Tony Bennett and DUETS II Garner Three Grammy Nominations

NEW YORK, Dec. 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- RPM/Columbia Records -- Singer Tony Bennett and his DUETS II CD garnered three nominations for this year's Grammy Awards including Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for his recording of "Body and Soul" with Amy Winehouse. Bennett made music history earlier this year when DUETS II debuted at the #1 spot on the Billboard Album charts, making him the only artist to achieve the top spot at the age of 85.  Bennett, who earned his first two Grammys in 1962, is the only artist in Grammy history to have a 50 year span of Grammy nominations.

In addition to the nomination for "Body and Soul," DUETS II was also nominated in the Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album category while "Who Can I Turn To (When Nobody Needs Me)," Bennett's duet with Queen Latifah, was nominated in the Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalists category for Jorge Calandrelli's work on the track.

Released in honor of Bennett's 85th birthday celebrated in August, DUETS II has been one of the most successful CDs of Tony's career earning a place on the Billboard Top 100 Singles Charts for his duet of "Body and Soul" with Amy Winehouse and marking Bennett's return to MTV and VH1 with videos of his duets with Winehouse and Lady Gaga.

Internationally DUETS II has been the fastest selling CD of his career reaching top spots in several countries including Spain, Portugal, Mexico, UK, Canada and Argentina. Produced by Phil Ramone and Dae Bennett, DUETS II followed up Bennett's DUETS CD, which earned three Grammy Awards.  DUETS II features Tony performing his greatest hits with a celebrated roster of artists from a variety of musical genres: Lady Gaga, Michael Buble, Carrie Underwood, Andrea Bocelli, Aretha Franklin, Mariah Carey, John Mayer, k.d. lang, Faith Hill, Willie Nelson, Queen Latifah, Sheryl Crow, Natalie Cole, Norah Jones and Alejandro Sanz.  The duets were all recorded live in the studio in locations in the US and Europe including New York, Italy, Los Angeles, London, and Nashville.

Tony Bennett has garnered high praise with DUETS II.  Some of the highlights are below:

"Each of the megastar pairings with Tony Bennett on his second disc of duets is momentous"    US WEEKLY   3 1/2 stars

"Tony Bennett is the oldest artist to ever grace the Hot 100 charts. He and Amy Winehouse bow at #87 with Body and Soul. He's also taking the crown for longest span. He holds an impressive 53 year, 2 month existence on the charts! Nice! Tony, you're just makin' all sorts of headlines this year, aren't ya?!!"   PEREZ HILTON

"As savvy as ever at 85, Tony Bennett leaves no box unchecked..."    PEOPLE

"...constantly reaffirming his position as pop music's greatest living patriarch"  WALL STREET JOURNAL

"...he's also timeless, popular to at least three generations and in many ways even emblematic of this one."  LOS ANGELES TIMES

"Tony Bennett is as timeless as the songs he sings on DUETS II, which should put him back on the charts for a remarkable seventh straight decade."  ASSOCIATED PRESS

"Bennett's unique career arc may very well be remembered as the only one whose encore outshined, and maybe outlasted, the first two acts."  DOWNBEAT 4 stars

SOURCE RPM/Columbia Records