Legendary vocalist Tony Bennett dead at 96

Tony Bennett has died at the age of 96. The master pop vocalist passed away on July 21 in New York City.

His death was confirmed by his publicist Sylvia Weiner in a statement to the Associated Press. There was no specific cause of death named.

The adored singer – who Frank Sinatra called the greatest popular singer in the world – picked up his first Grammy for his hit, I Left My Heart in San Francisco, in 1962, and nearly 60 years later he stood alongside Lady Gaga, to collect his 20th. He was 95.

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Tony was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2016, but did not go public with his condition until five years later, and continued to perform despite it.  

Over the years, he collaborated with star performers from Lady Gaga to Aretha Franklin and Frank Sinatra too. He loved making music and it gave him immense pleasure to make his audience feel good. 

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“I enjoy entertaining the audience, making them forget their problems,” he told 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.”

He collaborated more than once with Lady Gaga and both albums ‘Cheek to Cheek’ and ‘Love for Sale’ were smash hits. 

After his Alzheimers diagnosis, Lady Gaga opened up about what a wonderful man and friend he was and how heartbreaking his health condition was. 

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Speaking on BBC Radio Two’s Zoe Ball Show, she called him “one of my most favorite people on the whole planet”.

“I can’t tell you how much I learned from him and what it’s like to sing with a legend for so many years,” she shared. “I’ve sung with Tony for almost 10 years, and it’s heartbreaking to watch what he’s going through having Alzheimer’s, and also I wish to say to anybody that’s listening that knows somebody with Alzheimer’s or dementia that’s dealing with that in their lives. 

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“If you are with that person that you love, play some music from their childhood and I promise you that they will come to life in a way that is not expected.

“And not everyone you know, every case is different and everybody’s different, but they’re still there and my heart goes out to you and this album was made while he had Alzheimer’s and we sang it while he had Alzheimer’s and he was still able to do it, I am just floored by him.”