Legendary Tony Bennett Books Rialto Concert For May

JOLIET, IL - On Monday morning, the Rialto Square Theatre announced it has landed another big name, a legend, for a Friday night performance in three months. Tony Bennett, a 19-time Grammy winner, will perform in downtown Joliet at 8 p.m. Friday, May 10. Tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m. this Friday, Feb. 15.

The price for seats will range from $54 to $174, the Rialto said.

"At the age of 92, Tony Bennett is not slowing down and his latest recording, with long-time friend and musical colleague, Diana Krall, LOVE IS HERE TO STAY topped the jazz charts upon its debut and was just nominated for a Grammy Award. The album celebrates the music of the Gershwins and includes the jazz standard, “Fascinating Rhythm,” which Bennett and Krall perform as a duet. The inclusion of the song on the new album, was the impetus for a Guinness World Record title for Tony Bennett, who in 1949, under his stage name of Joe Bari at the time, made his very first recording of the Gershwin standard," the Rialto press release notes.

The Rialto said that Bennett’s sixth book, TONY BENNETT: ON STAGE AND IN THE STUDIO, was recently published and provides an insightful look into Tony’s illustrious recording career highlighted by an extensive array of photographs, memorabilia, and artwork.

Tony Bennett’s daughter, Antonia Bennett has been touring with her father and will open the performance with a collection of jazz/pop standards. Antonia Bennett is a graduate of the prestigious Berklee College of Music, according to the Rialto marketing team."

"Having celebrated his 90^th birthday in August of 2016, the milestone was marked by the presentation of TONY BENNETT CELEBRATES 90: The Best is Yet To Come a two-hour prime time special that aired in December. A companion CD of the same name was released simultaneously and won a Grammy Award in 2017. That same year, Bennett became the first “interpretive singer” to receive The Gershwin Prize by the Library of Congress. Bennett’s 85th birthday in 2011 marked the release of “Duets II” and made music history by making Tony the oldest artist to ever have a #1 CD on the Billboard album charts. “Duets II,” followed up “Tony Bennett Duets: An American Classic” CD, released in 2006. 2012 marked the 50^th anniversary of the singer’s signature song, “I Left My Heart in San Francisco.”

Image of Tony Bennett via Rialto, photo credit Larry Busacca