Legendary Singer Tony Bennett Has Died at Age 96

The master vocalist was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2016.

Tony Bennett, a pioneer of the Great American Songbook and one of the most recognizable and beloved voices in the history of music, has died, according to his publicist, Sylvia Weiner. He was 96.

Bennett passed away in his hometown of New York on Friday, two weeks shy of his birthday. The cause of his death has yet to be confirmed, but in 2021, the legendary singer’s family opened up about his battle with Alzheimer’s disease after his diagnosis in 2016.

“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,” the caption read, which was posted on his Instagram account alongside a black-and-white portrait of the late singer. “Tony, because of you we have your songs in our heart forever. ❤”

Related: Lady Gaga Goes for Sleek, Black Perfection to Celebrate Tony Bennett's 90th Birthday

The iconic musician's career spanned eight decades, and he is regarded as one of the last great songbirds of the mid-20th century. With the purpose to create “a hit catalog rather than hit records,” he undoubtedly achieved that more than once, releasing hits like "I Left My Heart In San Francisco," "New York State of Mind", "I’ve Got You Under My Skin," and "Body and Soul." He released more than 70 albums (with a No. 1 album at the age of 85), and earned 19 Grammy Awards.

“I enjoy entertaining the audience, making them forget their problems,” he shared with The Associated Press 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.”

During his everlasting career, Bennett was not only admired by the generations he touched with his romantic ballads but also by his peers in the music industry. In 1965, Frank Sinatra said in an interview for Life magazine: “For my money, Tony Bennett is the best singer in the business. He excites me when I watch him. He moves me. He’s the singer who gets across what the composer has in mind, and probably a little more.”

Bennett is survived by his wife Susan Benedetto, his two daughters Johanna Bennett and Antonia Bennett, his sons Danny and Dae Bennett, and nine grandchildren.

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