Still Unplugged at 67 : Tony Bennett’s appearance at the Civic Arts Plaza on Sunday comes amid a newfound popularity.

Much of the ongoing redefinition process of pop music--and culture in general--has to do with drawing lines, creating us versus them scenarios. And then, at some point, a sense of reason can creep in and old foes find a way to embrace. It’s the way of the cultural world.

Case in point: The grand return of great American singer Tony Bennett, whose appearance at the Civic Arts Plaza on Sunday comes amid a newfound popularity.

Although Bennett was once displaced in the pop music scene by the machinations of rock ‘n’ roll, the last decade has been very good to him. Bennett, a crooning favorite in the ‘50s and early ‘60s, began his long disappearance from the big-time record industry scene in the late ‘60s but never stopped working.

He worked on the road, he started his own small label, Improv, and he sustained his status as one of the best singers alive. Then as now, Bennett’s vocal style relies on a near-perfect balance of composure and spontaneous expression.

Beginning with his 1986 comeback album, “The Art of Excellence,” Bennett has released a series of stellar recordings, including a retrospective album “Tony Bennett Jazz,” “Bennett/Berlin,” “Astoria: Portrait of the Artist,” “Steppin’ Out,” and “Perfectly Frank,” which he dedicated to Sinatra, his longtime colleague in the singing game.

Yes, and now Tony Bennett has won a place in the heart of the post-grunge, alternarock scene. Who wudda thunk it? Does this mean that he has bitten the bullet of compromise on his latest album, “MTV Unplugged”--a recording of his recent MTV special, with cameos by k.d. lang and Elvis Costello?

Just the opposite. Even the title has a little sting of irony: Bennett has been unplugged since before musicians starting plugging in, and his set list is strictly Bennettesque, celebrating the same pre-rock American songs that he has always sung. Suddenly, Bennett is in his prime again, wooing jazz and pop fans of all ages.

In conversation, the silver-haired, 67-year-old Bennett is much like his singing presence--gracious, sincere, optimistic and quietly but steadfastly resistant to giving an inch.

This latest album of yours is really a celebration of archival American songs, and the fact that it was on MTV is startling in a way. Does that suggest that culture has cycled around?

One of the things I found out is that the young people dislike what they’ve inherited. They don’t like drugs. They want an education. They want honesty in a performer. They want quality. They want to save the environment. They really dislike politicians.

The young people should be encouraged. They shouldn’t be put down like the other group was, like they were morons or something. They shouldn’t be treated like that. They should be encouraged that they’re on the right kick. Bravo for you for going for an education and learning languages and wanting to become a professional person.

And having a desire to broaden their musical tastes?

They do. They love Pavarotti, they love Bartok. You’d be surprised. They love all kinds of music, and they gravitate toward anything that has quality to it.

On the Unplugged album, you give credit to your pianist, Ralph Sharon, for scouting out songs for you. Is that entirely true?

That’s entirely true. He’s a jazz artist who happens to enjoy entertaining people, and he loves good popular songs. He loves to hear good tunes and always finds wonderful ones. He has found songs like “Nobody Else But Me.” They weren’t hits, but they were songs that all the other jazz artists picked up on and started playing. Songs like “Lazy Afternoon,” “Sleeping Bee”--so many songs that you would call pop art songs. There is an art to the way they were written.

Ralph picked out many of the songs for me. He’s a very educated guy, and he never flaunts it. He’s a very understated type of guy, a wonderful accompanist.

Listening to Elvis Costello singing alongside you, I notice he seems to have picked up some things from you--that signature vibrato and phrasing--that seem to nod in your direction. Have you noticed that?

Well, anything but the vibrato. I don’t have that kind of vibrato. It’s a little too wide. You’re not supposed to wobble. But he does phrase a little like Sinatra. On “You Can’t Take That Away From Me,” he did this Sinatraesque phrase that was so obvious and it was fun. I’m thinking “Wait a minute; that’s Sinatra . . . “

You and Sinatra have had this mutual admiration society for a long time, haven’t you?

I was shocked at Radio City one time, I went to see him and he sat me down right next to his wife. It holds 6,000 and he was singing beautifully that night. He said, “There’s a guy in the audience and he’s my best friend not only in show business, but my best friend, period.” He announced me that way.

He’s always doing this to me, sometimes in remote places. I just got back from Buenos Aires, and the press there told me, “Did you hear what Sinatra said about you down here? He said ‘Tony not only sings better than I do, but he paints better than I do.’ ” He’s always throwing me wonderful accolades and embarrassing me, yet helping my box office like crazy. Everybody wants to look into me because of him.

Is there a longstanding friendly competition between you two?

No competition whatsoever. It’s been just a great warm friendship. He’s been very thoughtful and nice through the years. One thing about Sinatra is, boy, when he’s loyal, does he stick to that. He does not change his mind. He’s been just beautiful to me right through the years.

What do you make of the renewed popularity of the songs you do? Do you think maybe they dipped out of the public eye for a spell and are returning with tenacity now?

I knew Fred Astaire toward the end of his life, and he said something very brilliant to me. He said: “Look at it this way. On one side is Muzak. On the other side is this cacophonous sound. And in the center, there’s a silver lining, and that will sustain.”

Everything else will just be thrown away like in a garbage pail. They’ll just go by the wayside. The silver lining--like Bunny Berrigan’s “I Can’t Get Started,” Coleman Hawkins’ “Body and Soul,” Billie Holiday’s “Good Morning Heartache,” Miles Davis’ “Miles Ahead,” a Fred Astaire dance, a Frank Sinatra song, Mr. Paganini--all these wonderful performances--they stay. Everything else goes by the wayside. They’re forgotten. That’s how it works. The truth comes up to the top and stays there.

Details

* CONCERT: Tony Bennett will perform at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, Dec. 4 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets: $8 to $25.