TONY BENNETT TO RELEASE "DUETS II" FEATURING AMY WINEHOUSE, LADY GAGA, MARIAH CAREY & MORE

Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga

With 100 Albums released, 15 Grammy Awards including the coveted Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, legendary Crooner Tony Bennett is showing no signs of stopping. In fact, Bennett turns 85 years-old today and to celebrate this important milestone, he releases Duets II, a follow-up to 2006's Duets which was his best-selling Album ever.

What you need to know is the roster of talent he gathered for this Disc including several of my favourites. Lady Gaga. Mariah Carey. Aretha Franklin. Sheryl Crow. Andrea Bocelli. Josh Groban. Michael Bublé. John Mayer. Queen Latifah. AMY WINEHOUSE. Yes, you read correctly. The Disc features one of Winehouse's final recordings before her untimely passing.

Duets II is in stores September 20, 2011 via Sony Music Canada and the complete Track List is as follows:

CHRISTINA PERRI: LOVESTRONG. - REVIEW

One of 2011’s most promising newcomers hails from Philadelphia, her profile increasing significantly after some exposure she received via CBS’ So You Think You Can Dance late 2010. 24 year-old Singer/Songwriter Christina Perri is Warner Music’s newest secret weapon, who could only have benefitted from impressions left upon James Blunt’s fan base with an opening gig on his current Some Kind of Trouble Tour.

The slight bit of raspiness heard in Perri’s voice is telling of someone who despite her young age, really has lived. She perhaps is this generation’s answer to the void of substance left by many of her female contemporaries who have opted for exposed legs, cleavage and Dance-Pop – not that there is anything wrong with that, mind you. Christina Perri perhaps is a noir-Sheryl Crow or a now-Fiona Apple for the mid 20s to 30s Lilith Fair-going set?

Perri’s debut Disc Lovestrong. is an album inspired by Heartbreak, tinged with many moments of Lily Allen-like wit and metaphorical brilliance. It never veers from sounding raw and organic, remaining cohesively in one chilly, blue moment.

Opening track Bluebird is beautiful, setting the tone for the Disc by asking “How the hell does a broken heart/get back together when it’s torn apart?”. Arms gives us some more of Perri’s vulnerability, needing the arms of her Lover to keep her “whole”. Musically, it is Coldplay-esque in its Piano-Rock. Of course, no Female Singer/Songwriter’s repertoire is complete without a bit of angst, often coming at the expense of having been done wrong by an ex-Boyfriend. “Bang she shot you down/Karma is so sweet”, she revels in the splendour of Fate on Bang Bang Bang. Distance is reminiscent of Folk-Rock Duo The Swell Season, given a bit more dimension with the perspective that comes with a male Backing Vocalist.

SUSAN BOYLE PERFORMANCE ON "THE VIEW" - SHERYL CROW SPEAKS OUT

Poor Susan Boyle. Everyone's talking about her performance of O Holy Night yesterday on The View where a minute into the song, it appears she had choked on some Saliva, then requesting another go at it. Someone neglected to tell her this was Live Television. It happens to every Singer, trust me, but from my days as a Performer, the first Rule of Thumb is to keep the show going. The Audience often appreciates it more when you pick up and fight your way to the finish after a Goof-up.

Sheryl Crow visited The View today and voiced her empathy, "My heart goes out to her. The same thing happened to me on Letterman many years ago when I was performing Strong Enough. Everyone knows it's freezing in there!".

Having sold over 650,000 copies of her second album The Gift in two weeks, I doubt that Boyle is at all down on herself. This is her second consecutive number one-selling album on the Billboard Hot 200 Chart.  A Fool could only dream of obtaining that level of success.

Let's re-live yesterday's moment again, shall we?