Tony's Second Time Around

Two years ago, Tony Bennett made a record called I Left My Heart in San Francisco. Old Bennett buffs had been wondering for years what had become of Tony, and they bought almost 2,000,000 copies to find out. Wasting no time, Bennett belted out three more hit disks whose titles faithfully reflected his brightening fortunes: I Wanna Be Around, The Good Life, This Is All I Ask. Today, at 37, Tony boasts bigger record sales than Frankie, Perry, Eddie, or any other old standby, and can confidently look forward to a real Bing Crosby future.

Tony's first career started back in 1951 when he recorded Because of You and Cold, Cold Heart. Soon he had 200,000 card-carrying fans. On his wedding day, 2,000 girls in black veils stood in mourning outside the church. But then Paul Anka and Elvis Presley stole his action. Tony's great fame sputtered and dimmed, and he drifted away -- a "teen-feel" victim. Tony refused to yield to rock 'n' roll, and the kids who buy the records forgot all about him.

The remarkable thing about Tony's new, improved career is that he has done it all without learning to sing any better. His voice is as flat as it is strong; his timing slips and falters like a water wheel in a drought. He delivers a song clearly, cleanly, warmly, paying great heed to the lyrics, making up in feeling what he lacks in old-fashioned talent.

To his fans, New York-born Bennett is a regular Dr. Feelgood -- and Tony knows the reason why. "I have a feel for people," he says earnestly. "I want people to like me, and I get a kick out of making them happy." At concerts, he dispenses his Feelgood formula so lavishly that by the time the night is 20 songs old, his coat and tie lie crumpled on the stage; when the curtain falls, Tony answers the storm of applause with grins and salutes and bold, looping autographs for the fans to save forever. Last week he dashed into Columbia Records and cut 20 songs back to back, prostrating 40 musicians before nightfall. "I feel like Babe Ruth," he said. "Like I could point to the fence and hit it right over."

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