Jazz singer Tony Bennett always looms large in my mind because of the elegant way he artistically embraces humanity. Awareness of Tony Bennett came my way when his music greeted me as a child, especially on Sunday during Italian American family dinners. With the delicious sauce covered ravioli and crisp Italian bread, we also had the vital ingredient of great music.

The voices of Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis, Jr., Louis Armstrong, and Peggy Lee flowed throughout the house, and of course, the selections included Tony Bennett. Tony's songs seemed to always equate to love and tenderness for me since my childhood in Mill Basin, Brooklyn.