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"I Left My Heart in San Francisco" was written in the fall of 1953, with music by George Cory and lyrics by Douglass Cross (1920–1975) and best known as the signature song of Tony Bennett.

The song was written about two amateur writers nostalgic for San Francisco after moving to New York (it was written in Brooklyn). Although the song was originally written for Claramae Turner, who often used it as an encore, she never got around to recording it (it was also pitched to Tennessee Ernie Ford, who turned it down). The song found its way to Tony Bennett through Ralph Sharon, Bennett's longtime accompanist and friends with the composers. Sharon brought the music along when he and Bennett were on tour and on their way to San Francisco's Fairmont Hotel.

In December 1961, in the famous "Venetian Room" at the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco, Tony Bennett first sang "I Left My Heart in San Francisco." In the audience that night were San Francisco mayor George Christopher and future mayor Joseph L. Alioto. From the 1960s through the 1980s, at San Francisco's premier supper club the "Venetian Room," Bennett sang the city song.

Bennett first recorded the song in New York on January 23, 1962; CBS released it as the b-side of "Once Upon A Time." The A-side received no attention, and DJs began flipping the record over and playing "San Francisco." It became a hit on the pop singles chart in 1962 and spent close to a year on various other charts, achieving gold record status. It then won the top prize of Grammy Award for Record of the Year, as well as for Best Male Solo Vocal Performance. In 2001 it was ranked 23rd on an RIAA/NEA list of the most historically significant Songs of the 20th Century.

It has often been performed in public by Bennett in concert as well as on special occasions. A statue of Tony Bennett was unveiled outside the Fairmont Hotel on 19 August 2016, in honor of his 90th birthday, the hotel performance, and the song's history with San Francisco.

Bennett has said of the song, "That song helped make me a world citizen. It allowed me to live, work and sing in any city on the globe. It changed my whole life."

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from BY REQUEST: CHATTANOOGA CHOO CHOO & MORE FROM THE GREAT AMERICAN SONGBOOK, released September 21, 2018

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Johnny J Blair "Singer at Large" San Francisco, California

"Johnny is a virtuoso"--Brian Wilson
"Pop music with a conscience.”--Goldmine
“the Harry Houdini of rock and roll.”-- Spotlight. Listen to Johnny's fast-paced mix of old school soul, psychedelia, punk/new wave, & classic pop/rock. Singer-songwriter in his own right, he was also a sideman for Davy Jones and The Monkees + performed with David Cassidy, Al Stewart, Buddy & Julie Miller, & others. ... more

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