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 Tony Bennett's experience with Mitch Miller was little different than that of other strong-willed artists on the Columbia roster in the 1950s and early 1960s. Miller often pushed artists to record novelty-type songs that he thought would tickle the public's fancy, with little regard for what the artist felt was right. Or so legend has it. Bennett, however, says the image of Miller as the autocratic architect of pop fluff is "not really fair." In his autobiography, The Good Life, the singer recalls how Miller's astute judgment resulted in his cutting a groundbreaking hit.
"When Mitch first played me Hank Williams' 'Cold, Cold Heart,' I have to admit I didn't think I should sing it," Bennett recalls. "In those days country artists still used the old-time fiddle, and I told Mitch that I couldn't do it. He told me just to listen to the words and music, pointing out how beautiful the ending was: 'Why can't I free your doubtful mind/And melt your cold, cold heart?' He convinced me, and I recorded it. The song started out slowly at first, but it caught on and it kept climbing the charts until it was #1.
"Thanks to 'Cold, Cold Heart,' Hank's songs finally caught on with the rest of the country. This was the first time a country song had crossed over to the Top 40 mainstream chart." An Italian from Queens, New York helping to popularize country & western music from the Deep South? Only in pop music-and only in America.
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