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香蕉视频直播檚 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 香蕉视频直播渁 hit catalog rather than hit records.香蕉视频直播� He released more than 70 albums, bringing him 19 competitive Grammys 香蕉视频直播� all but two after he reached his 60s 香蕉视频直播� and enjoyed deep and lasting affection from fans and fellow artists.
Bennett didn香蕉视频直播檛 tell his own story when performing; he let the music speak instead 香蕉视频直播� 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香蕉视频直播檚, Bennett appealed with an easy, courtly manner and an uncommonly rich and durable voice 香蕉视频直播� 香蕉视频直播淎 tenor who sings like a baritone,香蕉视频直播� he called himself 香蕉视频直播� that made him a master of caressing a ballad or brightening an up-tempo number.
香蕉视频直播淚 enjoy entertaining the audience, making them forget their problems,香蕉视频直播� he told The Associated Press in 2006. 香蕉视频直播淚 think people 香蕉视频直播� are touched if they hear something that香蕉视频直播檚 sincere and honest and maybe has a little sense of humor. 香蕉视频直播� I just like to make people feel good when I perform.香蕉视频直播�
Bennett was praised often by his peers, but never more meaningfully than by what Sinatra said in a 1965 Life magazine interview: 香蕉视频直播淔or my money, Tony Bennett is the best singer in the business. He excites me when I watch him. He moves me. He香蕉视频直播檚 the singer who gets across what the composer has in mind, and probably a little more.香蕉视频直播�
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 香蕉视频直播淒uets II,香蕉视频直播� 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 香蕉视频直播淎my,香蕉视频直播� which showed Bennett patiently encouraging the insecure young singer through a performance of 香蕉视频直播淏ody and Soul.香蕉视频直播�
His final album, the 2021 release 香蕉视频直播淟ove for Sale,香蕉视频直播� featured duets with Lady Gaga on the title track, 香蕉视频直播淣ight and Day香蕉视频直播� 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.
香蕉视频直播淣o country has given the world such great music,香蕉视频直播� Bennett said in a 2015 interview with Downbeat Magazine. 香蕉视频直播淐ole Porter, Irving Berlin, George Gershwin, Jerome Kern. Those songs will never die.香蕉视频直播�
Ironically, his most famous contribution came through two unknowns, George Cory and Douglass Cross, who in the early 香蕉视频直播�60s provided Bennett with his signature song at a time his career was in a lull. They gave Bennett香蕉视频直播檚 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.
香蕉视频直播淩alph saw some sheet music in his shirt drawer 香蕉视频直播� and on top of the pile was a song called 香蕉视频直播業 Left My Heart In San Francisco.香蕉视频直播� Ralph thought it would be good material for San Francisco,香蕉视频直播� Bennett said. 香蕉视频直播淲e were rehearsing and the bartender in the club in Little Rock, Arkansas, said, 香蕉视频直播業f you record that song, I香蕉视频直播檓 going to be the first to buy it.香蕉视频直播櫹憬妒悠抵辈
Released in 1962 as the B-side of the single 香蕉视频直播淥nce Upon a Time,香蕉视频直播� 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 香蕉视频直播淟ate Night with David Letterman香蕉视频直播� and became a celebrity guest artist on 香蕉视频直播淭he Simpsons.香蕉视频直播� 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 香蕉视频直播淪teppin香蕉视频直播� Out With My Baby香蕉视频直播� from his Grammy-winning Fred Astaire tribute album ended up on MTV香蕉视频直播檚 hip 香蕉视频直播淏uzz Bin.香蕉视频直播�
That led to an offer in 1994 to do an episode of 香蕉视频直播淢TV Unplugged香蕉视频直播� with special guests Elvis Costello and k.d. lang. The evening香蕉视频直播檚 performance resulted in the album, 香蕉视频直播淭ony Bennett: MTV Unplugged,香蕉视频直播� which won two Grammys, including album of the year.
Bennett would win Grammys for his tributes to female vocalists (香蕉视频直播淗ere香蕉视频直播檚 to the Ladies香蕉视频直播�), Billie Holiday (香蕉视频直播淭ony Bennett on Holiday香蕉视频直播�), and Duke Ellington (香蕉视频直播淏ennett Sings Ellington 香蕉视频直播� Hot & Cool香蕉视频直播�). He also won Grammys for his collaborations with other singers: 香蕉视频直播淧layin香蕉视频直播� With My Friends 香蕉视频直播� Bennett Sings the Blues,香蕉视频直播� and his Louis Armstrong tribute, 香蕉视频直播淎 Wonderful World香蕉视频直播� with lang, the first full album he had ever recorded with another singer. He celebrated his 80th birthday with 香蕉视频直播淒uets: An American Classic,香蕉视频直播� featuring Barbra Streisand, Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder among others.
香蕉视频直播淭hey香蕉视频直播檙e all giants in the industry, and all of a sudden they香蕉视频直播檙e saying to me 香蕉视频直播榊ou香蕉视频直播檙e the master,香蕉视频直播櫹憬妒悠抵辈 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 香蕉视频直播淔ame香蕉视频直播�-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.
香蕉视频直播淲e were very impoverished,香蕉视频直播� Bennett said in a 2016 AP interview. 香蕉视频直播淚 saw her working and every once in a while she香蕉视频直播檇 take a dress and throw it over her shoulder and she香蕉视频直播檇 say, 香蕉视频直播楧on香蕉视频直播檛 have me work on a bad dress. I香蕉视频直播檒l only work on good dresses.香蕉视频直播櫹憬妒悠抵辈
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 香蕉视频直播淪t. James Infirmary.香蕉视频直播�
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.
香蕉视频直播淪he said please don香蕉视频直播檛 imitate other singers because you香蕉视频直播檒l just be one of the chorus whoever you imitate whether it香蕉视频直播檚 Bing Crosby or Frank Sinatra and won香蕉视频直播檛 develop an original sound,香蕉视频直播� Bennett recalled in the 2006 AP interview. 香蕉视频直播淪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.香蕉视频直播�
In 1947, Bennett made his first recording, the Gershwins香蕉视频直播� standard 香蕉视频直播淔ascinatin香蕉视频直播� Rhythm香蕉视频直播� 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 香蕉视频直播淎rthur Godfrey香蕉视频直播檚 Talent Scouts.香蕉视频直播� Bennett香蕉视频直播檚 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香蕉视频直播檛 care for his stage name and thought his real name was too long for the marquee.
香蕉视频直播淗e thought for a moment, then he said, 香蕉视频直播榃e香蕉视频直播檒l call you Tony Bennett,香蕉视频直播櫹憬妒悠抵辈 the singer wrote in his autobiography, 香蕉视频直播淭he Good Life,香蕉视频直播� published in 1998.
In 1950, Mitch Miller, the head of Columbia Records香蕉视频直播� pop singles division, signed Bennett and released the single, 香蕉视频直播淭he Boulevard of Broken Dreams,香蕉视频直播� 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 香蕉视频直播淏ecause of You.香蕉视频直播� More hits followed, including 香蕉视频直播淩ags to Riches,香蕉视频直播� 香蕉视频直播淏lue Velvet,香蕉视频直播� and Hank Williams香蕉视频直播� 香蕉视频直播淐old, Cold Heart,香蕉视频直播� 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 香蕉视频直播淐loud 7,香蕉视频直播� featuring a small jazz combo led by guitarist Chuck Wayne. Bennett reached out to the jazz audience with such innovative albums as the 1957 香蕉视频直播淭he Beat of My Heart,香蕉视频直播� 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香蕉视频直播檚 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.香蕉视频直播檚 1965 Selma-to-Montgomery voting rights march and
Bennett香蕉视频直播檚 early career peaked in the 1960s as he topped the charts with 香蕉视频直播淪an Francisco香蕉视频直播� 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 香蕉视频直播淭he Movie Song Album,香蕉视频直播� a personal favorite which featured Johnny Mandel香蕉视频直播檚 Oscar-winning song 香蕉视频直播淭he Shadow of Your Smile香蕉视频直播� and 香蕉视频直播淢aybe September,香蕉视频直播� the theme from the epic flop 香蕉视频直播淭he Oscar,香蕉视频直播� noteworthy because it marked Bennett香蕉视频直播檚 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 香蕉视频直播淭ony Sings the Great Hits of Today,香蕉视频直播� with such songs as 香蕉视频直播淢acArthur Park香蕉视频直播� and 香蕉视频直播淟ittle Green Apples.香蕉视频直播� 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 香蕉视频直播� for 香蕉视频直播淭ony Bennett Live By Request: A Valentine Special香蕉视频直播� (1996) and 香蕉视频直播淭ony Bennett: An American Classic香蕉视频直播� (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 香蕉视频直播� including portraits of his musician friends and Central Park landscapes 香蕉视频直播� were displayed in public and private collections, including the Smithsonian Museum of American Art.
香蕉视频直播淚 love to paint as much as I love to sing,香蕉视频直播� Bennett told the AP in 2006. 香蕉视频直播淚t worked out to be such a blessing in my life because if I started getting burnt-out singing 香蕉视频直播� I would go to my painting and that香蕉视频直播檚 a big lift. 香蕉视频直播� So I stay in this creative zone all the time.香蕉视频直播�
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AP National Writer Hillel Italie contributed to this story.
Charles J. Gans, The Associated Press
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