Tony Bennett, American master pop vocalist, dies at 96
Primetime Emmy Awards. The "I Left My Heart In San Francisco" hitmaker had also earned extreme admiration and respect from Frank Sinatra to Lady Gaga. Publicist Sylvia Weiner confirmed Bennett's death to The Associated Press, saying he died in his hometown of New York.
There was no specific cause, but Bennett had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2016. Tony Bennett released more than 70 albums, bringing him 19 competitive Grammys — all but two after he reached his 60s — and enjoyed deep and lasting affection from fans and fellow artists.
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 for “Cheek to Cheek," his duets project with Lady Gaga.
In February 2021, it was revealed that Bennett was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2016. Due to the slow progression of his illness, he continued to record, tour, and perform until his retirement from concerts due to physical challenges, which was announced after his final performances on August 3 and 5, 2021, at Radio City Music Hall.
Three years earlier, he topped the charts with “Duets II," featuring such contemporary stars as Gaga, Carrie Underwood and Amy Winehouse, in her last studio recording. His rapport with Amy Winehouse was captured in the Oscar-nominated documentary “Amy," which showed Bennett patiently encouraging the insecure young singer through a performance of “Body and Soul." His final album, the 2021 release “Love for Sale," featured duets with Lady Gaga on the title track, “Night and Day" 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
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