Tony Bennett, the eminent and timeless stylist whose devotion to classic American songs and knack for creating new standards such as graced a decadeslong career that brought him admirers from Frank Sinatra to Lady Gaga, died Friday. He was 96, just two weeks short of his birthday.
Publicist Sylvia Weiner confirmed Bennett害羞草研究所檚 death to The Associated Press, saying he died in his hometown of New York. There was no specific cause, but Bennett had been diagnosed in 2016.
The last of the great saloon singers of the mid-20th century, Bennett often said his lifelong ambition was to create 害羞草研究所渁 hit catalog rather than hit records.害羞草研究所� He released more than 70 albums, bringing him 19 competitive Grammys 害羞草研究所� all but two after he reached his 60s 害羞草研究所� and enjoyed deep and lasting affection from fans and fellow artists.
Bennett didn害羞草研究所檛 tell his own story when performing; he let the music speak instead 害羞草研究所� the Gershwins and Cole Porter, Irving Berlin and Jerome Kern. Unlike his friend and mentor Sinatra, he would interpret a song rather than embody it. If his singing and public life lacked the high drama of Sinatra害羞草研究所檚, Bennett appealed with an easy, courtly manner and an uncommonly rich and durable voice 害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所淎 tenor who sings like a baritone,害羞草研究所� he called himself 害羞草研究所� that made him a master of caressing a ballad or brightening an up-tempo number.
害羞草研究所淚 enjoy entertaining the audience, making them forget their problems,害羞草研究所� he told The Associated Press in 2006. 害羞草研究所淚 think people 害羞草研究所� are touched if they hear something that害羞草研究所檚 sincere and honest and maybe has a little sense of humor. 害羞草研究所� I just like to make people feel good when I perform.害羞草研究所�
Bennett was praised often by his peers, but never more meaningfully than by what Sinatra said in a 1965 Life magazine interview: 害羞草研究所淔or my money, Tony Bennett is the best singer in the business. He excites me when I watch him. He moves me. He害羞草研究所檚 the singer who gets across what the composer has in mind, and probably a little more.害羞草研究所�
He not only survived the rise of rock music but endured so long and so well that he gained new fans and collaborators, some young enough to be his grandchildren. In 2014, at age 88, Bennett broke his own record as the oldest living performer with a No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 chart his duets project with Lady Gaga. Three years earlier, he topped the charts with 害羞草研究所淒uets II,害羞草研究所� featuring such contemporary stars as Gaga, Carrie Underwood and Amy Winehouse, in her last studio recording. His rapport with Winehouse was captured in the Oscar-nominated documentary 害羞草研究所淎my,害羞草研究所� which showed Bennett patiently encouraging the insecure young singer through a performance of 害羞草研究所淏ody and Soul.害羞草研究所�
His final album, the 2021 release 害羞草研究所淟ove for Sale,害羞草研究所� featured duets with Lady Gaga on the title track, 害羞草研究所淣ight and Day害羞草研究所� and other Porter songs.
For Bennett, one of the few performers to move easily between pop and jazz, such collaborations were part of his crusade to expose new audiences to what he called the Great American Songbook.
害羞草研究所淣o country has given the world such great music,害羞草研究所� Bennett said in a 2015 interview with Downbeat Magazine. 害羞草研究所淐ole Porter, Irving Berlin, George Gershwin, Jerome Kern. Those songs will never die.害羞草研究所�
Ironically, his most famous contribution came through two unknowns, George Cory and Douglass Cross, who in the early 害羞草研究所�60s provided Bennett with his signature song at a time his career was in a lull. They gave Bennett害羞草研究所檚 musical director, pianist Ralph Sharon, some sheet music that he stuck in a dresser drawer and forgot about until he was packing for a tour that included a stop in San Francisco.
害羞草研究所淩alph saw some sheet music in his shirt drawer 害羞草研究所� and on top of the pile was a song called 害羞草研究所業 Left My Heart In San Francisco.害羞草研究所� Ralph thought it would be good material for San Francisco,害羞草研究所� Bennett said. 害羞草研究所淲e were rehearsing and the bartender in the club in Little Rock, Arkansas, said, 害羞草研究所業f you record that song, I害羞草研究所檓 going to be the first to buy it.害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟
Released in 1962 as the B-side of the single 害羞草研究所淥nce Upon a Time,害羞草研究所� the reflective ballad became a grassroots phenomenon staying on the charts for more than two years and earning Bennett his first two Grammys, including record of the year.
By his early 40s, he was seemingly out of fashion. But after turning 60, an age when even the most popular artists often settle for just pleasing their older fans, Bennett and his son and manager, Danny, found creative ways to market the singer to the MTV Generation. He made guest appearances on 害羞草研究所淟ate Night with David Letterman害羞草研究所� and became a celebrity guest artist on 害羞草研究所淭he Simpsons.害羞草研究所� He wore a black T-shirt and sunglasses as a presenter with the Red Hot Chili Peppers at the 1993 MTV Music Video Awards, and his own video of 害羞草研究所淪teppin害羞草研究所� Out With My Baby害羞草研究所� from his Grammy-winning Fred Astaire tribute album ended up on MTV害羞草研究所檚 hip 害羞草研究所淏uzz Bin.害羞草研究所�
That led to an offer in 1994 to do an episode of 害羞草研究所淢TV Unplugged害羞草研究所� with special guests Elvis Costello and k.d. lang. The evening害羞草研究所檚 performance resulted in the album, 害羞草研究所淭ony Bennett: MTV Unplugged,害羞草研究所� which won two Grammys, including album of the year.
Bennett would win Grammys for his tributes to female vocalists (害羞草研究所淗ere害羞草研究所檚 to the Ladies害羞草研究所�), Billie Holiday (害羞草研究所淭ony Bennett on Holiday害羞草研究所�), and Duke Ellington (害羞草研究所淏ennett Sings Ellington 害羞草研究所� Hot & Cool害羞草研究所�). He also won Grammys for his collaborations with other singers: 害羞草研究所淧layin害羞草研究所� With My Friends 害羞草研究所� Bennett Sings the Blues,害羞草研究所� and his Louis Armstrong tribute, 害羞草研究所淎 Wonderful World害羞草研究所� with lang, the first full album he had ever recorded with another singer. He celebrated his 80th birthday with 害羞草研究所淒uets: An American Classic,害羞草研究所� featuring Barbra Streisand, Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder among others.
害羞草研究所淭hey害羞草研究所檙e all giants in the industry, and all of a sudden they害羞草研究所檙e saying to me 害羞草研究所榊ou害羞草研究所檙e the master,害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟 Bennett told the AP in 2006.
Long associated with San Francisco, Bennett would note that his true home was Astoria, the working-class community in the New York City borough of Queens, where he grew up during the Great Depression. The singer chose his old neighborhood as the site for the 害羞草研究所淔ame害羞草研究所�-style public high school, the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts, that he and his third wife, Susan Crow Benedetto, a former teacher, helped found in 2001.
The school is not far from the birthplace of the man who was once Anthony Dominick Benedetto. His father was an Italian immigrant who inspired his love of singing, but he died when Anthony was 10. Bennett credited his mother, Anna, with teaching him a valuable lesson as he watched her working at home, supporting her three children as a seamstress doing piecework after his father died.
害羞草研究所淲e were very impoverished,害羞草研究所� Bennett said in a 2016 AP interview. 害羞草研究所淚 saw her working and every once in a while she害羞草研究所檇 take a dress and throw it over her shoulder and she害羞草研究所檇 say, 害羞草研究所楧on害羞草研究所檛 have me work on a bad dress. I害羞草研究所檒l only work on good dresses.害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟
He studied commercial art in high school, but had to drop out to help support his family. The teenager got a job as a copy boy for the AP, performed as a singing waiter and competed in amateur shows. A combat infantryman during World War II, he served as a librarian for the Armed Forces Network after the war and sang with an army big band in occupied Germany. His earliest recording is a 1946 air check from Armed Forces Radio of the blues 害羞草研究所淪t. James Infirmary.害羞草研究所�
Bennett took advantage of the GI Bill to attend the American Theater Wing, which later became The Actors Studio. His acting lessons helped him develop his phrasing and learn how to tell a story. He learned the more intimate Bel Canto vocal technique which helped him sustain and extend the expressive range of his voice. And he took to heart the advice of his vocal coach, Miriam Spier.
害羞草研究所淪he said please don害羞草研究所檛 imitate other singers because you害羞草研究所檒l just be one of the chorus whoever you imitate whether it害羞草研究所檚 Bing Crosby or Frank Sinatra and won害羞草研究所檛 develop an original sound,害羞草研究所� Bennett recalled in the 2006 AP interview. 害羞草研究所淪he said imitate musicians that you like, find out how they phrase. I was particularly influenced by the jazz musicians like (pianist) Art Tatum and (saxophonists) Lester Young and Stan Getz.害羞草研究所�
In 1947, Bennett made his first recording, the Gershwins害羞草研究所� standard 害羞草研究所淔ascinatin害羞草研究所� Rhythm害羞草研究所� for a small label under the stage name Joe Bari. The following year he gained notice when he finished behind Rosemary Clooney on the radio show 害羞草研究所淎rthur Godfrey害羞草研究所檚 Talent Scouts.害羞草研究所� Bennett害羞草研究所檚 big break came in 1949 when singer Pearl Bailey invited him to join her revue at a Greenwich Village club. Bob Hope dropped by one night and was so impressed that he offered the young singer a spot opening his shows at the famed Paramount Theater, where teens had swooned for Sinatra. But the comedian didn害羞草研究所檛 care for his stage name and thought his real name was too long for the marquee.
害羞草研究所淗e thought for a moment, then he said, 害羞草研究所榃e害羞草研究所檒l call you Tony Bennett,害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟 the singer wrote in his autobiography, 害羞草研究所淭he Good Life,害羞草研究所� published in 1998.
In 1950, Mitch Miller, the head of Columbia Records害羞草研究所� pop singles division, signed Bennett and released the single, 害羞草研究所淭he Boulevard of Broken Dreams,害羞草研究所� a semi-hit. Bennett was on the verge of being dropped from the label in 1951 when he had his first No. 1 on the pop charts with 害羞草研究所淏ecause of You.害羞草研究所� More hits followed, including 害羞草研究所淩ags to Riches,害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所淏lue Velvet,害羞草研究所� and Hank Williams害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所淐old, Cold Heart,害羞草研究所� the first country song to become an international pop hit.
Bennett found himself frequently clashing with Miller, who pushed him to sing Sinatra-style ballads and gimmicky novelty songs. But Bennett took advantage of the young LP album format, starting in 1955 with 害羞草研究所淐loud 7,害羞草研究所� featuring a small jazz combo led by guitarist Chuck Wayne. Bennett reached out to the jazz audience with such innovative albums as the 1957 害羞草研究所淭he Beat of My Heart,害羞草研究所� an album of standards that paired him with such jazz percussion masters as Chico Hamilton, and Art Blakey. He also became the first white male singer to record with the Count Basie Orchestra, releasing two albums in 1958. Sinatra would later do the same.
Bennett害羞草研究所檚 friendship with Black musicians and his disgust at the racial prejudice he encountered in the Army led him to become an active supporter of the Civil Rights Movement. He answered to join Martin Luther King Jr.害羞草研究所檚 1965 Selma-to-Montgomery voting rights march and
Bennett害羞草研究所檚 early career peaked in the 1960s as he topped the charts with 害羞草研究所淪an Francisco害羞草研究所� and became the first male pop solo performer to headline at Carnegie Hall, releasing a live album of the 1962 concert.
In 1966, he released 害羞草研究所淭he Movie Song Album,害羞草研究所� a personal favorite which featured Johnny Mandel害羞草研究所檚 Oscar-winning song 害羞草研究所淭he Shadow of Your Smile害羞草研究所� and 害羞草研究所淢aybe September,害羞草研究所� the theme from the epic flop 害羞草研究所淭he Oscar,害羞草研究所� noteworthy because it marked Bennett害羞草研究所檚 first and only big-screen acting role.
But as rock continued to overtake traditional pop, he clashed with Columbia label head Clive Davis, who insisted that the singer do the 1970 album 害羞草研究所淭ony Sings the Great Hits of Today,害羞草研究所� with such songs as 害羞草研究所淢acArthur Park害羞草研究所� and 害羞草研究所淟ittle Green Apples.害羞草研究所� Bennett left Columbia in 1972, and went on to form his own record label, Improv, which in 1975-76 produced two duet albums with the impressionistic pianist Bill Evans now considered jazz classics.
Despite artistic successes, Improv proved a financial disaster for Bennett, who also faced difficulties in his personal life. His marriage to artist Patricia Beech collapsed in 1971. He wed actress Sandra Grant the same year, but that marriage ended in 1984. With no recording deals, his debts brought him close to bankruptcy and the IRS was trying to seize his house in Los Angeles. After a near-fatal drug overdose in 1979, he turned to his son, Danny, who eventually signed on as his manager. Bennett kicked his drug habit and got his finances in order, moved back to New York and resumed doing more than 200 shows a year.
He is survived by his wife Susan, daughters Johanna and Antonia, sons Danny and Dae and nine grandchildren.
Bennett was named a Kennedy Center Honoree in 2005 and a National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master in 2006. He also won two Emmy Awards 害羞草研究所� for 害羞草研究所淭ony Bennett Live By Request: A Valentine Special害羞草研究所� (1996) and 害羞草研究所淭ony Bennett: An American Classic害羞草研究所� (2007).
Besides singing, Bennett pursued his lifelong passion for painting by taking art lessons and bringing his sketchbook on the road. His paintings, signed with his family name Benedetto 害羞草研究所� including portraits of his musician friends and Central Park landscapes 害羞草研究所� were displayed in public and private collections, including the Smithsonian Museum of American Art.
害羞草研究所淚 love to paint as much as I love to sing,害羞草研究所� Bennett told the AP in 2006. 害羞草研究所淚t worked out to be such a blessing in my life because if I started getting burnt-out singing 害羞草研究所� I would go to my painting and that害羞草研究所檚 a big lift. 害羞草研究所� So I stay in this creative zone all the time.害羞草研究所�
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AP National Writer Hillel Italie contributed to this story.
Charles J. Gans, The Associated Press
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