After George Jones passed away, a number of articles about him recalled a famous quote from Frank Sinatra where Sinatra called George Jones “the second-best singer” in the world. The Kennedy Center uses the quote on its page about Jones, and after Jones’s death, The Atlantic used the “second-best” quote in its headline. Some articles asserted that Sinatra said that Jones was the second-best “white” singer, implying that Sinatra recognized the great history of great non-white singers, and others claimed Sinatra used the qualification “in America,” while Philly.com claimed that Sinatra added the qualification “male.” While Jones is a great singer and any one of these statements is high praise coming from Ol’ Blue Eyes, it also raises the question about who did Sinatra then think was “the best”?
Most articles did not answer that question and encouraged or left the impression that Sinatra meant that he himself was the best singer. For example, Examiner.com and NBC’s Today Show website stated the quote about Sinatra saying Jones was the second-best “white” singer with both adding, “No prizes for guessing first place,” as if it should be obvious that Sinatra’s ego would lead him to put himself in the top spot. George Jones’s own website implies that Sinatra saved the top spot for himself: “Frank Sinatra famously (and coyly) referred to Jones as ‘the second greatest singer in America.'” The legendary Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards made the same mistake in his otherwise touching statement about the passing of the great country singer: “Sinatra called him the second best singer ever. (The number one obviously being Frank!).”
But Sinatra did not put himself in the top spot, which he reserved for Tony Bennett. I have not found a reliable source for Sinatra’s entire quote about George Jones and Tony Bennett to verify whether Sinatra used any of the qualifications such as “white,” “in America,” or “male.” But other sources give us a good idea who Sinatra put in the first place spot. Throughout his career, Sinatra often claimed that Tony Bennett was the best singer, so it does make the most sense that he was ranking Jones in the second slot not because of himself but because of his love for Bennett. For example, a 1965 Tony Bennett album featured this quote from Sinatra: “For my money Tony Bennett is the best singer in the business.” Frank Sinatra, even in death, does not need me to defend his ego. But these articles in their attempts to praise the great George Jones unfortunately made Frank Sinatra sound like an egomaniac (or more of one than he was) and slighted Tony Bennett at the same time.
So to right this wrong, watch this video of Tony Bennett singing “Body and Soul” with Amy Winehouse and note what a great singer he is (as well as what a great singer the late Winehouse was). Their duet on “Body and Soul” appeared on Bennett’s 2011 Duets II
Who is your favorite singer of all-time? Leave your two cents in the comments.
(Some related Chimesfreedom posts.)