Tony Bennett has been honoured with his own Day in New York by Governor Andrew Cuomo.
The music icon is celebrating his 95th birthday with a pair of live shows featuring Lady Gaga at Radio City Music Hall and, ahead of the performances, was honoured by state officials.
“Music and the arts have long been an essential piece of the fabric of New York, and you would be hard-pressed to find someone who has made more of a contribution in this space than Tony Bennett,” Governor Cuomo said.
It’s officially #TonyBennettDay in NY! As a lifetime New Yorker of now 95 years, this is an honor. Thanks to New York State. pic.twitter.com/jGq7yL561F
— Tony Bennett (@itstonybennett) August 3, 2021
“Not only is Tony a born and bred New Yorker who has been dazzling audiences with beautiful music for more than six decades, but he has always stayed true to his humble New York roots and can always be spotted throughout the City whether he is working on his next painting in Central Park, or just chatting with fans on the street.
“From growing up as a child of immigrants, to all the contributions he has made to our community, Tony Bennett is a New Yorker in the truest sense of the word and I am honored to proclaim August 3, 2021 as ‘Tony Bennett Day’ in New York.”
In a post on social media, the singer added: “It’s officially #TonyBennettDay in NY! As a lifetime New Yorker of now 95 years, this is an honor. Thanks to New York State.”
Tony’s return to the stage comes weeks after the pair taped their ‘MTV Unplugged’ performance together, marking their final outing ahead of their second collaborative album – the follow-up to 2014’s ‘Cheek to Cheek’.
‘Love for Sale’ will be released October 1 and is available to pre-order now.
