WWD spoke with Bennett, who died Friday, in November 2012 about his life, his art and more.
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“I have wonderful children,” says Bennett, who is also an accomplished painter. “When my two sons both saw that I was in trouble, they came running at me and said, ‘Just keep singing and painting, and we’ll take care of everything else.’ My one daughter, Antonia, sings with me on the stage; my other daughter, Johanna, is starting a film festival for me. I have my whole family in my business, and ever since they came on board, it just straightened me out so much that I’m a very contented person.
Bennett recalls how inspiring he found Fred Astaire’s on-screen dancing when he was a child. He observes that Cole Porter and Irving Berlin wanted Astaire to debut their songs, and Astaire inaugurated, Bennett says, 230 songs now considered part of “The American Songbook.” Many years later, he had a chance to meet Astaire, who had written a song, “Life Is Beautiful,” and wanted Bennett to sing it.
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