Album Producer: Phil Ramone
Peak Position: No. 3
Notes: It’s a cliché to say an album features a Who’s Who of guest artists, but this one really does. More than a dozen top stars joined Bennett on this album, including one (John Legend) who had a competing album in the top 10 that week. The other stars on the album: Dixie Chicks (now The Chicks), Barbra Streisand, James Taylor, Paul McCartney, Juanes, Elton John, Billy Joel, Tim McGraw, Celine Dion, Diana Krall, Stevie Wonder, Elvis Costello, k.d. lang, Michael Bublé, Sting, Bono and George Michael.
This was the legendary crooner’s highest-charting album to that point, surpassing I Left My Heart in San Francisco, which reached No. 5 in 1962. (Bennett would finally reach No. 1 in 2011 with Duets II.) Both of these Duets albums won Grammys for best traditional pop vocal album; both also won a second award for a collaboration. This first Duets collection won a second Grammy for “For Once in My Life,” a pairing with Wonder. The second won a second Grammy for “Body and Soul,” a collab with Amy Winehouse.
Bennett had the first Hot 100 rendition of “For Once in My Life” in 1967, though his version stalled at No. 91. Wonder had the highest-charting rendition of the song the following year. His joyous version reached No. 2.
Bennett’s album was the companion to a TV special, Tony Bennett: An American Classic, which won six Primetime Emmys, including outstanding variety, music or comedy special, and, for Bennett personally, outstanding individual performance in a variety or music program.
