Three things farmers could learn from Tony Bennett

By Susan Crowell / editor@farmanddairy.com

Vic Damone died Feb. 11, 2018, at his home in Florida. He was 89. And, although the Associated Press carried a story about his death, the world barely noticed.

If you’re of a certain vintage, you might — vaguely — remember his name. He was an easy-listening crooner from the era in the 1940s and ’50s that brought us the crooners we do remember: Frank Sinatra, Perry Como, Dean Martin and Tony Bennett.

Don’t ask me why his death notice caught my eye — I don’t have a clue. I’m not even sure why I know his name, because my parents never listened to him.

But even though my parents didn’t have any Tony Bennett albums either, I do know his name. I think we all do.

Here’s why: Tony Bennett, who turned 91 last August, has had new albums hit the charts in seven consecutive decades — seven! — from the 1950s through the 2010s. In the last 10 years alone, he has sold 10 million records.

He built his creative legacy by sticking to his strengths, but not traditions.

“I think if you have a passion for what you do, then there are no limitations on how long or how much you can accomplish.” — Tony Bennett

In the mid-1990s, when MTV was still a music channel, Bennett joined the ranks of such musicians as Eric Clapton and Mariah Carey to perform live on MTV Unplugged, which introduced a whole new generation to him. Then, in 2006, he released Duets: An American Classic, recording performances with Paul McCartney, Bono and others.

And yet another generation met him during his 2014 collaboration with Lady Gaga, which debuted at No 1 — when Bennett was 88!

What’s that got to do with farming? Or you? Or me?

Well, I think we’d all rather be a Tony Bennett than a Vic Damone.

I don’t mean that to say we want Bennett’s fame and fortune. I think we should covet his ability to stay true to his values and passion, while being willing to change and explore new ways of doing things.

The business world actually calls it the “Tony Bennett Factor.”

I discovered three keys to the Tony Bennett Factor that we could all heed:

1. Listen to your children.

Parents farming with their children should take note: Son Danny Bennett has managed his father’s career for three decades, and is largely to credit for the older crooner’s musical longevity. And he’s no dummy, admitting they like to target O.P.M. (Other People’s Money) to market and push and distribute.

Danny Bennett also liked music that was different from his father’s music. A lot different. Think alternative rock band Nirvana different. He figured out how to connect his dad’s music to his generation, then the next, and the next.

You raised your kids to be smart and think for themselves. Don’t stifle them. They just might save the farm.

2. Broaden your connections.

Let’s face it, we live and work in agricultural silos that don’t expose us to a lot of outside thinking. When you eat, sleep and breathe farming, you end up doing the same old, same old — talking to other farmers and living in a bubble.

Getting outside your box, or your comfort zone, once in a while often yields new experiences, new partners, new ideas.

For his second Duets album, Tony Bennett recorded The Lady Is A Tramp with Lady Gaga, who came to the taping with green-dyed hair. Green hair probably wasn’t in Bennett’s comfort zone, but he respected her musical talent.

Farmers don’t have a lock on great ideas for farming. Question everything and go make some new friends. Collaborate.

3. Discover your strengths.

Everyone knows his or her weaknesses, and we spend a lot of time trying to fix our flaws. But how many of us can identify our strengths?

We’re more successful when we maximize our skills, rather than work in something we’re not good at. In other words, it never works to try and be something we’re not.

It wasn’t always easy for Bennett, who overcame drug addiction in the 1980s. His creative strength, however, survived, and he continues to live and breathe art and music. He builds, he grows, he learns, but it’s all on a foundation of his strength.

That’s why we know his name, and have forgotten Vic Damone.