| San Francisco is undeniably one of the nations | | | | bands invaded and conquered the American pop |
| favourite tourist and travel destinations. But as I | | | | music scene in the mid-1960s. Those of us old |
| was researching travel plans of my own recently, | | | | enough to remember that period of American |
| I realized that San Francisco is more than just a | | | | history will also remember other bands forever |
| great place to visit. Its also an American icon, so | | | | linked with San Franciscos claim to fame as the |
| much so, in fact, that its been depicted countless | | | | home of Flower Power. |
| times in music, movies and television commercials. | | | | In the end, Bennetts career in show business |
| These pictures and sounds have become lastingly | | | | would outlast that of Jefferson Airplane, Janis |
| linked to our image of the city. | | | | Joplin and The Grateful Dead. Surprisingly, the |
| I suppose popular music is one of the best | | | | singer got a new lease on life in the late 1980s by |
| examples. For those of us who view San | | | | finding a voice for a much younger generation |
| Francisco as a romantic destination, it may well be | | | | saturated with disco dancing, punk and new wave |
| because of Italian singer Tony Bennetts | | | | tunes. Appearances on Letterman, Conan OBrien |
| trademark number, "I Left My Heart in San | | | | and a twosome with the Red Hot Chili Peppers at |
| Francisco". Born Anthony Benedetto, Bennett first | | | | the MTV Video Music Awards cemented the |
| saw the light of day in Astoria, Queens in New | | | | singers hip new image. |
| York City. Bennetts first big break came when | | | | Now nearly eight-one, Bennett still tours and |
| Pearl Bailey hired him to open her number at a | | | | performs frequently, delighting crowds with |
| Greenwich Village club in the late 1940s. Bennett | | | | effortless performances of "Fly Me to the Moon" |
| soon inked a deal with Columbia Records, | | | | and "I Left My Heart in San Francisco". The |
| jump-starting a singing career that would only | | | | Recording Industry Association of America and |
| grow in popularity as the Fifties rolled on. | | | | the National Endowment for the Arts have |
| Tony Bennett recorded and released "I Left My | | | | chosen Bennetts homage to San Francisco as one |
| Heart in San Francisco" roughly at the peak of his | | | | of the most important songs of the twentieth |
| career in the year 1962. At first, this Ballad of the | | | | century. |
| Bay met with only moderate success, hitting #19 | | | | Are you ready to leave your heart in San |
| on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. But the tune did | | | | Francisco? If you are, youll be in excellent |
| well enough on other charts to eventually become | | | | company! According to the citys website, San |
| a gold record. It even captured a Grammy for | | | | Francisco welcomes more than fifteen million |
| Best Record and Top Male Vocal. | | | | visitors a year, including thousands of |
| Despite Bennetts hit with "I Left My Heart in San | | | | honeymooners and countless couples looking for |
| Francisco", the singers fortunes took a turn for | | | | the perfect romantic getaway. See you soon in |
| the worse when the Beatles and other British | | | | the City by the Bay! |