Rob Halford, the iconic frontman of Judas Priest, has revealed that he is considering a bold new musical direction: a tribute album to the legendary jazz and pop crooner Tony Bennett. In a recent interview with UCR, Halford, 73, shared his admiration for Bennett, who passed away in 2023 at the age of 96, and said he feels he has earned the right to explore new artistic territory.
“I was singing Tony Bennett in the shower the other day and I listened to my voice and I’m going, ‘Do I dare to consider something like this?'” Halford told the publication. He added, with a laugh: “I’m an old man, I can do what I f***ing want!”
The vocalist said he was deeply saddened by Bennett‘s death and referred to him as “an icon and a beacon.” Halford has long expressed his appreciation for a wide variety of singers and musical genres, telling UCR: “My love for what the voice can do is always so attractive to me – the ideas, the imagination, like Lady Gaga doing her thing in Vegas when she does the jazz side of stuff.”
When asked about the logistics of such a project, Halford admitted he isn’t sure how he would go about it, but acknowledged that if he’s going to do it, he should “get a move on.”
The singer believes that the current music landscape is more open to artistic risk-taking than it was in the past. He said that earlier in his career, record labels and management would tell him: “No, this is who you are. Don’t deviate!” Now, he feels there’s a newfound freedom. “Now you can do whatever you want, regardless of where you’re at,” he said. “I think we’re in a beautiful time where there’s acceptance of music and understanding the joy of music, without barriers. It’s wonderful.”
While no official plans have been announced, a Tony Bennett tribute album would certainly be a stark departure from the heavy metal sound Halford is known for. It would not be his first project outside of Judas Priest, however, having previously released a blues album and two Christmas albums.
