The Remarkable Journey of Tony Bennett: Unveiling Grammy Triumphs, Cherished Family Bonds, and an Inspiring Retirement

Tony Bennett, the renowned jazz artist known for his hit song "Because of You," emerged from modest beginnings. Born in 1926 in Queens, New York, to a low-income family, Bennett, whose real name is Anthony Dominick Benedetto, faced the hardships of the Great Depression. His father, Giovanni "John" Benedetto, worked as a grocer, while his mother, Anna Maria Suraci, supported the family as a seamstress. Tragically, Bennett experienced the loss of his father at a young age, as John passed away when Bennett was just 10 years old.

Born and raised in New York, Tony Bennett discovered his passion for singing at a young age. To support his family financially, he would practice his craft while working as a waiter. According to Bennett himself, music seemed to flow naturally in Italian American families residing in America. In 1949, Bennett got his big break when renowned vaudeville singer Pearl Bailey invited him to open for her concert series in Greenwich Village. It was during one of these performances that famous entertainer Bob Hope took notice of Bennett and offered him a spot in his show at the Paramount Theater. At the time, Bennett was using the stage name Joe Bari, but it was Hope who suggested he change it to Tony Bennett.

One year later, the crooner inked a deal with Columbia Records, unleashing a string of smash hits like "Because of You" and "Blue Velvet." In 1962, he clinched his inaugural Grammy for his rendition of "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" and went on to amass an impressive haul of 19 victories and 41 nominations.

Bennett's star power endured across the decades, captivating a new generation of fans even as the landscape of popular music underwent seismic shifts in the '90s. His unforgettable appearance on MTV Unplugged in 1994 yielded a platinum-selling album and the prestigious Grammy for Album of the Year.

Bennett achieved significant success and acclaim during the 2000s, receiving prestigious awards such as the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2001 and the Kennedy Center Honors Award four years later. In 2011, he formed a close friendship with Lady Gaga, leading to a decade-long collaboration.

In 2014, Bennett and the renowned "Just Dance" artist released the Grammy-winning album Cheek to Cheek, which also earned Bennett a Guinness World Record for being the "oldest person to reach No. 1 on the U.S. Album Chart with a newly recorded album," despite him being 88 years old at the time. They further celebrated the album's success by releasing a concert special titled Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga: Cheek to Cheek Live!

Concluding his career, Bennett's final album, titled Love For Sale, was released in September 2021, marking another collaborative effort with Gaga.

One month prior to his retirement, Bennett announced that he would be stepping away from performing due to his Alzheimer's diagnosis. In order to commemorate his final performances with the artist behind the song "Shallow," they were transformed into a TV special titled One Last Time: An Evening with Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga. The special made its debut in November of that year.

In addition to his massive career success as the singer of "Love For Sale," Bennett has experienced love in various relationships throughout his life. He first married Patricia Beech in 1952, and they had two sons, Danny and Dae, before their divorce was finalized in 1971. In 1970, Bennett had a daughter named Joanna with his second wife, Sandra Grant, whom he married after his divorce from Beech. They also had another daughter named Antonia. However, the two separated in 2007, and Bennett went on to marry his third wife, Susan Crow, in the same year.

Bennett died on July 21, 2023, weeks away from his 97th birthday.

Keep scrolling to see Bennett’s life and career in photos:

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Tony Bennett Through the Years: Grammy Wins, Family Life, Retirement and More

Tony Bennett had a long and successful career as a jazz artist – but the “Because of You” singer started out with humble beginnings.

Born in Queens, New York in 1926 to a low-income family, the 19-time Grammy award winner, Anthony Dominick Benedetto, faced hardship during the Great Depression. His father, Giovanni “John” Benedetto, worked as a grocer, while his mother, Anna Maria Suraci, was a seamstress. Tragically, Bennett's father passed away when he was just 10 years old. Despite the challenges, Bennett began honing his singing skills at a young age. To help support his family, he even practiced while waiting tables. Reflecting on his upbringing, Bennett shared in a 1966 interview with Jazz Professional, "I started when I was about 6. I never met an Italian descent family in America that isn't musical."

Tony Bennett, the artist behind the iconic song "I Left My Heart in San Francisco," achieved his breakthrough in 1949 when vaudeville singer Pearl Bailey invited him to open for her concert series in Greenwich Village. It was during one of these performances that Bennett caught the attention of entertainer Bob Hope, who promptly offered him a spot in his show at the Paramount Theater. At the time, Bennett was known as Joe Bari, but it was Hope himself who suggested he change his stage name to Tony Bennett.

Just a year after his big break, Bennett signed with Columbia Records and released several chart-topping hits, including "Because of You" and "Blue Velvet." In 1962, he received his first Grammy award for his recording of "I Left My Heart in San Francisco." This marked the beginning of a highly successful career for Bennett, as he went on to win a total of 19 Grammys and earn a staggering 41 nominations.

Bennett's enduring popularity with a younger demographic kept him in the spotlight over the years, even as pop music evolved in the 1990s. His performance on MTV Unplugged in 1994 not only led to a platinum album but also earned him a Grammy for Album of the Year.

As the 2000s rolled in, Bennett continued to achieve remarkable success and receive recognition. In 2001, he was honored with the prestigious Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, followed by the Kennedy Center Honors Award in 2005. However, it was in 2011 that his close friendship with Lady Gaga began, paving the way for a fruitful collaboration that would span the next decade.

The Grammy-winning album "Cheek to Cheek" was released in 2014 by Bennett and the artist known for "Just Dance." This collaboration not only earned Bennett a Guinness World Record for being the "oldest person to reach No. 1 on the U.S. Album Chart with a newly recorded album" at the age of 88 but also led to the release of a concert special called "Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga: Cheek to Cheek Live!" to celebrate its success.

In September 2021, Bennett released his final album titled "Love For Sale," which was another collaborative effort with Gaga. However, before the album's release, Bennett revealed his retirement due to his Alzheimer's diagnosis. The live and recorded performances featuring Gaga were documented in a TV special called "One Last Time: An Evening with Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga," which premiered in November of the same year.

Throughout his highly successful career, the singer of "Love For Sale" experienced multiple instances of love. In 1952, Bennett tied the knot with his first wife, Patricia Beech. They had two sons, Danny and Dae, before ultimately divorcing in 1971. In 1970, Bennett welcomed his first daughter, Joanna, with his second wife, Sandra Grant, whom he married following his divorce from Beech. The couple also had a second daughter named Antonia. In 2007, they separated, and that same year, Bennett married his third wife, Susan Crow. Unfortunately, Bennett passed away on July 21, 2023, just a few weeks shy of his 97th birthday.

Keep scrolling to see Bennett’s life and career in photos:

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1949

The singer who rose from humble beginnings to great success, initially adopted the stage name Joe Bari, but later decided to change it to Tony Bennett upon receiving a job offer at the Paramount Theater from Hope, who offered this suggestion.

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1950s

After signing a groundbreaking contract with Columbia, a talented producer persuaded Bennett to venture beyond his jazz origins. "They introduced me to Percy Faith and his orchestra, and my inaugural record emerged as 'Because of You' in 1951," reminisced Bennett in an interview with Variety in 2015. In 1955, the maestro unveiled his debut studio album, Cloud 7, followed by the enchanting release of The Beat of My Heart two years later, showcasing a captivatingly vibrant jazz undertone—a defining characteristic of his future musical endeavors.

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1952

Bennett entered into matrimony with Beech, subsequently raising sons Danny and Dae, who eventually followed in their father's footsteps within the music industry. In 1965, Bennett and Beech experienced a separation, and their divorce was ultimately settled six years later.

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1962

Bennett became the first male pop singer to perform at Carnegie Hall.

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1969

Bennett and Grant became parents to daughter Joanna in 1969, two years prior to their marriage in 1971. Following the birth of their second daughter, Antonia, in 1974, the couple decided to separate in 1979. Eventually, their marriage officially ended with a divorce in 2007.

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1979 to 1986

Bennett's departure from Columbia Records marked a turning point in his career, leading to unfortunate consequences. Struggling without the support of a record label or manager, Bennett found himself ensnared in a distressing battle with drug addiction. In his autobiographical novel All The Things You Are: The Life of Tony Bennett, published in 1998, the artist openly confessed, "I used to rely on pills – both uppers and downers – as well as sleep-inducing medication. I spiraled into a destructive abyss, completely consumed by self-destruction."

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1990s

Bennett had a musical resurgence in the ‘90s, with his live album from MTV’s Unplugged going on to win album of the year at the 1995 Grammys.

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Early 2000s

Bennett and Crow established Exploring the Arts, a nonprofit organization, and the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts to promote arts education. This effort led to Bennett being honored with the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2002, he received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Society Composers, Authors, and Publishers. Four years later, he was recognized with the Kennedy Center Honors Award. As a native of Queens, Bennett was inducted into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame in 2006, a tribute to his musical beginnings. Additionally, in the same year, he was bestowed with the National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Masters Award, the highest recognition for jazz musicians in the United States.

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2007

Bennett tied the knot with his third spouse in 2007, several decades after their initial encounter when she was still in her mother's womb. In his memoir titled The Good Life, published in 1998, Bennett recollected the moment he had a photo taken with her parents, Dayl and Marion Crow, during a meet and greet event back in 1966. Reflecting on the serendipitous turn of events, Bennett inscribed, "As destiny would have it, Marion was carrying... Susan!"

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2014

After collaborating on his Duets II album in 2011, Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett developed a close friendship and later teamed up again for the jazz album Cheek to Cheek in 2014. The album's success led to a televised concert special titled Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga: Cheek to Cheek Live! This special took place at the Lincoln Center in the Rose Theater and was broadcast on PBS in October of the same year. Their incredible performance earned them a nomination at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Variety Special.

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2021

Bennett and Gaga collaborated on Bennett's final concert series in August 2021, culminating in a CBS televised event titled One Last Time: An Evening with Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga. This special featured highlights from both shows. Additionally, Bennett's last televised performance, in December 2021, also included his cherished friend Gaga.

Following his collaborative live shows with Lady Gaga, Bennett's retirement was officially confirmed. His declining health, attributed to Alzheimer's, was the primary reason behind this decision. Announced by Bennett's son and manager, Danny, he expressed the difficulty in making this choice, acknowledging his father's impressive abilities as a performer. Nevertheless, this retirement was strictly advised by medical professionals.