With the upcoming release of his new album TONY BENNETT: DUETS/An American Classic on September 26, 2006, musical icon Tony Bennett brings his television special to NBC this Thanksgiving holiday. "Tony Bennett: An American Classic," presented by Target, premieres on Tuesday, November 21, 2006 (8-9 p.m. ET).

In a rare television guest appearance, Barbra Streisand joins Bennett for a duet of "Smile," which is the track they recorded for his DUETS album. Off of the heels of the release of her #1 selling album "Back to Basics," Christina Aguilera also joins the star-studded cadre of popular artists representing a wide range of musical genres from Pop, R&B, Latin and Jazz who sing with Bennett.

Musical performances include "The Shadow of Your Smile" with Juanes; "Rags to Riches" with Elton John; "The Best Is Yet to Come" with Diana Krall; "For Once In My Life" with Stevie Wonder; "Because of You" with k.d. lang and trumpeter Chris Botti; "Just In Time" with Michael Bubl; "Sing You Sinners" with John Legend; "Steppin' Out With My Baby" with Christina Aguilera; and "Smile" with Barbra Streisand.

"NBC is honored to salute the 80th birthday of this legendary entertainer," said Kevin Reilly, President of NBC Entertainment. "Hollywood's best will perform alongside an entertainer who is loved by millions of fans, and our viewers will have a chance to learn more about this man's extraordinary career."

The one-hour music special takes viewers on a spectacular journey through the renowned singer's life. Set amongst the backdrops of different eras from Bennett's career, performances will include duets of his most memorable songs as well as spectacular dance numbers. Each musical performance is shot as a short movie with Bruce Willis, Robert De Niro, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Billy Crystal narrating and introducing milestones in Bennett's life.

"Tony Bennett: An American Classic" is produced and directed by Academy Award winner Rob Marshall ("Chicago," "Memoirs of a Geisha") and his Oscar-winning production team, including production designer John Myrhe, costume designer Colleen Atwood, cinematographer Dion Beebe and choreographer John DeLuca.

"Working with Tony Bennett on this extraordinary and historic event has not only been thrilling for me, but also a singular honor," said Rob Marshall. "Mr. Bennett is an authentic and legendary icon who has helped shape the landscape of American music. Paying tribute to him in this way, with such an illustrious group of artists and creative talent, has been a once-in-a-lifetime experience."

Referred to as "the best singer in the business" by Frank Sinatra, Bennett has sold over 50 million albums worldwide, with over 100 recordings to his credit, and has garnered 13 Grammy Awards, including the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.

Rob Marshall ("Chicago," "Memoirs of a Geisha"), John DeLuca ("Terminal," "Chicago") and Danny Bennett ("Tony Bennett Live by Request: An All-Star Tribute") serve as executive producers with Marshall directing. The special is produced by RPM TV Productions, Inc.

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