son is his manager; the other, his recording engineer. The youngest Bennett daughter often sings with Dad in concert.
Bennett has also collaborated with his wife, Susan, to support creative arts education in—where else?—Queens. In 2001, they founded the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts, a public high school for aspiring performers and artists in Long Island City, Queens. In September, thanks in part to Bennett’s efforts, the school moves into a sparkling new building complete with two auditoriums, one on the rooftop. The building’s new neighborhood? Astoria.
“I had a great education,” the 82-year-old legend says, referring to the musical training he received after returning home from World War II. “I got to fall in love with the way great jazz musicians play, and it gave me my style. We want to give these kids a great education, too.”
