Tony Bennett Remembers. Part One. A Personal Tribute. Tony Bennett talks about his early days of music, Bebop, Sinatra, and the influence of the visual arts on his singing.

As a lifelong Tony Bennett fan, who owns every album he recorded and loves so many of them, and who met and interviewed the man no less than four times - once we even had dinner together - I was deeply saddened this week to learn that he has Alzheimer's Disease and has had secretly for four years. I mean no disrespect by titling this podcast, Tony Bennett Remembers. I mean the opposite, it is posted out of total respect for a man and artist I admire deeply. I also now am more aware than I ever was to be blessed to be able to sit in Tony Bennett's company and hear him pass on to me his personal history and to get it on tape. Hell, the guy even introduced me to the music of Louis Armstrong. I dedicate the podcast to fellow Bennett fans but above all to Tony himself and his loved ones and family. Let the music play on.