Legendary jazz and pop singer Tony Bennett dies at 96


A free daily digest of the biggest news stories of the day - and the best features from our website
Thank you for signing up to TheWeek. You will receive a verification email shortly.
There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again.
Great American pop and jazz vocalist Tony Bennett died Friday at the age of 96, his publicist confirmed to The Associated Press. Bennett was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 2016 but continued performing until 2021, and leaves behind a legendary career spanning over seven decades.
Bennett got his start as a jazz crooner in the 1950s and went on to release over 70 albums. "Tony Bennett possesses one of the great voices and singing careers of the last 60 years," said John Edward Hasse, music historian who was a former curator of American music at the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History. "Not very many singers, much less musicians, have achieved that kind of durability." His work won him 19 competitive Grammys and a lifetime achievement award, almost all of them earned after the age of 60.
He first gained widespread notoriety for his recording of "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" by George Cory and Douglass Cross. He is also well known for his collaboration with Lady Gaga on the 2014 album "Cheek to Cheek," which made him the oldest artist (88 at the time) to have a number-one record, per The Washington Post. He dedicated his career to preserving American classics by the likes of the Gershwins, Rodgers and Hammerstein, and Cole Porter.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"I enjoy entertaining the audience, making them forget their problems," Bennett told the AP in 2006. "I think people ... are touched if they hear something that's sincere and honest and maybe has a little sense of humor. ... I just like to make people feel good when I perform."
Bennett is survived by his wife, Susan Benedetto; his two sons, Danny and Dae Bennett; his daughters, Johanna Bennett and Antonia Bennett; and nine grandchildren, his representatives told People.
Continue reading for free
We hope you're enjoying The Week's refreshingly open-minded journalism.
Subscribed to The Week? Register your account with the same email as your subscription.
Sign up to our 10 Things You Need to Know Today newsletter
A free daily digest of the biggest news stories of the day - and the best features from our website
Devika Rao is a staff writer for The Week. She graduated from Cornell University with a degree in Environment and Sustainability and a minor in Climate Change. Previously, she worked as a Policy and Advocacy associate in the nonprofit space advocating for environmental action from the business perspective. She is passionate about the environment, books, and music.
-
Should you fire your financial adviser? 4 signs it's time to say goodbye.
The Explainer Breakups are never fun, but you have to protect your wallet
By Becca Stanek Published
-
The daily gossip: Man arrested in connection with shooting of Tupac Shakur, an OceanGate movie is in the works, and more
Feature The daily gossip: September 29, 2023
By Brendan Morrow Published
-
What to expect from an El Niño winter
The Explainer Things might be different thanks to this well-known weather phenomenon
By Devika Rao Published
-
Exodus begins from Burning Man after desert mud trapped tens of thousands
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
'Margaritaville' singer Jimmy Buffett dies at 76
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
American Airlines suing website that offers tickets via price loopholes
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
Federal agencies investigating near miss between Southwest jet and private plane
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
'Euphoria' star Angus Cloud dies at 25
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia Published
-
Pee-wee Herman actor Paul Reubens dies at 70
Speed Read
By Brendan Morrow Published
-
Trader Joe's recalls 4 products in a week amid reports of rocks and insects inside food
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
Emmys to be postponed for first time since after 9/11 due to strikes
Speed Read
By Brendan Morrow Published