Tony Bennet has died.
The legendary singer, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease back in 2016, died in his hometown of New York, of undisclosed causes. He was 96.
His publicist, Sylvia Weiner, confirmed his death in a statement to Associated Press.
Bennett released his first album in 1952 and the US star went on to record more than 70 albums, winning 19 Grammys throughout his lifetime. In later years, he became known for his collaborations with Lady Gaga, with the pair releasing two studio albums: ‘Cheek To Cheek’ (2014) and ‘Love For Sale’ (2021).
He performed his final shows with the pop superstar later that year, with his son Danny confirming they marked the end of his performing career.
“There won’t be any additional concerts. This was a hard decision as he is a capable performer. This is, however, doctors’ orders. His continued health is the most important part of this,” he said at the time.
Of his father’s retirement, Danny added: “He’ll be doing other things but not those shows. It’s not the singing but the travel.
“Doing concerts now is just too much. We don’t want him to fall on stage – something as simple as that.”
Throughout his lifetime, Bennett collaborated with numerous artists, including Amy Winehouse, k.d. lang and Frank Sinatra, with the latter famously calling him “the best singer in the business”.
Among his best known hits were Rags To Riches and his signature song, I Left My Heart in San Francisco.
