Legendary crooner Tony Bennett will be sharing the stage with Paul McCartney this weekend in Mountainview, Calif., at Neil Young's 18th annual Bridge Benefit, Oct. 23-24.
"I knew (McCartney) when he first started," Bennett, 78, told the Sun while he was in Toronto last week for two shows at Roy Thomson Hall. "I gave The Beatles and The Rolling Stones their first award before they were famous, they were just starting out, before they went into stadiums. And so I knew him and I always really admired him. 'Cause I looked at the four boys when I first saw them and the aura came out of Paul McCartney that my eyes saw. I said, 'This guy's got it.' I always felt that way."
Fast forward to Bennett and McCartney being part of a command performance for the Queen, which was before McCartney's marriage to Heather Mills.
He told Bennett that The Very Thought Of You, a Ray Noble song, was his favourite. "So then my son was talking to him and he said, 'When I get married, if Tony could a make a record of The Very Thought Of You ...'
"And he danced with his wife to that record right after he got married. But then, as a result, he saw my paintings in an art book and wrote me a beautiful letter about how much he appreciated my paintings. Aand now I believe we're going to do The Very Thought Of You together for this benefit. That'll be fun. He's wonderful."
Also on this weekend's bill, to benefit The Bridge, a school for developmentally challenged kids run by Young's wife Pegi, are the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Sonic Youth.
COURTNEY ON CAFFEINE: Sometime trainwreck Courtney Love was spotted this past Sunday afternoon at the local Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles.
Love, looking fresh-faced and sober with her new shorter hair tucked under a hat, stepped into a black BMW later just to cross the street. She did some serious shoe-shopping with her manager at the super-stylish H. Anything to avoid the paparazzi, perhaps?
The final total at the store was $1,200 US for three pairs of shoes.
Love was also reportedly sweet with a store employee who asked her about her Halloween show on Oct. 30 at L.A.'s Wiltern Theatre with fellow wild-child Juliette Lewis and The Licks. Love generously offered up some tickets.
SEXSMITH AT DANFORTH: It may no longer be showing movies, but the Danforth Theatre is still hosting concerts: Local singer-songwriter Ron Sexsmith, with opening act Sarah Slean, has a Nov. 25 show at the venue.
Tix, $25, are on sale at Ticketpro.ca, Rotate This, Soundscapes and by phone at 416-645-9090. Sexsmith is fresh off a tour of the U.K. in support of his new album, Retriever, while Slean has a new album out next Tuesday called Day One.
SOULFOOD: Talk about an incredible double bill of soul and gospel. The Blind Boys Of Alabama and Mavis Staples are hooking up for a Dec. 23 date at Massey Hall that's billed as A Tribute to Mahalia Jackson Holiday Show.
Tix, $49.50 to $69.50, are available now at the Roy Thomson Hall box office or by calling 416-872-4255.
