Just Getting Started (First Edition)

“For my money, Tony Bennett is the best singer in the business, the best exponent of a song. He excites me when I watch him. . . . He moves me. He’s the singer who gets across what the composer has in mind, and probably a little more.” — Frank Sinatra

“As breezy and meaningful as one of his trademark songs as readers learn about the man by the company he kept and the heroes he worships. Bennett’s ethereal still lifes and landscape paintings adorn this simple yet profound and gracious homage.”— Booklist

Tony Bennett was one of our most vibrant musicians ever to grace the stage. In his previous book, Life Is a Gift, Tony reflected on the lessons he had learned over the years. In Just Getting Started, he pays homage to the remarkable people who inspired those lessons.

In his warm and inviting voice, Tony talks about who and what have enriched his own life, including Charlie Chaplin, Judy Garland, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Cole Porter, Amy Winehouse, Fred Astaire, Lady Gaga, members of his family, significant places, and more. Just Getting Started chronicles the relationship Tony enjoyed with each one of these legends, entertainers, humanitarians, and loved ones, and reveals how the lessons and values they imparted have invaluably shaped his life.

As enchanting and unforgettable as his music, Just Getting Started is a beautiful compilation of reflections every Bennett fan will treasure, and a perfect introduction for those just getting to know this remarkable star and humanitarian.

Tony Bennett (1926 – 2023) grew up in Astoria, Queens, during the Great Depression. After serving as an infantryman in World War II, he studied singing and signed with Columbia Records in 1950, releasing his first hit with the label in 1951. Over the course of his career, which spanned more than sixty years, he sold millions of albums that achieved gold and platinum status both in the United States and worldwide, and won twenty Grammy Awards.

Scott Simon is the New York Times bestselling author of Unforgettable: A Son, a Mother, and the Lessons of a Lifetime. He is one of America’s most admired writers and broadcasters, having reported from all over the world and from many wars. He is now the award-winning host of Weekend Edition Saturday. With more than four million listeners, it is the most-listened-to news program on National Public Radio. Simon has won Peabody and Emmy Awards for his reporting.