Tony Bennett donates Duke Ellington painting

Tony Bennett donates Duke Ellington painting

WASHINGTON — Singer Tony Bennett is donating a watercolor he made of jazz great Duke Ellington to a Smithsonian museum in Washington, D.C.

Bennett said Wednesday that the painting was inspired by his longtime friendship with Ellington.

The painting depicts Ellington with a bouquet of pink roses in the background. The jazz musician made a habit of sending Bennett a dozen roses every time Ellington composed a new song.

The 82-year-old Bennett says he has been a lifelong painter. He says painting always keeps him in a “creative zone” if he gets tired of singing.

This is the third painting he has donated to the Smithsonian.

The National Portrait Gallery is adding the new painting to its halls on the 110th anniversary of Ellington’s birth.

Today’s birthdays

Actress Cloris Leachman is 83. Singer Willie Nelson is 76. Talk show host Gary Collins is 71. Actor Burt Young is 69. Singer Bobby Vee is 66. Actress Jill Clayburgh is 65. Actor Perry King (“Riptide”) is 61. Director Jane Campion is 55. Bassist Robert Reynolds of The Mavericks is 47. Actor Adrian Pasdar (“Heroes”) is 40. Rapper Turbo B of Snap is 42. Guitarist Clark Vogeler of The Toadies is 40. Singer Chris “Choc” Dalyrimple of Soul for Real is 38. Guitarist Chris Henderson of 3 Doors Down is 38. Country singer Carolyn Dawn Johnson is 38. Singer Akon is 36. Singer Jeff Timmons of 98 Degrees is 36. Actor Johnny Galecki (“The Big Bang Theory,” “Roseanne”) is 34. Rapper Lloyd Banks is 27. Actress Kirsten Dunst is 27. Country singer Tyler Wilkinson of The Wilkinsons is 25.