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Tony Benedict
is a founder member of the Kings of Swing. Born in Leeds
and now living in St Annes on Sea, Tony won the Leisure
Parcs 'Newcomer of the Year' award in 2002 for his work
singing with the Blackpool Tower Big Band. A big devotee
of Bobby Darin, Tony has been singing ‘swing music’since
before it became fashionable. He started out as singer with
ex-Syd Lawrence trumpet soloist Terry Reaney in Blackpool,
with the 5th form College Big band.
Tony’s big opportunity to enter the professional world
of 'singing with the Big Band' came in 2001 when he was
heard by Greg Francis, resident Musical Director at the
Blackpool Tower Ballroom. Greg instantly signed him up to
sing with the Blackpool Tower Big band, and Tony went on
to perform for a successive 3 years at the Tower Ballroom.
In 2003, a new 'show' was developed at the Tower ballroom,
'The Kings of Swing'. This was a portrayal of the Rat Pack
era, and Tony featured as lead singer of a 3 piece singing
group.
In 2004, the Kings of Swing started a nationwide tour, playing
to packed houses of devotees of the music. Among the many
rave reviews of the show, Tony stood out as the shining
new star of swing music. |
Upon the release of the recent Kevin Spacey film of Bobby
Darin, musical director Greg Francis decided that it would
be a good idea to present a tribute to the legendary performer
Bobby Darin, and he paired up Tony Benedict with the world
famous Nelson Riddle Tribute Orchestra. Riddle himself was
the guiding hand behind the Sinatra recordings during the
'Capitol Years', and he had also arranged music for Dean
Martin and many others of the era.
Tony had always had a preference for the vocal talents and
music of Bobby Darin, and he has become an absolute font
of knowledge on the life and career of the singer, who had
hits with tunes like 'Splish Splash' 'Dream Lover' 'If I
Were A Carpenter ' and as far back as 1969, he had the number
one hit with 'Mack the Knife'. (This was never a 'Sinatra'
hit as is widely believed).
A plethora of wonderful music was available from the Bobby
Darin Songbook. Darin himself wrote over 350 songs, and
it is from this vast catologue of music, that Tony has selected
the wide variety of music he sings in the show. |
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