Tony Bennett is a legendary singer that has performed from the 1940s until 2021, and today he sadly died at age 96.
The prolific singer who has garnered 20 Grammy Awards, two Primetime Emmy Awards, and a Lifetime Achievement Award, Tony Bennett has sadly passed away at the age of 96. His publicist, Sylvia Weiner confirmed his status to the Associated Press this morning. The cause of death was uncertain. Weiner also reported he had died in his hometown in New York. Tony Bennett was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease back in 2016.
Tony Bennett has had an illustrious music career that has spanned over 70 years. In that time span, he both earned the admiration of current musical talent Lady Gaga, and the admiration of legendary singer Frank Sinatra, proving himself right back in 2011 when he said “It wasn’t a surprise at all,” toward his 1994 “Unplugged” MTV performance that won him a Grammy, The Independent reported Bennett then said “And I’ll tell you why. Good music is good music.”
Tony Bennett is the king of having an instantly recognizable voice, and his music appears in many films and TV shows. Possibly his music’s most famous appearance is in the opening segment of the 1990 gangster film, Goodfellas, where after the main character Henry Hill (voiced by Ray Liotta) says “As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangster” and the crooning of Bennett can be heard from his song “Rags to Riches” in the foreground.
Fans and colleagues have flocked to Twitter to express their support for Tony Bennett. George Takei said “He was the last of his kind, a master of the American songbook. He may have left his Heart in San Francisco, but he won all of our hearts, from Sinatra to Lady Gaga. Be at peace, and sing to us now from the stars, Tony.” Lead Singer Gene Simmons from Kiss also shared his condolences “Today we lost an icon of icons. Kind, considerate, and as Sinatra was quoted as saying, the best singer of them all. Rest In Peace, Tony Bennett.”
Tony Bennett’s final album release was “Love for Sale” in 2021, and he is survived by his wife Susan, daughters Johanna and Antonia, sons Danny and Dae, and nine grandchildren.
