Master vocalist Tony Bennett died Friday morning in New York at the age of 96.
Bennett, known for his exquisite talent for music with hits such as “I Left My Heart In San Francisco,” died in his hometown of New York City, according to The Associated Press. Though no official cause of death was announced by his publicist, Sylvia Weiner, Bennett was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2016.
Bennett released more than 70 albums over the course of his life and won 19 Grammy awards for this unmatched skill set. “I enjoy entertaining the audience, making them forget their problems,” he 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.”
Tony Bennett dies at the age of 96. pic.twitter.com/7twof3s1aD
— Pop Base (@PopBase) July 21, 2023
He was considered the “best singer in the business” by his friend and mentor, Frank Sinatra. “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,” Sinatra said of Bennett in a 1965 interview with Life magazine, The AP noted.
Bennett worked closely with a number of other superstar artists, such as Lady Gaga and the late Amy Winehouse, and continued working well after his Alzheimer’s diagnosis. (RELATED: Tony Bennett Announces Alzheimer’s Diagnosis)
He was also part of the U.S. military, having been drafted during World War II to the European theater, where he was involved in combat infantry, and helped liberate German-run concentration camps, Variety noted.
He is survived by his wife, Susan Benedetto, two sons, Danny and Dae Bennett, and his daughters, Johanna and Antonia Bennett, as well as nine grandchildren.
Rest In Peace.