The purpose here is not so much to pay tribute to the old-timers who helped keep the Great American Songbook alive during the rock-dominated era of the latter 1900s, but to draw attention to the growing number of rock and pop singers who have introduced new generations to these quintessentially American artworks. Any such salute is necessarily selective, of course, but the following offers a few examples that even die-hard supporters of the standards may have missed along the way.

In regard to the old-timers, Frank Sinatra's two "Duets" albums and Sinatra 80^th—Live in Concert (Capitol, 1995) contain some of his best. It is fascinating to compare his later versions of songs like "My Heart Stood Still" with earlier takes on albums like The Concert Sinatra (Reprise 1963). In the intervening 30 years, there was a noticeable deterioration of Sinatra's vocal quality but an even more striking increase in the emotional depth of his treatment of the lyrics. Something to ponder for its implications far beyond pop and jazz vocal music.

Another worthy effort by a veteran singer is An Evening with Mel Torme—Live from the Disney Institute (Concord Records, 1996), the final recording by "The Velvet Fog." Even near the end of his singing career, the power and range of his vocal ability and expressiveness are astonishing. Not only are his jazz and scat singing top-notch, but the lyricism of his ballad singing is lovely. "Stardust," in particular, is (there are no other words for it) transcendentally beautiful.

Rocker Rod Stewart has cranked out four CDs of standards as part of his ambitious "The Great American Songbook" project: It Had to Be You (J-Records, 2002), As Time Goes By (J-Records, 2003), Stardust (J-Records, 2004), and Thanks for the Memory (J-Records, 2005). These also are available as a boxed set from J-Records. And say what you will about his raspy voice and over-the-top body language in his television and video performances of these songs, Stewart has done more than any other single artist in the past 25 years (with the possible exception of Linda Ronstadt) to help today's young people connect with our American musical heritage.

Another rock-pop artist, Boz Scaggs, recently released two albums of standards: But Beautiful: Standards, Volume 1 (Gray Cat Records, 2003) and Speak Low (Decca Records, 2008). Eschewing the usual lush big-band or orchestral settings, Scaggs instead went with a very sparse orchestration: piano, bass, drums, and saxophone. The arrangements are stylistically imaginative, the jazz solos are top-notch, and Scaggs's renditions make for mellow listening. Two CDs of standards that fans of Ray Charles will want to know about are The Genius of Ray Charles (Atlantic, 1990) and Standards (Rhino, 1998). And veteran crooner Johnny Mathis has a wonderful compilation of songs: How Do You Keep the Music Playing? The Songs of Michel Legrand and Alan & Marilyn Bergman (Sony, 1993).

Honorable mention has to go to pop singer/songwriter James Taylor, for his ventures into classic American songs. In particular, check out "Walkin' My Baby Back Home" on Hourglass (Sony, 1997) and "The Nearness of You" on jazz sax superstar Michael Brecker's Nearness of You: The Ballad Book (Umvd Labels, 2001).

Female vocalists have been even more prolific in recording the standards. "Best of Show" goes to Maureen McGovern for her many fine CDs, a number of them focusing on particular songwriters. In addition to Another Woman in Love (Sony, 1987), State of the Heart (Sony, 1990), and The Pleasure of His Company (Sterling, 1998; this one performed as a duo with Mel Torme's pianist, Mike Rienzi), I have to cite Naughty Baby—Maureen McGovern Sings Gershwin (CBS Records, 1989), Out of This World: McGovern Sings Arlen (Varese Records, 1996, reissued 2003), The Music Never Ends: The Lyrics of Alan & Marilyn Bergman (Varese Records, 1997, reissued 2003), and With a Song in My Heart: the Great Songs of Richard Rodgers (Centaur, 2001).

Linda Ronstadt's recordings with Nelson Riddle: What's New (Elektra, 1983) and Lush Life (Elektra, 1984) were released before Riddle passed away in 1985, the third Ronstadt-Riddle collaboration was released shortly thereafter: For Sentimental Reasons (Elektra, 1986). Happily, these three albums were reissued as a double CD entitled Round Midnight. And speaking of "Lush Life," another CD by the same name was released two years previously to Ronstadt's by disco queen Donna Summer (Polygram Records, 1982, re-issued 1994). 

Along with folk-rocker Carly Simon's 1981 album Torch (Warner Brothers, re-issued in 1990), we should also note her other standards albums: My Romance (Arista, 1990), Film Noir (Arista, 1997), and Moonlight Serenade (Sony, 2005). Pop-jazz singer Toni Tenille has released two excellent albums of standards, one in 1988, Do It Again (re-released with additional tracks as More Than You Know (Varese Records, 2003) and, more recently, Incurably Romantic (Varese Records, 2001).

More honorable mentions: Best Individual Performance goes to Gloria Estefan for her sparkling, romantic rendition of Bernstein and Sondheim's "Tonight" on Dave Grusin Presents—West Side Story (Encoded Music, 1997). And Shocker of the Decade is awarded to Queen Latifah for The Dana Owens Album (Interscope Records, 2004), for her recordings of (yet another version of) "Lush Life," "Close Your Eyes," "If I Had You," and "Moody's Mood for Love," the latter being a classic jazz reworking of the great standard, "I'm in the Mood for Love."

Last, but not quite, is the relentlessly lush 7-CD compilation of recordings originally made in the 70s and 80s by the Singers Unlimited: Magic Voices (Polygram Records, 1998). Their baritone singer, Gene Puerling (along with the other two male singers), was one of the fabulous mid-20th century jazz vocal group, the Hi-Lo's, and his arrangements for that group and the Singers Unlimited are legendary. There are hours and hours of pleasurable basking in these harmonically and rhythmically fresh renditions of the standards.

Finally, I must add the wonderful recordings of standards by Calabria Foti (daughter of trombonist and arranger Richard Fote) on her albums A Lovely Way to Spend an Evening (MoCo Jazz, 2007), In the Still of the Night (MoCo Records, 2017), Prelude to a Kiss (MoCo Records, 2019), and (with her husband, jazz trombonist Bob McChesney) Together for Christmas ((MoCo Records, 2022). Calabria has a splendid contralto voice, and she is mistress of the nuanced lyric and musical phrase. (Bob frequently solos on her albums, too, and his playing is superb).

This catalogue of superlative artists (hopefully) should rekindle musical memories for some listeners of a "certain age" and chart new musical paths for some of the young and uninitiated to follow.  For all, these memorable music performances are waiting to provide immeasurable joy to be found within the sounds of America's melodies.