Tony Bennett has received an enormous amount of love and appreciation over the past 24 hours as fans, colleagues, friends, and family members pay tribute to one of the greatest the music industry has ever seen. His death was confirmed by his wife, Susan Benedetto, and son, Danny Bennett, on Friday.
Susan and Danny took to the late singer’s Instagram account on July 21 to share a photo of Tony Bennett performing at Radio City Music Hall on August 3, 2021 – it was his 95th birthday. They shared a touching message about their loved one’s legacy and the appreciation they have for every single one of his fans.
“Thank you to all the fans, friends and colleagues of Tony’s who celebrated his life and humanity and shared their love of him,” his wife and son wrote. “Tony delighted in performing the songs he loved and making people happy. And as sad as today has been for all of us we can find joy in Tony’s legacy forever.”
And what a legacy he’s leaving behind – one that dates back more than 80 years when he was just a child performing at the opening of the Triborough Bridge in 1936. Three years later, he started to sing for money as a singing waiter in Italian restaurants in Queens – which his wife alluded to on Instagram.
Tony Bennett spent a few years in the United States Army during the latter stages of World War II before returning to the United States and continuing his career in music. It wasn’t until the 1950s that he started to gain notoriety as a crooner of traditional pop music – his debut album Because of You came in 1952.
Between 1952 and 2021, Tony Bennett released 50 studio albums, three Christmas albums, eight collaborative albums, 11 live albums, and 34 compilation albums. His l accolades include 20 Grammy Awards, two Emmy Awards, a Lifetime Achievement Award, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.