Tony Bennett's Incredible Legacy: Celebrating the Remarkable Life of the Jazz Icon

Tony Bennett on ‘Skavlan’ Swedish TV Show, Stockholm, Sweden on October 6, 2011. Ibl/Shutterstock

Tony Bennett, the legendary musician, passed away in New York on Friday, July 21, at the age of 96. His publicist verified this information, revealing that Bennett was just weeks away from turning 97.

The cause of death was not immediately disclosed.

Bennett, also known by his real name Anthony Dominick Benedetto, was the foremost jazz and traditional pop vocalist of the 20th and 21st centuries, earning 18 Grammy Awards during his impressive music career spanning nearly seven decades.

Born on August 3, 1926 in the Astoria neighborhood of Queens, New York, the entertainer was exposed to the music of renowned artists like Louis Armstrong, Judy Garland, and Bing Crosby during his upbringing. While attending the High School of Industrial Arts, he not only developed a passion for painting but also started singing and honed his skills by performing at local Italian restaurants, aspiring for a successful singing career.

In 1944, Bennett was enlisted in the U.S. Army towards the end of World War II and served in France and Germany. Following his discharge in 1946, he pursued studies at the American Theatre Wing in New York City. It was in three years' time that his breakthrough arrived when comedian Bob Hope witnessed his performance and recommended the more Americanized name Tony Bennett. Shortly after, Columbia Records offered him a contract.

Bennett made his debut album, Because of You, in 1952 and got married to Patricia Beech, an art student, in the same year. They had two sons, Danny and Dae, in 1954 and 1955 respectively. In 1956, Bennett tried his hand at television by hosting the short-lived NBC variety show called The Tony Bennett Show during The Perry Como Show’s off-season. He also continued releasing albums and managed to put out nine by the end of the 1950s.

In 1962, Bennett, who was a well-known performer at nightclubs, headlined a concert at the famous Carnegie Hall. During the concert, he sang popular hits like “The Best Is Yet to Come” and “I’ve Got the World on a String.” Later that same year, he won his first two Grammys for Record of the Year and Best Male Solo Vocal Performance for his well-known song “I Left My Heart in San Francisco.”

After departing Columbia for Verve Records in the late 1960s, Bennett experienced a decline in his career until the late 1970s. During this period, his marriage with Beech ended, and they finalized their divorce in 1971. In the same year, Bennett entered into a union with actress Sandra Grant. They welcomed their daughters Joanna and Atonia in 1970 and 1974 respectively. Although Bennett and Grant ended their relationship in 1979, their marriage remained legally binding until 2007.

Following the dissolution of his second marriage, Bennett struggled with drug addiction and encountered a nearly fatal cocaine overdose in 1979. However, seven years later, he made a comeback by re-signing with Columbia, which led to a revival in his career. Gradually, he began to attract a younger audience, partly due to his notable performances at the 1993 MTV Video Music Awards and MTV Unplugged the following year.

Bennett's performance on A&E's Live by Request earned him a Primetime Emmy in 1996. As his career progressed, he continued to accumulate accolades, including a second Emmy and the prestigious 2001 Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2007, he found love once again, tying the knot with former schoolteacher Susan Crow. Despite their significant 40-year age difference, the couple joined forces to establish the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts in Astoria.

Even in his 80s and 90s, the talented performer remained active in the music industry, regularly making television appearances. In 2006 and 2011, he released award-winning duets albums, collaborating with renowned artists such as Barbra Streisand, Paul McCartney, Elton John, Billy Joel, John Legend, Amy Winehouse, Aretha Franklin, and Mariah Carey. In 2014, he achieved the remarkable feat of becoming the oldest artist to reach No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with his joint album "Cheek to Cheek" with Lady Gaga. To promote the record, Bennett and Gaga embarked on a 36-date concert tour, captivating audiences worldwide. Building on this success, the duo went on to record a follow-up album in 2021.

Bennett, an ardent painter and dedicated humanitarian, was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2016. Crow disclosed to AARP in 2021 that while her husband did not fully comprehend the implications of the neurodegenerative condition, he remained in good physical health and sustained his musical pursuits to stimulate his cognitive abilities.

"He is not the same Tony he once was," she stated during that period. "However, when he sings, he embodies the essence of his former self."