orig. Anthony (Dominick) Benedetto
born Aug. 3, 1926, Astoria, Queens, N.Y., U.S.
U.S. popular singer.
His first job was as a singing waiter, and he later sang under the name Joe Bari. In 1949 Pearl Bailey asked him to join her nightclub revue, and in 1950 Bob Hope suggested his new name. He had many hits in the 1950s, but "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" (1962) became his signature song. His style grew increasingly jazz-oriented over the years, and in the mid-1990s a special appearance on MTV heralded his comeback.