Tony Bennett, the internationally famous singer whose voice epitomized the American Songbook, has died. He was 96.

1. OBITUARIES
DONATE
Tiny Desk #NowPlaying All Songs Considered Music Features Live Sessions
Tony Bennett, king of the American Songbook, dead at
96
July 21, 2023 ꞏ 8:56 AM ET
Walter Ray Watson
Tony Bennett poses while signing an autograph in 1988.
Bernt Claesson/Pressens Bild/AFP via Getty Images
Tony Bennett, the internationally famous singer whose voice epitomized the American
Songbook, has died. He was 96.
Bennett died Friday morning in New York City, according to a representative for the
singer. He was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2016, but his condition didn't
stop him from occasionally performing live or releasing new music. He reached the
Billboard Top 10 at age 95 in 2021 thanks to his second duet album with Lady Gaga,
By clicking “Accept All Cookies” or continuing, you agree to the use of cookies, similar tracking and storage
technologies, and information about your device to enhance your viewing, listening and user experience,
personalize content, personalize messages from NPR’s sponsors, provide social media features, and analyze
NPR’s traffic. This information is shared with social media, sponsorship, analytics, and other vendors or service
providers. You may customize which cookies you accept in "Cookie Settings."

2. Love For Sale, and celebrated his retirement the same year with two touching nights
at Radio City Music Hall.
Bennett hit the scene as a suave crooner in the 1950s and quickly established himself
as one of radio's most popular hit­makers. He was a showman, with an intimate
nightclub sensibility. He wore that persona everywhere. It was like his tailored suits:
age appropriate, yet timelessly cool.
He cut his first sides when he was 20 years old, including the song "St. James
Infirmary Blues," which was made right after World War II with a U.S. Army band in
Germany.
YouTube
St. James In몭rmary Blues
Watch later Share
OPEN
NPR 24 HOUR PROGRAM STREAMOn Air Now
Cookies Settings
Accept All Cookies

3. The world knew him as Tony Bennett; Bob Hope gave him that name. But he was born
Anthony Dominick Benedetto in the Astoria neighborhood of Queens, N.Y. His father
died when he was 10. Eventually, he quit high school, working odd jobs to help
support his family.
"I became a singing waiter in Astoria, Long Island," Bennett told WHYY's Fresh Air in
1998, "and it was the only job that I said, 'If I have to do this the rest of my life, I'd be
happy doing that.' "
In that interview, Bennett also noted that music was a family affair that started back in
Italy, with his father, who charmed his community with opera. "In Calabria," the
singer said, "he had a reputation for singing on top of the mountain. The whole valley
would hear it, and they enjoyed him so much."
Bennett himself studied opera, specifically the technique of bel canto singing, on the
G.I. bill. He says a teacher told him to emulate the phrasing of instrumentalists to find
his own voice.
His demo of "The Boulevard Of Broken Dreams" made it to producer Mitch Miller at
Columbia Records, and Bennett was signed in 1950. In short order, he sold millions of
records, and a 10­year string of hits followed.
Bennett made a name for himself as a crooner, but he loved jazz. He wasn't sure he
could pull it off.
"He always says, 'I'm not a jazz singer,' but he has a great feel for a beat," Bennett's
accompanist and arranger for more than 50 years, Ralph Sharon, told NPR in 1998.
Sharon added that the likes of Duke Ellington and Miles Davis appreciated the jazz
sensibility that Bennett brought to pop music. "I think that's why musicians love to
play with Tony, and also like to listen to him," Sharon noted.
And because he liked listening to them, Bennett wanted to sing with them. He
leveraged his pop stardom to record jazz albums with Art Blakey and the Count Basie
Orchestra.
No matter what style Bennett tried on, Sharon says one thing was clear: "I think it
definitely is and was an identifiable sound. I think you always knew it was him."

4. definitely is and was an identifiable sound. I think you always knew it was him."
Then, in 1962, Bennett's career really took off with the song "I Left My Heart In San
Francisco."
Sharon says the song that became Bennett's signature was an accident. Sharon found
the sheet music stashed in a drawer, along with some shirts. He packed it before
hitting the road.
YouTube
Tony Bennett "I Left My Heart In San Francisco" on The E…
Watch later Share
"I always remember," recounts Sharon, "we got to a place called Hot Springs,
Arkansas, and I took this out of my bag, and looked at it, and called Tony. And I said,
'You know something, we're going to San Francisco next.' And I said, 'This is a song
here that might be interesting.' "
It was much more than that. "I Left My Heart In San Francisco" became an
international hit — clinging to the U.S. charts for almost a year, and winning Bennett
two Grammy Awards.
With his superstardom, Bennett lent his voice to social causes, including civil rights. In
1965, protesters attempting to march from Selma to Montgomery, Ala., were attacked.
The incident became known as "Bloody Sunday." Two weeks later, Harry Belafonte
persuaded Bennett to brave the violence down South and go with him to Montgomery

5. to perform, as Bennett recalled on CNN in 2013.
"I didn't want to do it," Bennett told CNN, "but then he told me what went down —
how some Blacks were burned. Had gasoline thrown on them and they were burned.
When I heard that, I said, 'I'll go with you.'"
Bennett was sensitive to the changing times, but he wasn't too keen to change his
music. Bennett mostly refused to sing rock, the new sound. Instead, he stuck to
standards and recorded two acclaimed albums with jazz pianist Bill Evans. Bennett
played smaller venues and even did a little bit of television: The Muppet Show, David
Letterman, The Simpsons and MTV.
In 1994, he sang on MTV Unplugged, with k.d. lang making a cameo.
The success of the show and album helped tee up Bennett's next 20 years, putting his
voice to the ears of a brand­new generation. He went on to make duet recordings with
everyone from Stevie Wonder to Lady Gaga, who later became his biggest cheerleader
and an ambassador to a legion of new fans.
Tony Bennett VEVO YouTube
Tony Bennett, Lady Gaga - The Lady is a Tramp (from Du…
Watch later Share
He told NPR in 2011 that music was his life and the secret to his longevity.
"I love life," he said. "I wish I could communicate to the whole planet what a gift it is to

6. More Stories From NPR
MUSIC
Remembering André Watts, the American pianist who opened doors of
possibility
be alive."
Being alive, for Tony Bennett, meant following his passions, which included not only
music, but painting landscapes and portraits — signed "Antonio Benedetto."
Tony Bennett