Legendary pop vocalist Tony Bennett dies at 96 after seven-year battle with Alzheimer’s disease

Legendary pop, jazz and big-band vocalist Tony Bennett has died at the age of 96 after a seven-year battle with Alzheimer’s disease. Publicist Sylvia Weiner confirmed the news of Tony’s death to New York Post. His official cause of death has yet to be announced.

The official Facebook page of Tony also confirmed the news. “Tony left us today but he was still singing the other day at his piano and his last song was, “Because of You,” his first #1 hit. Tony, because of you we have your songs in our heart forever,” the post says.

Tony was bornAnthony (Antonio) Dominick Benedetto on August 3, 1926, in Astoria, Queens, in New York City. While his father Giovanni ‘John’ Benedetto was a grocer, his mother Anna Maria (Suraci) was a seamstress. He studied music and painting at the New York High School of Industrial Arts, but ended up dropping out when he was 16. He performed as a singing waiter in Italian restaurants to support his family.

‘He also integrated jazz-style phrasing into his singing’

According to IMBb, “At the beginning of his career he drew from such influences as Judy Garland, Louis Armstrong, and Bing Crosby among others and eventually created his own style of singing. He also integrated jazz-style phrasing into his singing by imitating the instrumental solos with his own voice.”

“In 1956, he hosted The Tony Bennett Show (1956), which replaced Perry Como’s Kraft Music Hall (1948). He continued making recordings with the top jazz musicians of the day and his collaboration with Count Basie brought two albums, with ‘Chicago’ and ‘Jeepers Creepers’ becoming popular songs. His landmark concert at the Carnegie Hall in June of 1962 featured 44 songs and was accompanied by an all-star band. The same year he released ‘I Left My Heart in San Francisco’, which remained on the charts for a year and has become his signature song. The eponymous album became a gold record,” it adds.

Once his career began becoming successful, there was no looking back. Millions of fans congratulated him for his enormous success on his 80th anniversary. IMDb says, “In November 2006, Bennett hosted a Gala-party in his honor at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles. There he enjoyed live performances by numerous celebrities. The party came to culmination when Mr. Bennett entertained his guests by singing his best known hits: ‘I Left My Heart in San Francisco’ and ‘What A Good Life’.” Tony was married twice, first to Patricia Beech in 1952. After they separated, he married Susan Crow in 2007.

‘Never compromise, only do quality’

Tony once said thatmaintaining high standards is the key to longevity. “I joined the American Theatre Wing (after fighting in World War II) and it was the best choice I ever made.” The first thing he learned: “Whether it was music or dancing or singing, they taught everybody, ‘Never compromise, only do quality.’ And now it’s all paid off,” he said.

His best survival tip was to get a hobby. “It is particularly beneficial as a performer to have another art form to pursue. Whenever I get a bit burned out from performing, which is a very gregarious activity in front of thousands of people, I can find time to be all on my own and just focus on painting, which is a more internal activity,” he said.

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