For legendary performer Tony Bennett, who has sold millions of records worldwide and received 19 Grammy Awards, mementos of a long and illustrious performing career are some of his favorite things in his home. We recently visited his light-filled New York City apartment overlooking Central Park, and caught up with the ever-elegant Mr. Bennett who, at 91, is as vibrant as ever—in September he’ll release a duet album with Diana Krall dedicated to George and Ira Gershwin, and he continues to tour.
1 Photo of his mother at work
A photo of Mr. Bennett’s mother in a sewing factory in Astoria, New York, prompts instant memories. "My mother gave me the best lesson about art one day while she was working and I was a young kid playing on the floor," he says while looking at the photo, which was discovered among the Ellis Island archives. "She took a dress and threw it away. She said, ‘Don’t have me work on a bad dress.’ I learned a lot that day. I’ve never made a bad recording, and I’ve never done a bad song."
2 Autographed photo of Frank Sinatra
A friendship with Frank Sinatra was among the most important in Mr. Bennett’s life, and one of his most treasured possessions is an autographed photo of Sinatra taken in 1986 that reads, "For Tony— The Best g.d. Pop Singer I've ever heard! I love ya— Frank Sinatra." "When I first met Sinatra, I was just starting out as a singer," Mr. Bennett says. "I don’t know how I had the guts to do this, but I went backstage at the Paramount and introduced myself. I wanted to know some things about the music business, and Frank told me that it’s good to be nervous onstage because it means you care. He said the audience will always root for you if they know you care."
3 Lady Gaga’s hat
In 2015, Mr. Bennett and Lady Gaga toured together. In December, they appeared onstage in Las Vegas for the CBS special, "Frank Sinatra 100." She closed with "New York, New York" and tossed the hat she was wearing to Mr. Bennett, who has treasured it ever since. "She turned around and threw it at me, and I caught it," Mr. Bennett recalls with a smile. "The hat is a great memory of working with her and being onstage with her."
4 Framed record
When a collector reached out to say that he had the first record Mr. Bennett ever made, his son Danny knew he had chanced upon a perfect 91st birthday gift for his dad. The record was George Gershwin’s "Fascinating Rhythm," an album Mr. Bennett made in 1949, using the stage name Joe Bari, before he signed with Columbia Records. "I just love looking at it," he says, beaming.
5 Yellow-tinted glasses
For the past decade, Mr. Bennett has worn the same pair of glasses with the same sunny yellow lenses, including during his "Duets" recording session with U2’s Bono and other artists, including Stevie Wonder and the Dixie Chicks, in 2006. "I like these glasses because they enhance the look of things," he says. "I like things to look cheerful."
This article first appeared in Mansion Global magazine's June issue.