Tony Bennett Quotes

"I have a simple life. I mean, you just give me a drum roll, they announce my name, and I come out and sing. In my job I have a contract that says I'm a singer. So I sing."

"I still insist that American performers are the best performers in the world."

"I've been so fortunate because I never really had ups and downs as far as my career. Ninety-nine percent of the time, I've been sold out all over the world."

"I know the history of the record business so well because I followed Billie Holiday into the record studios. It was so primitive compared to the sophisticated business today."

"More than anybody else I'd like to thank Count Basie for teaching me how to perform."

"The young people look great on television. They're youthful and have a lot of zip and energy, but when you see them live, they can only do about 20 minutes because they haven't got the training to hold an audience for an hour and a half or so."

"To work is to feel alive."

"[Luckily for his audiences, Bennett doesn't tire of singing] I Left My Heart. ... that song made me a world citizen. And when I do it, it always feels like the first time."

"I am very thankful for this opportunity. It is a privilege and honor for me to follow in the footsteps of my father. Everywhere he's gone, he's been full of integrity and passion. That's what I want to carry on."

"I am very thankful for this opportunity. I can't tell you how much of a privilege and a honor it is for me to follow in the footsteps of my father. Everywhere he has gone, there have been two things that have been consistent when he has rebuilt programs. People have always said they have been full of integrity and passion. There's no question that is what I want to carry on."

"It think now the only way of getting at the truth of what happened is if somebody who was at that party comes forward with a statement."

"I've tried to do that for my top assistant wherever I've been, but this is even better because it'll be for my son. I will feel like I've finished the job I was called to do in coming here,"