ByNatalie Dreier, Cox Media Group National Content Desk
Remembering Tony Bennett FILE PHOTO: Tony Bennett performs during the 2018 CMA Country Christmas at Curb Event Center on September 27, 2018 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images) (Jason Kempin/Getty Images)
(Jason Kempin/Getty Images)
ByNatalie Dreier, Cox Media Group National Content Desk
The entertainment world is reeling from news that iconic crooner Tony Bennett has died at the age of 96.
Bennett’s official Facebook page said, “Tony left us today but he was still singing the other day at his piano and his last song was, ‘Because of You,’ his first #1 hit. Tony, Because of you we have your songs in our heart forever.”
New York City Mayor Eric Adams called Bennett “a working class kid from Queens.”
A working class kid from Queens, Tony Bennett sang our song to the world.
Don't let the lyrics fool you – he left is heart right here in New York City. May he rest in peace. https://t.co/DacSoQV90N
Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers wrote on social media, “What a dude, what a class act, what a singer. so grateful to have shared a stage with him. a beautiful human being,” The Independent reported.
Singer Paul Young called Bennett “truly one of the greats.”
Ahhh, RIP Tony Bennett, truly one of the greats. The first album I had was Tony Bennett sings 10 Rodgers and Hart songs, from when my record company in 1976 let me do a ‘bank raid’ of their vinyl stock and I was a fan from there on in. An incredible singer live, saw him many… pic.twitter.com/FN9Z1Q4Cmb
Singer and actor Harry Connick Jr. said that Bennett “changed the world with your voice.”
WQED in Pittsburgh remembered Bennett’s appearance on “Mister Rogers Neighborhood,” where the singer performed Roger’s song “It’s You I Like” while he drew a picture of one of Roger’s puppets.
The great Tony Bennett has passed away at the age of 96. He was the last of his kind, a master of the American songbook. He may have left his Heart in San Francisco, but he won all of our hearts, from Sinatra to Lady Gaga. Be at peace, and sing to us now from the stars, Tony.
Rest in Peace to one of the best to ever grace the stage. I was just saying that the greatest gig I had ever witnessed was Tony Bennett at North Sea Jazz in 2012. It was like dropping a needle on a record. He was the last of the greatest generation of singers and musicians. pic.twitter.com/KAqtyA3ujr
— Joe Bonamassa (Official) (@JBONAMASSA) July 21, 2023
This one shouldn’t sting so much because any of us would take 96 years, but man is it hard to imagine a world without the great Tony Bennett. 💔 https://t.co/IFCUhxP868
Photos: Tony Bennett through the years Here are some memorable photos of singer Tony Bennett through the years. (Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images 8th Annual Exploring The Arts Gala)
Photos: Tony Bennett through the years 1965: American singer Tony Bennett with a group of chorus girls during a rehearsal for the Royal Variety Show in London on Nov. 7, 1965. (Larry Ellis/Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
Photos: Tony Bennett through the years 1968: American singer Tony Bennett signs autographs on April 8, 1968. (Keystone Features/Getty Images)
Photos: Tony Bennett through the years 1969: American singer Tony Bennett in London. (Central Press/Getty Images)
Photos: Tony Bennett through the years 1970: American singer Tony Bennett with some of the dancing girls who appear in his show at the London Palladium. (Central Press/Getty Images)
Photos: Tony Bennett through the years 1971: American singer Tony Bennett painting a city landscape on June 11, 1971. (Daily Express/Getty Images)
Photos: Tony Bennett through the years 1972: American singer Tony Bennett feeding the pigeons with his daughter, Joanna, on Jan. 14, 1972. (Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
Photos: Tony Bennett through the years 1973: Singers Diana Ross and Tony Bennett attending the premiere of the film "Lady Sings the Blues" at the ABC 1, Shaftesbury Avenue, London, on April 5, 1973. (Central Press/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
Photos: Tony Bennett through the years 1977: American singer and painter Tony Bennett holding one of his paintings,
which he creates under the name Anthony Benedetto, on Nov. 7, 1977. (Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
Photos: Tony Bennett through the years 1995: Singer Tony Bennett (center) performs during halftime at Super Bowl XXIX at the Joe Robbie Stadium in Miami. The San Francisco 49ers defeated the San Diego Chargers won 49-26. (Doug Pensinger/Allsport via Getty Images)
Photos: Tony Bennett through the years 1999: Elton John and Tony Bennett at the Rainforest Foundation Benefit at Carnegie Hall in New York City on April 17, 1999. (Scott Gries/ImageDirect via Getty Images)
Photos: Tony Bennett through the years 2000: Tony Bennett and Diana Krall launch their "Two for the Road" tour on Friday, Aug. 4, 2000, at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles. (Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Photos: Tony Bennett through the years 2001: Tony Bennett (center) with daughter Antonia (right) and date Susan Crow (left) arrive at the 43rd annual Grammy Awards at Staples Center in Los Angeles on February 21, 2001. (Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Photos: Tony Bennett through the years 2002: Tony Bennett (left) poses with Billy Joel after presenting him with a lifetime achievement award during the 2002 New York Magazine Awards Luncheon on December 16, 2002, at the Four Seasons Restaurant in New York City. (Matthew Peyton/Getty Images)
Photos: Tony Bennett through the years 2003: Tony Bennett in the press room at the 45th annual Grammy Awards at Madison Square Garden on February 23, 2003, in New York City. (Scott Gries/Getty Images)
Photos: Tony Bennett through the years 2004: Singer Tony Bennett (left) and Larry King appear onstage at An Evening With Larry King and Friends to benefit the Larry King Cardiac Foundation on April 23, 2004, at the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel, in Beverly Hills, California. (Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Photos: Tony Bennett through the years 2005: U.S. President George W. Bush (center) and first lady Laura Bush stand with the Kennedy Center honorees, actress Julie Harris, actor Robert Redford, singer Tina Turner, ballet dancer Suzanne Farrell and singer Tony Bennett, on December 4, 2005, in Washington, D.C. The entertainers were all honored at the Kennedy Center Honors ceremony. (Eric Draper/The White House via Getty Images)
Photos: Tony Bennett through the years 2006: Singers Michael Buble and Tony Bennett arrives at the 48th annual Grammy Awards at the Staples Center on February 8, 2006, in Los Angeles. (Stephen Shugerman/Getty Images)
Photos: Tony Bennett through the years 2007: Musicians Tony Bennett and Stevie Wonder accept the award for "Best Pop Collarboration with Vocals" onstage at the 49th annual Grammy Awards at the Staples Center on February 11, 2007, in Los Angeles. (Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Photos: Tony Bennett through the years 2008: Singer Tony Bennett performs on stage at the third annual Carnegie Hall Medal of Excellence Awards at the Waldorf-Astoria on April 7, 2008, in New York City. (Brad Barket/Getty Images)
Photos: Tony Bennett through the years 2009: Singer and co-founder of Exploring the Arts organization, Tony Bennett (left), and former president Bill Clinton attend the Exploring the Arts Gala at Cipriani, Wall Street on September 21, 2009, in New York City. (Gary Gershoff/Getty Images for Exploring the Arts)
Photos: Tony Bennett through the years 2010: Singer Tony Bennett, dancer Mikhail Baryshnikov, playwright Tony Kushner, musicologist Henry-Louis De La Grange, actress Patty Lapone, opera director Frank Corsaro and philanthropist Glorya Kaufman pose as they attend the 2010 commencement ceremony where they received an honorary degree at Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center, on May 21, 2010, in New York City. (Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)
Photos: Tony Bennett through the years 2011: Aretha Franklin and Tony Bennett perform onstage during Tony Bennett's 85th Birthday Gala Benefit for Exploring the Arts at the Metropolitan Opera House on September 18, 2011, in New York City. (Larry Busacca/Getty Images)
Photos: Tony Bennett through the years 2012: Singer Tony Bennett (left) and Carrie Underwood speak onstage at the 54th annual Grammy Awards held at Staples Center on February 12, 2012, in Los Angeles. (Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Photos: Tony Bennett through the years 2013: Journalist/TV personality Katie Couric, Tony Bennett and Susan Crow attend the Film Society of Lincoln Center's 40th Chaplin Award Gala supported by Grey Goose vodka at Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center, on April 22, 2013, in New York City. (Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images for GREY GOOSE)
Photos: Tony Bennett through the years 2014: Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga pose backstage after her show at Roseland Ballroom on April 6, 2014, in New York City. (Theo Wargo/Getty Images)
Photos: Tony Bennett through the years 2015: Singers Lady Gaga (left) and Tony Bennett, winners of Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album for "Cheek to Cheek," pose in the press room during the 57th annual Grammy Awards at the Staples Center on February 8, 2015, in Los Angeles. (Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
Photos: Tony Bennett through the years 2016: Recording artists Tony Bennett (left) and Ariana Grande attend the Republic Records Grammy Celebration presented by Chromecast Audio at Hyde Sunset Kitchen & Cocktail on February 15, 2016, in Los Angeles. (Imeh Akpanudosen/Getty Images for Republic Records)
Photos: Tony Bennett through the years 2017: Tony Bennett and Lucy Liu attend the American Theatre Wing Centennial Gala at Cipriani 42nd Street on September 18, 2017. (Jemal Countess/Getty Images for American Theatre Wing)
Photos: Tony Bennett through the years 2018: Recording artists Tony Bennett (left) and John Legend speak onstage during the 60th annual Grammy Awards at Madison Square Garden on January 28, 2018, in New York City. (Kevin Winter/Getty Images for NARAS)
Photos: Tony Bennett through the years 2019: Katie Holmes and Tony Bennett attend the American Ballet Theatre 2019 Fall Gala at David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center on October 16, 2019, in New York City. (Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)
Photos: Tony Bennett through the years 2020: In this screengrab, Tony Bennett appears/performs during the 2020 Carousel of Hope Ball benefiting the Children’s Diabetes Foundation on October 10, 2020. (Getty Images/Getty Images for Children's Diabetes Foundation)
