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Home , John Lennon, Saul Swimmer, Tony Bennett

Feb-03-e6;e7 Page 1 2/6/01 11:34 AM

PAGE E6 FEBRUARY 3, 2001 The Boss

From Ol’ Blue Eyes to and beyond, Peter Bennett has touched showbiz royalty

By Tony Lofaro

he of Promo- arms around me, but there States and it led to a return tions is holding court were no bad feelings over what club engagement, possibly lat- at Patsy’s — one of had happened.” er this year. ’s fav- Bennett — who has been For about nine months, Ben- ourite res- photographed with showbiz’s nett has also shuttled to Ot- taurants — and talk- elite — has been the boss of tawa from his home in Green- ing about the Beatles. promotions for more than 40 wich, Connecticut, to act as ad- ItT all makes sense. Peter Ben- years. And he’s not slowing viser and possible investor on nett has worked with both down. He has recently been two business ventures with Sinatra and dur- spending time in Ottawa, hard- Digital Works, a printing firm ing an astounding career that ly an entertainment mecca, to on . One is an Inter- has touched most of the big work on a couple of new ven- net project in which people names in showbusiness. tures. He has also gotten to would vote via computer on In his bulging briefcase he know some Ottawa talent. the world’s sexiest woman, the carries snapshots that tell Bennett’s extensive bio in- other is a magazine listing bios some of the tales. There’s Eliz- cludes a national hit in his mu- of models and performers who abeth Taylor, Princess Grace, sician days (a version of the would be available to casting , and song Fever), a stint agents, producers and model- , as the national promotion ling agencies. The projects (with an Afro), the Rolling director at Records and could debut later this year. Stones, , Bob Dy- a period as Nat Cole’s lan, , Sophia manager. He also helped orga- BENNETT ENTERED THE Loren. The stories are in his nize the first rock benefit, record promotion business head, and may soon be in a Concert for , in through the back door. book. 1971, promoted the large-scale He grew in the Bronx, The 55-year-old Bennett, a Emerson Lake and Palmer con- where he once shined Frank hulking man with thinning cert at the opening of Montre- Sinatra’s shoes. He also made black , a warm smile and a al’s Olympic stadium in 1976, hero sandwiches for Ol’ Blue thick-as-cheesecake New York and produced a worldwide TV Eyes at an old New York accent, is a dead ringer for ac- special at the 1988 Seoul restaurant frequented by tor Paul Sorvino (), Olympics with fighters Jake LaMotta and who also happens to be a and Brooke Shields. And he Rocky Graziano. He consid- friend. He’s a distant cousin of had a long association with ered entering the priesthood, , a fact he tends , working with the but later turned to , buy- to downplay. ailing comedian until six years ing his first drum set at a Bennett, aka Pietro Benedet- ago pawnshop for $22. to of the Bronx, knows some- Bennett was primarily a He dreamed of being a fa- thing about record promotion. record promoter, hustling mous drummer and he won a Billboard magazine dubbed records to radio station pro- Gene Krupa drum contest. At him the World’s Top Promo- gram directors. He had to age 17, he got a break when he tion Man, also make sure his clients’ records worked with bandleader Tom- hailed him as one of the top got airplay and then made it my Dorsey on a reunion tour promoters in the business. onto the Billboard record with Sinatra. Still, there was one record charts. “I worked behind Sinatra on GINO DOMENICO FOR STYLE WEEKLY even the world’s best couldn’t He has covered much ground the drums. Sinatra used to say, Peter Bennett is a distant cousin of Tony Bennett, about the only connection the World’s Best do anything with. Bennett in his career, dabbling in rock ‘Hey kiddo,’ and he called me Promotion Man downplays. His briefcase bulges with photos of some of the greats he has worked knew he couldn’t turn John music, concerts, personal man- his former shoeshine boy. He with during the past 40 years, from Mohammed Ali to to the Beatles and Rolling Lennon’s controversial 1973 agement and movie production embarrassed me onstage, I hat- Stones. song Woman Is the of — always as a behind-the- ed it,” says Bennett, who is sep- the World into a hit and he told scenes guy, piecing together arated from his wife, Annette, a the Beatle so. deals, soothing the egos of per- corporate headhunter. He has He says the early records Darin (Splish Splash) and other sensitivities about how they “I did not like the song and formers and working closely two grown sons, Joseph, 30, he promoted — the Shirelles’ artists. should be treated, he makes told John I would not promote with record executives. and Peter Jr., 31, who live in Tonight’s the Night and Bennett moved from record sure he puts together the right it,” says Bennett over the Just think of him as a con- Greenwich. and the Mir- promotion to personal man- team,” says Camillo, who rep- lunchtime din at this popular sigliere (the Robert Duvall In the early ’60s his own acles’ Shop Around — were agement in the mid-’60s, tak- resents Regis Philbin, Bill Cos- 56th Street eatery. “I thought character in The Godfather), a band, Pete Bennett and The tough sells, especially with the ing on at a time by and Wayne Newton. the song was racist, it was not a negotiator between artist and Embers, had a modicum of program directors of “white- when the had no hit “Pete does not have to do commercial song, nobody record company. He’s ridden success with their recording of owned” New York radio sta- records and was largely forgot- 400 shows, lose on 150, win on would play it.” the coattails of the big stars, Fever, which led to an appear- tions. Through sheer determi- ten by the public. 100 and break even on the rest. His decision put him in con- but he still loves the smell of ance on American Bandstand. nation and guts, Bennett “Nat comes to me and he has He understands quality, not flict with the most tempera- new talent. He is always When a friend offered him a plugged away and soon several his flunkies with him. He plays quantity; that’s how best to de- mental of the Beatles. Lennon searching for the next , 50-per-cent partnership to dis- of the big stations began to me Ramblin’ Rose and six ac- scribe him.” stomped off to promote the eager to “enhance” (his tribute records for a new play the records he promoted. etates of new songs. I said to Bennett was thanked by Paul song himself, telling Bennett favourite word) their career. record label to radio stations, He was soon regarded by him I Ramblin’ Rose out of McCartney in his book Many that if it turned into a hit the He helped land Ottawa he reluctantly took the job, fig- record industry types as a mar- the bunch, I could make it a hit Years from Now for helping to legendary promoter would singer Tammy Raybould a gig uring there was nothing to keting whiz, an Italian kid who for you.” promote the Beatles on the ra- have to kiss his behind. Ben- last summer at the Bitter End, lose. The record label, Mo- could get airplay for new The singer was not con- dio. “In one of the outer offices nett agreed. a vaunted New York club, after town, was a newly formed De- artists. vinced Bennett could turn the lurked Pete Bennett,” McCart- The song, of course, bombed, he met her in . troit-based company founded “Pete is one-of-a-kind and ballad, which had yet to be re- ney wrote, “a vast bulk of a never rising higher than No. 67 “He got me into New York by , Jr. the personification of the inde- leased, into a hit. man with a round Italian face, on the pop charts. The promot- and without him I would not “I did not know how hard it pendent promotion man, he’s “Why do you love that looking more like a bodyguard er knew his stuff, a fact Lennon have had a name there,” says was to promote other people’s probably the originator of it,” record so much?” Bennett asks for Sinatra than the promo later acknowledged, with an Raybould, 24, of her set before records. It was a lot of work, says Seymour Stein, chairman in a deep, gravelly voice, im- man responsible for getting apology. some record industry execu- going to radio stations, getting of -Sire Records, who personating the late singer. the Beatles on the radio.” “I said to Lennon, ‘You’re the tives. She said the Bitter End them to play records of artists signed to a record Bennett told Nat to give him boss of songwriting, I’m the gig was crucial to her chances for a label that no one had contract in 1982 after seeing her the song and he’d waive his WHEN THE boss of promotion.’ He put his of breaking into the United heard of.” perform in New York clubs. standard promotion fee. hit America, Bennett was at

I said to (John) Lennon, ‘You’re the boss of songwriting. I’m the boss of promotions ’

Stein says he first met Ben- Bennett immediately drove the centre of the musical revo- nett in New York about 40 from New York to Philadel- lution. He caught the wave of years ago when he worked for phia, hitting a snowstorm on the many young British bands Billboard magazine and Ben- the way, to meet Georgie coming to North America, nett was promoting records. Woods, a rhythm-and- helping to sell the records of “Pete worked at Cambridge disc jockey on WDAS. Woods Herman’s Hermits, the Dave Distributors and he actually played the record on his Clark Five, , Chad and put them on the map. He was evening show and the switch- Jeremy, , skilled in getting the records board lit up. Listeners loved it. and Lulu. In 1964, on the radio and he had rela- Woods phoned Bennett the when first tionships with all the top disc- next morning and told him the came to the U.S., Bennett was jockeys at the time. It did not record was hot. Within a week, by their side. take long to strike up a friend- it had sold 40,000 copies in “There’s a big promotion in ship with him because he was and soon radio New York with the Rolling the type of guy you can get to stations around the country Stones to celebrate the know pretty fast.” were putting it on their of their album. We were on a Bennett says record promo- playlist. yacht called The Princess — tion came easily to him and he “The song went to No. 1 and which was used by Sinatra — had no hesitation leaving his Nat called me afterwards and and I told the Stones that the musical career. “Promotion,” thanked me. He said ‘Kid, you Beatles were playing at Shea says Bennett, “was something were right.’ Stadium and did they want to that I fell into. I could not be- “Promotion,” stresses Ben- go see them. They said sure. lieve it, I was making money, nett, “is the name of the game, “So I called more money than I had been without that you go nowhere, and talked to the promoter that making as a musician.” no matter who you are.” I wanted to bring the Stones. After the Shirelles, Bennett Kenny di Camillo, an agent at He said fine. We docked the took on Bobby “Boris” Pickett William Morris Agency in boat in Long Island and took (Monster Mash), New York, says Bennett is one limousines to the stadium.” GINO DOMENICO FOR STYLE WEEKLY (Cupid), (Fin- of the last independent record The Beatles were already Bennett’s promotion skills touched the careers of both Elvis and Beatle . Bennett gertips), (Where promoters and likens him to a performing and the Stones and promoted Elvis’s hit Suspicious Minds. Later, when he met Elvis in Las Vegas, the singer hugged him Did Our Love Go?), Dionne Damon Runyon character. their entourage discreetly and said ‘he’s the one who made the Beatles and the Rolling Stones.’ Warwick (Walk on By), Bobby “Pete understands the artist’s slipped into the stadium, set-

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FEBRUARY 3, 2001 PAGE E7

Record promoter The British Invasion Peter Bennett has worked with dozens of over the years. Here are some of his favourite stories.

On Elvis Presley: “The first time I met Elvis he was in the army, we became friends. Years later when he opened at the International Hotel (now the Hilton) in Las Vegas I was invited. He remembered me because I had pro- moted Suspicious Minds. When he went out on stage he seemed like he didn’t know what he was When the British invasion hit America in the , Peter Bennett was at the centre of the musical revolution. He began doing. He was saying things like ‘hi everybody’ and promoting the Rolling Stones’ records and when the Beatles launched they, too, signed on with Bennett. ‘It ‘geez, there’s a lot of people here.’ He had just got was crazy being during those days.’ out of the movies and he had never seen that many people onstage. The audience reaction was great, keys were thrown on stage, but he would stop after every song. tling into the baseball dugout, says The station manager wanted turn our cars over when they saw “There was also the Yoko Ono “I was invited by Elvis back to his dressing room, Bennett. proof of the actual lyric and asked us. The would sneak into our hotel factor. She’s a great gal, wonderful but he didn’t allow the owner of the hotel to come “Some of the fans see that the Bennett for the lead sheet (sheet rooms, we’d be in the room and really, but the others resented that into his room. Elvis kissed and hugged me and he Stones are there and start yelling music with lyrics) of the song. we’d find fans in the closet. They John had married her. She had a kept calling me the Italian kid and saying he’s the out ‘The Stones are here, the The Stones had given Bennett the would bribe anybody just to get big influence over John, she want- one who made the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. Stones are here.’ The fans start original lead sheet, but he whited close to the Beatles.” ed to sing, but they could not see He got a big kick out of me and when I told him his throwing things and I said to the out the words “laid a divorcee” Bennett spent weeks with the it.” ring sparkled on stage he gave me his pinkie ring. I Stones, ‘Let’s get out of here, we’re and typed in “played a divorcee.” Beatles, sitting in on such classic Bennett says he played it said I don’t want it, the silver ring had 55 diamonds. going to get killed.’ ” The radio executives were satis- recordings as , Hey straight in the record promotion It’s worth a fortune, that’s why I have it in a safe.” Bennett promoted such Stones fied with the change and the song Jude, , and business despite the fact that ra- hits as I Can’t Get No Satisfaction, went on to be a smash for the . dio’s early days were notorious for On : Paint It Black, Ruby Tuesday and Stones. “The Beatles trusted me,” says payola, whereby disc jockeys were Jumpin’ Jack Flash. But the song In the early ’60s, the Beatles Bennett, of his long association paid to play certain records. Ben- “I was in my New York office working on some that gave him the most trouble were managed by , with the group and later with each nett says payola was happening, figures with . Paul was Honky-Tonk Woman. but after his death on Aug. 27, 1967 Beatle after they began solo ca- but he was not part of any Jabbara and Saul Swimmer come in the office After the Stones sent an advance they needed someone to manage reers. schemes. with this girl who looked like she needed a good tape of Honky-Tonk Woman to their business affairs. The Beatles, “I broke their records and “One thing I learned since I got meal. She was wearing a ripped rabbit jacket and Bennett, he realized there was go- ready to launch Apple Records, worked hard at promoting them. I into promotion was that I didn’t a stained blouse. I had a dark suit on and she was give anybody lip service. That’s shedding all over me. Paul is saying to me you the way the Beatles liked me, I got to come and see her tonight, she’s great. didn’t go out and say their record “So the next morning this girl comes in and was a smash if I didn’t think so.” she’s making everyone in the office laugh. She ‘Pete is the personification of the independent Bennett is trying to get his life says again to come and see her that night, so I story published and has worked end going where she sings, it’s a real dive. I sit with a New York writer on an out- down in this club and who walks in — Johnny line and sample chapters in an ef- Carson and his talent co-ordinator. She gets on promotion man, he’s probably the originator of it’ fort to pitch his story to a few pub- the stage and in the first 20 minutes she’s breaks lishers. He’s also had preliminary everybody up. She sang like the Andrew Sisters. talks with longtime Hollywood Carson says right away that he wants her for five ing to be a problem getting the were looking for a promotion man was honest with them and they producer Howard W. Koch (The shows. She finishes her stuff and I go backstage song airplay because of the line “I to handle their records on the new liked me. They felt secure with me Manchurian Candidate, The Odd and Carson asks me who handles her. She says to laid a divorcee in .” label. and they could talk to me, we had Couple) about turning his years in Carson that I , so I negotiate the deal. People In 1969, says Bennett, a record Lennon asked who a lot of laughs together.” the record business into a movie. from Atlantic Records see her and love her. I with such a risqué lyric could be was promoting the Stones’ He says the Beatles were no dif- “Yeah, will play could not sign her with Apple Records until John banned by radio stations. He records and was told it was Ben- ferent from other rock groups — me in the movie,” jokes Bennett Lennon — who was president of the record label brought an acetate tape of the nett. At the end of 1967, Bennett they “needed promotion just like about his buddy “DeNiro.” — sees her. So Atlantic puts out her album and song to New York radio station joined the Beatles, working with everybody else. Bennett has hardly slowed then she appears on Carson and she’s a big hit.” WMCA and played it for radio sta- Allan Klein who was managing “Everybody thought a Beatles down, spending his days meeting tion executives. the Stones as well as taking on the record would always sell … With- longtime radio friends for dinner, On Bob Hope: “They said there was no way Fab Four. out the right marketing and pro- attending fundraising functions in they could possibly play the “It was crazy being with the motion it’s not going to happen.” New York, raising financing for a “Bob is a great guy, he trusts you but don’t lie to record on the air. I said what’s the Beatles during those days,” re- Years after the Beatles broke up, proposed film with Michael Mad- him. The mighty dollar is big to him, he’s probably problem. They said the lyric is members Bennett. “The fans McCartney brought Bennett a sen (Reservoir Dogs) and trying to worth about $5 billion. He owns land all over the bad. I had to bluff, so I said no, it wanted to be with them, they new song he had recorded called get a film about Apollo 14, featur- world, especially in Orlando. When you stay at a ho- says ‘played a divorcee, not laid.’ ” would be rioting and trying to My Love, hoping he could help ing astronaut Edgar Mitchell, off tel fans send gifts all the time, bottles of scotch, promote it to the public. the ground. He keeps his ear to the champagne, whatever. You have to tip the bellboy to “Paul thought the record was a ground, still looking for the next help you bring down all this stuff. When it comes to piece of s---. I said to him I love it. big thing, undiscovered talent that tipping Bob has holes in his pocket. So I’d have to I put it out there and promoted it could benefit from the Bennett reach into my pocket and give the bellboy about and it became a No. 1 hit for him. promotional spin. $200. He was surprised.” “I still have the drive, Bob Hope Bob usually gets $150,000 for one appearance, The Beatles’ breakup was in- had the drive up until two years plus transportation, but he usually would keep the evitable, says Bennett. “The ago, George Burns never retired. plane tickets because he has his own airplane. He downfall started with Lennon and “I don’t ever talk about retire- would always make sure I got the fuel money which McCartney, it was like who was ment, I’ll retire in my coffin. How was about $8,500. At the end of the concert we writing the better songs, who had could I stop if I see someone with would be walking to the plane and he’d be asking the bigger name. I also got the potential, I’d want to see them get me if I got the fuel money. I’d say yes I got the mon- feeling they did not want to be the right up there.” ey and he said where’s the money and I had to hand Beatles anymore, they wanted to the envelope with the money in it and he’d be look- branch out. Tony Lofaro writes for the Citizen. ing at it.” A Sure Sign Of A Close-Knit Family.

Paul Bennett’s career has brought him in contact with generations of stars, from the likes of Brooke Shields to legendary comedian Bob Hope.

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