American Singer, Tony Bennett Dies Aged 96

Tony Bennett, the last in a generation of classic American crooners whose ceaselessly cheery spirit bridged generations to make him a hitmaker across seven decades, lost his life on Friday in New York at the age of 96.

Raised in an era when big bands defined US pop music, Bennett achieved an improbable second act when he started winning over young audiences in the 1990s — not by reinventing himself but by demonstrating his sheer joy in belting out the standards.

At age 88, Bennett 2014 became the oldest person ever to reach number one on the US album chart through a collection of duets with Lady Gaga, who became his friend and touring companion as younger stars rushed to work with the singing great.

Bennett, who announced in 2016 that he had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, passed away in his hometown, his publicist Sylvia Weiner made this known without revealing a cause.

He was “still singing the other day at his piano,” said a message on his official Twitter account.

Tributes quickly poured in from the music, political, and acting worlds.

“Without doubt the classiest singer, man, and performer you will ever see. He’s irreplaceable. I loved and adored him,” Elton John wrote on Instagram.

“For more than 70 years, Tony Bennett didn’t just sing the classics — he himself was an American classic,” President Joe Biden said in a statement, offering his and his wife Jill Biden’s condolences to loved ones and fans of the “timeless artist” who brought “joy.”

Likened since the start of his career to Frank Sinatra, Bennett first tried to distance himself but eventually followed much of the same path as earlier crooners — singing in nightclubs, on television, and for movies.

His attempts to act ended quickly though. His gift proved to be his stage presence. With a welcoming smile and dapper suit, he sang with gusto and a smooth vibrato in a strong, clearly enunciated voice.

Starting with his recording of the film song “Because of You” in 1951, Bennett sang dozens of hits including “Rags to Riches,” “Stranger in Paradise” and, what became his signature tune, “I Left My Heart in San Francisco,” which landed him two of his 19 Grammy Awards.

But the British Invasion led by The Beatles initially took a toll on the singer, whose music suddenly sounded quaint and antiquated. He nearly died of a cocaine overdose in 1979 before sobering up and reviving his career.

“When rap came along, or disco, whatever the new fashion was at the moment, I didn’t try to find something that would fit whatever the style was of the whole music scene,” Bennett told the British culture magazine Clash.

“I just stayed myself and sang sincerely and tried to just stay honest with myself… and luckily it just paid off.”