A Look At Tony Bennett's Touching Relationship With Amy Winehouse
The following article includes mentions of addiction.
Tony Bennett and Amy Winehouse shared a strong connection as artists. Bennett, who sadly died on July 21, 2023, entered into a record deal with Columbia Records in 1950, per Biography. By 1962, he'd begun to release collections of jazz music and gained fame with his hit track, "I Left My Heart in San Francisco." Over the course of his career, Bennett would go on to score 19 Grammy Award wins, as the Recording Academy states.
Winehouse likewise became known for the jazz sounds in her music, including her award-winning album, 2006's "Back to Black." In a 2004 interview with The Music Factory, which took place seven years prior to her untimely death, Winehouse discussed her roots in jazz. "It was the first music that I really connected with," Winehouse said of the genre. "I learned to play guitar to jazz, I learned to sing to jazz, and I grew up with jazz." As Bennett continued on with his pursuits as a recording artist, he sang duets with numerous other acclaimed performers, per American Songwriter. These include Lady Gaga, John Legend, Stevie Wonder, Carrie Underwood, Billie Holiday, Winehouse and more. Bennett and Winehouse had a special experience for this collaboration.
Tony Bennett and Amy Winehouse bonded while working together
Tony Bennett and Amy Winehouse worked well together as duet partners. The two performed a version of the jazz standard "Body and Soul" in 2011, which was included on Bennett's album, "Duets II: The Great Performances," per Bennett's YouTube page. In an archival video clip shared on YouTube, Winehouse and Bennett are shown in the studio as they prepare for the recording. "This is weird. I've never done anything like this ... To sing with one of my idols," Winehouse said to Bennett. "It's good, 'cause then I can make my dad jealous when I show him."
Bennett detailed the experience of working alongside Winehouse in a 2011 Billboard interview. "Everything that we did in the studio to make this whole record is on film, and I think it will surprise everybody as to how well we ended up getting along," Bennett said. He added that Winehouse "was a little apprehensive about how to go about" recording "Body and Soul," but once he told the "Rehab" singer that he noticed she may have been "influenced by Dinah Washington," Winehouse became at ease. "...That just blew her mind. She said, 'Oh, my God — you mean you can actually hear that? She's my idol! She's my favorite!'" Bennett recalled. He then stated that this exchange relaxed Winehouse. Following Winehouse's tragic death, Bennett spoke publicly about his grief.
Tony Bennett 'broke down and sobbed' after Amy Winehouse's death
Tony Bennett opened up about his emotional reaction to Amy Winehouse's death. In 2011, accidental alcohol poisoning led to Winehouse's death at the age of 27, as CBS News wrote. The same year that Winehouse died, Bennett was asked about this loss by the Telegraph. "I broke down and sobbed when I heard the news," Bennett said. "I'll tell you, of all the young people I've met over the past 50 years, she sang the right way." He went on to say that Winehouse "was a true talent, and she was on her way to becoming a very, very important jazz singer." He concluded, "What a tragedy — just 27 years old. It's so regretful. It's heartbreaking."
In his 2016 book, "Just Getting Started," Bennett stated that he had "questions and regrets" after he didn't speak to Winehouse about her issues with addiction before her death. "Sometimes — sometimes — someone will say something that strikes home on just the right day," Bennett wrote, according to People. "I said nothing on the day that I might have had a chance." Bennett also complimented Winehouse's contributions to the music industry in the memoir. "She took the spirit of jazz and made it shine in new ways, for a new generation," he said of Winehouse before writing, "She had the voice of an angel: a being that works on a plane higher than the one most of us inhabit down here."
If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).