From the archives: Crooner Tony Bennett performed for reopening of UNC’s Memorial Hall

Crooner Tony Bennett performed numerous times in the Triangle over his storied career at venues in Raleigh, Durham, Cary and Chapel Hill.

Perhaps none were as special as his concert at UNC’s Memorial Hall auditorium Sept. 9, 2005. He was part of a weekend that celebrated the reopening of a refurbished auditorium on the Chapel Hill campus. The venue had been closed for over three years to make way for an $18 million renovation, according to The News & Observer archives.

Bennett died July 21, 2023, at the age of 96. He was known for singing classic American songs and creating new standards. He drew a more younger audience in recent years through collaborations with Lady Gaga, Carrie Underwood and Amy Winehouse.

Tony Bennett performs in Chapel Hill, NC

Here are excerpts of a story published Sept. 10, 2005, by Craig Jarvis about his performance in Chapel Hill. Bennett was 79.

All 1,434 seats were filled for the gala reopening of the hall, which has been closed for 3 1/2 years for a massive gutting and renovation. The new look is meant to be the first step in the long-range creation of an “arts common” on the Chapel Hill campus, with new buildings and underground parking, to raise the university’s arts profile.

But Friday night was all about what already has been accomplished, with a new look and an ambitious season of performances that will bring to town both the familiar and the academically eccentric.

Bennett, 79, had the audience’s rapt attention from his opening notes and earned loud ovations and whistles throughout. Backed by a small combo, he offered a set that included uptempo jazz, standards such as “All of Me” and his trademark version of Hank Williams’ “Cold, Cold Heart.” Swinging his way through a history of pop songs, he took time to mention famous contemporaries such as Bob Hope, Pearl Bailey and Rosemary Clooney.

“Rosemary Clooney took all of us on the road,” Bennett said of his friend. “We were the first American idols.”

For many, it was Bennett and not the fancy new digs that drew them.

“Frank’s not around, so there’s Tony,” said Henry Bell of Apex.

“We were Sinatra fans, and we never got to see him,” his wife, Mary Beth Bell, elaborated. “We said we better see [Bennett] while we can, or we’ll regret it.”

Tony Bennett, k.d. lang perform at Walnut Creek

In August 2001, Bennett came to Raleigh’s Alltel Pavilion at Walnut Creek as he was celebrating his 75th birthday. Here are excerpts from that review published in The N&O by David Menconi.

In the cosmology of celebrity performers there are stars, and there are stars. The former can occupy your attention well enough, usually with the help of whiz-bang special effects and hordes of underlings. But the latter are forces of nature who command your attention because ... well, because they are stars.

For Tony Bennett’s Sunday night show at Walnut Creek, the only “prop” was a black curtain, in front of which Bennett and opening act k.d. lang performed with small backup bands; a trio for her, a quartet for him. There was not a flash pot, dancer or backup singer to be seen anywhere.

Really, there’s no reason this should have worked. What could be cornier than an earnest 75-year-old Italian guy from Queens standing up there singing Judy Garland songs? Nevertheless, it was riveting.

... Twenty minutes later, the house lights went down and blue lights came up onstage for Bennett as he strolled out. The man is truly underrated for his rhythmic abilities, because it was difficult to resist snapping your fingers along with him on “The Best Is Yet To Come.” He also showed he can still bellow when needed on “Autumn Leaves,” and turned each song into epic mini-dramas with hand gestures and the way he moved.

Really, though, what he did was play the crowd. There is a fine art to looking pleasantly surprised at applause that you know is coming, and Bennett showed himself to be a master. He applauded the crowd’s applause and told us all, “You’re beautiful!” And he even turned a potentially awkward interlude into one of the best moments of the show.

As he started into “Foggy Day,” a voice rang out from the audience, “Sing it, Tony!” With perfect timing, he shot back, “What the hell d’ya think I’m doin’?!” For real stars, there are no obstacles, only opportunities.

Pro that he is, Bennett offered up his signature song “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” with feelin’. Plus he held everyone in a hush when he decided to. During “Mood Indigo,” his voice dropped almost to a whisper and it became quiet enough to hear crickets.

After a hot and muggy afternoon, Sunday night was unexpectedly cool and breezy. Then again, what would you expect? Tony Bennett was in town.