Tony Bennett facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Tony Bennett
Bennett, c. 1960s
Born	Anthony Dominick Benedetto (1926-08-03)August 3, 1926 New York City, U.S.
Died	July 21, 2023(2023-07-21) (aged 96) New York City, U.S.
Occupation	Singer painter
Years active	1936–2021
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Patricia Beech ​ ​ (m. 1952; div. 1971)​ Sandra Grant ​ ​ (m. 1971; div. 1983)​ Susan Crow ​ (m. 2007)​
Children	4, including Antonia
Musical career
Genres	Traditional pop show tunes swing jazz easy listening big band
Labels	Columbia MGM Improv Legacy Verve

Anthony Dominick Benedetto (August 3, 1926 – July 21, 2023), known as Tony Bennett, was a famous American singer. He won many awards, including 20 Grammy Awards and a special Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. He also received two Primetime Emmy Awards. Tony Bennett was recognized as an NEA Jazz Master and a Kennedy Center Honoree. He even started a special school for arts in New York, called the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts. Throughout his amazing career, Tony Bennett sold over 50 million records around the world.

Tony Bennett started singing when he was very young. He served in the U.S. Army during the final parts of World War II in Europe. After the war, he worked hard to improve his singing. He signed with Columbia Records and had his first number-one hit song, "Because of You", in 1951. Other popular songs like "Rags to Riches" followed in 1953. He then began to focus more on jazz singing. In the late 1950s, he released popular jazz albums like The Beat of My Heart and Basie Swings, Bennett Sings. In 1962, Tony Bennett recorded his most famous song, "I Left My Heart in San Francisco".

Later, during the rise of rock music, his career slowed down. But Tony Bennett made a big comeback in the late 1980s and 1990s. He released albums that sold millions of copies again. He even became popular with the MTV generation, all while keeping his classic musical style. He sang many duets and performed with famous singers like Frank Sinatra and Lady Gaga.

Tony Bennett continued to create popular music into the 21st century. He became very well-known again for his work with Lady Gaga. Their first album together, Cheek to Cheek (2014), was a huge success. They even went on tour together in 2014 and 2015. Their second album, Love for Sale (2021), set new records. Tony Bennett became the oldest living artist to have a top-10 album on the Billboard 200 chart. His first top-10 album was in 1962, showing how long his career lasted! He also set a Guinness World Record for being the oldest person to release an album with new songs. He was 95 years and 60 days old at the time.

In February 2021, it was announced that Tony Bennett had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2016. Even with his illness, he kept recording and performing. He retired from concerts after his final shows on August 3 and 5, 2021, at Radio City Music Hall.

Tony Bennett's Life and Career

Early Life (1926–1943)

Anthony Dominick Benedetto was born on August 3, 1926. He was born in Long Island City, Queens, New York City. His father, John Benedetto, was a grocer, and his mother, Anna, was a seamstress. Tony was the first in his family to be born in a hospital. His father came from Podargoni, a village in southern Italy. His mother's parents also came from Italy. Tony grew up with an older sister, Mary, and an older brother, John Jr.

His family was poor because his father was sick and couldn't work. But his father taught him to love art and books. Tony's father passed away when Tony was just ten years old. Growing up during the Great Depression made him a lifelong supporter of the Democratic Party.

Tony Bennett loved listening to famous singers like Al Jolson and Bing Crosby. He also enjoyed jazz artists like Louis Armstrong. His uncle Dick was a tap dancer, which gave him a peek into show business. By age 10, he was already singing. He even performed at the opening of the Triborough Bridge and met the mayor of New York City.

Drawing was another early passion. He was known for drawing funny pictures of his classmates. He thought he might become a commercial artist. At 13, he started singing for money. He worked as a singing waiter in Italian restaurants in Queens.

Tony went to New York's School of Industrial Art. There, he studied painting and music. He learned to appreciate proper techniques in both. But he left school at 16 to help his family. He worked low-paying jobs, like a copy boy for the Associated Press. However, he really wanted to be a professional singer. He continued to sing as a waiter and won amateur singing contests.

World War II and Becoming a Singer (1944–1950)

Tony Benedetto joined the United States Army in November 1944. This was during the final stages of World War II. He trained to be an infantry rifleman. In January 1945, he was sent to the 255th Infantry Regiment. This unit was replacing soldiers lost in the Battle of the Bulge. He traveled through France and into Germany. By March 1945, he was on the front line, which he called a "front-row seat in hell."

Tony and his company faced tough battles in the cold winter. They often hid in foxholes as German guns fired. They crossed the Rhine River and fought house-to-house in German towns. Tony nearly died several times during his time in combat. This experience made him a pacifist, someone who believes war is wrong. He later said, "It was a nightmare that's permanent." He also helped free prisoners from the Kaufering concentration camp, a subcamp of Dachau. He wrote that he "saw things no human being should ever have to see."

After the war, Tony stayed in Germany as part of the occupying forces. He joined a special Army band that entertained American soldiers. He used the stage name Joe Bari. After leaving the Army in 1946, Tony studied at the American Theatre Wing. He learned a special singing style called bel canto, which helped keep his voice strong for his whole career. He kept performing wherever he could. He also developed a unique way of singing, imitating jazz musicians like Stan Getz and Art Tatum.

In 1949, singer Pearl Bailey noticed Tony's talent. She asked him to perform before her show. Bob Hope was in the audience and was impressed. Hope took Tony on tour and suggested he shorten his name to Tony Bennett. In 1950, Tony Bennett signed with Columbia Records.

First Big Hits (1951–1959)

Tony Bennett (right) with Chicago writer Irv Kupcinet in the 1950s.

Tony Bennett was told not to sound like Frank Sinatra, another famous singer. He started his career singing popular pop songs. His first huge hit was "Because of You" in 1951. It was number one for ten weeks and sold over a million copies. Later that year, his version of Hank Williams's "Cold, Cold Heart" also topped the charts. This helped introduce country music to more people. His song "Blue Velvet" was also very popular. Teenage fans would scream at his concerts, where he sometimes did seven shows a day!

In 1953, he had another number-one hit with "Rags to Riches". This was a faster, big band song. Later that year, he recorded "Stranger in Paradise" to promote a Broadway musical. The song became a hit, and Tony often recorded songs from musicals after that. "Stranger in Paradise" was also a number-one hit in the United Kingdom.

When rock and roll became popular in 1955, it was harder for pop singers to have hits. But Tony Bennett still did well. He had eight songs in the Billboard Top 40 in the late 1950s. "In the Middle of an Island" reached number nine in 1957, even though he didn't like the song!

In 1956, Tony Bennett hosted his own TV show, The Tony Bennett Show, for a month. He also filled in for The Perry Como Show in 1959.

Growing as an Artist (1954–1965)

In 1954, guitarist Chuck Wayne became Tony Bennett's music director. Tony released his first full album, Cloud 7, in 1955. This album showed his interest in jazz music. In 1957, Ralph Sharon became his pianist and music director. Sharon told Tony that singing only "sweet saccharine songs" wouldn't last. He encouraged Tony to focus more on jazz.

Tony Bennett (right) with composer Harold Arlen in 1964.

This led to the 1957 album The Beat of My Heart. It featured famous jazz musicians and was very popular. Tony then worked with the Count Basie Orchestra. He was the first male pop singer to perform with Basie's band. Their albums, Basie Swings, Bennett Sings (1958) and In Person! (1959), were highly praised.

Tony also made his nightclub shows better. In June 1962, he performed a big concert at Carnegie Hall. He was the first male pop singer to headline there. The concert featured 44 songs and was a huge success. Tony also appeared on TV, singing on the first broadcast of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson in October 1962.

Also in 1962, Tony released "I Left My Heart in San Francisco". This song was old but not well-known. It became his most famous song. The album with the same name was a top-5 hit and sold millions of copies. The song won Grammy Awards for Record of the Year and Best Male Solo Vocal Performance. In 2001, it was named one of the most important songs of the 20th century.

His next album, I Wanna Be Around... (1963), was also a top-5 success. Songs like "I Wanna Be Around" and "The Good Life" were popular singles.

In the mid-1960s, the Beatles and the British Invasion changed music. Rock music became more popular than pop and jazz. Tony Bennett's hits became smaller. His last top-40 single was "If I Ruled the World" in 1965. He tried acting in the 1966 film The Oscar, but he didn't enjoy it.

Tony Bennett strongly supported the Civil Rights Movement. He marched in the 1965 Selma to Montgomery marches. He also performed at a rally before Martin Luther King Jr.'s famous speech. Tony refused to perform in South Africa because of its unfair racial laws.

Challenges and Comeback (1965–1989)

Tony Bennett performing in 1966.

Tony Bennett and his music director, Ralph Sharon, stopped working together in 1965. Record companies wanted singers like Tony to record rock songs. Tony didn't want to, and when he tried, the results weren't good. For example, his 1970 album Tony Sings the Great Hits of Today! had covers of Beatles songs, but Tony felt sick recording it. He later said it was like his mother being forced to make a cheap dress.

By 1972, he left Columbia Records and moved to London for a while. He hosted a TV show there. He tried different musical styles but didn't find success. In a few years, he didn't even have a record deal.

Tony decided to start his own record company, Improv. He recorded some songs that later became popular. He also made two great albums with jazz pianist Bill Evans. But Improv didn't have a way to distribute its music widely, and it closed in 1977. By the end of the 1970s, Tony Bennett had no record contract, no manager, and wasn't performing many concerts.

In 1979, Tony asked his sons, Danny and Dae, for help. Danny, who was good at business, became his father's manager. Danny helped Tony get his finances in order and moved him back to New York. He started booking Tony in colleges and small theaters to change his image. By 1986, Tony Bennett was back with Columbia Records. He had more control over his music now. He released The Art of Excellence, which was his first album to reach the music charts since 1972.

Finding a New Audience (1990–1995)

Danny Bennett believed that younger people would love his father's music if they heard it. He didn't want Tony to change his look, singing style, or song choices. So, Danny started booking Tony on TV shows like Late Night with David Letterman, which had a younger audience. Tony also appeared on The Simpsons and MTV shows. In 1993, he played concerts for alternative rock radio stations. The plan worked! Tony realized that young people had never heard these classic songs before. He said, "If you're different, you stand out."

Tony Bennett in Baltimore in 1995.

During this time, Tony continued to record. He released Astoria: Portrait of the Artist (1990). Then he made themed albums, like Perfectly Frank (1992), a tribute to Frank Sinatra, and Steppin' Out (1993), a tribute to Fred Astaire. Both albums sold millions of copies and won Grammys for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance. This showed that Tony Bennett was a true American music legend.

Tony Bennett was seen at the MTV Video Music Awards with rock stars, and his music video for "Steppin' Out with My Baby" played on MTV. The New York Times newspaper said that Tony Bennett had "demolished" the generation gap. He connected with a younger crowd without changing his style.

His new popularity peaked with his appearance on MTV Unplugged in 1994. Tony joked on the show, "I've been unplugged my whole career." He performed with rock and country stars Elvis Costello and k.d. lang. The show was very popular. The album from the show, MTV Unplugged: Tony Bennett, sold millions of copies. It won the Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance Grammy and the top Grammy prize, Album of the Year.

Into His 70s and Beyond (1996–2006)

After his comeback, Tony Bennett became very successful. By 1999, he was worth a lot of money. He never planned to retire. He said that creative people keep working until they die, like artists Pablo Picasso and dancers Fred Astaire. Tony continued to record and tour, doing about a hundred shows a year. In his concerts, he often sang one song without a microphone to show his powerful voice.

One of his shows, Tony Bennett's Wonderful World: Live From San Francisco, became a PBS TV special. He also created and starred in the first episode of the Live by Request TV series, winning an Emmy Award. Tony also made small appearances in movies like Analyze This and Bruce Almighty.

In 1998, he surprised everyone by performing at the Glastonbury Festival, a big music festival. He wore a perfect suit and tie and sang songs about the weather. Tony also wrote a book about his life, The Good Life: The Autobiography of Tony Bennett, in 1998. He released many albums, often with themes like Duke Ellington or Billie Holiday. These albums received great reviews. Tony won eleven more Grammys for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album in the following years. He sold over 50 million records worldwide in his career.

President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush with the Kennedy Center honorees in 2005. Tony Bennett is on the far right.

Tony Bennett received many honors. He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He was inducted into the Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame in 1997. He received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2001. In 2005, he received a Kennedy Center Honor. A musical show about his songs, I Left My Heart: A Salute to the Music of Tony Bennett, was also created. The next year, he was inducted into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame.

Tony often gave his time to help charities. He was sometimes called "Tony Benefit." In 2002, he joined Michael Jackson and former President Bill Clinton for a fundraiser. He also recorded messages for Civitan International, a service club.

Tony's son, Danny, continued to be his manager. His other son, Dae, was a recording engineer and opened Bennett Studios. Tony's younger daughter, Antonia, is a jazz singer who opened shows for her father.

Continuing to Perform (2006–2021)

On August 3, 2006, Tony Bennett turned 80 years old. This birthday brought him a lot of attention. His album Duets: An American Classic reached a very high spot on the music charts and won two Grammy Awards. He performed concerts, including a big one in New York. He also performed with Christina Aguilera and appeared in a funny sketch with Alec Baldwin on Saturday Night Live. He received the Billboard Century Award and was a guest mentor on American Idol. He also received the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees' Humanitarian Award. In 2006, Tony Bennett received the National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Masters Award.

Tony Bennett greets Stevie Wonder at the White House in 2009.

In 2008, Tony performed with Billy Joel at the final concerts at Shea Stadium. They sang "New York State of Mind". In October, he released a Christmas album, A Swingin' Christmas. In 2009, he performed at the end of the Macworld Conference & Expo for Apple Inc.. He also made his Jazz Fest debut in New Orleans. In 2010, Tony was one of over 70 artists who sang on "We Are the World 25 for Haiti" to help earthquake victims. He sang "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" at a baseball game and "God Bless America" during the seventh-inning stretch.

In September 2011, Tony Bennett released Duets II for his 85th birthday. He sang duets with seventeen famous singers, including Aretha Franklin, Willie Nelson, Queen Latifah, and Lady Gaga. His duet with Amy Winehouse on "Body and Soul" was reportedly her last recording before she passed away. This song made Tony the oldest living artist to appear on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The album then debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, making him the oldest living artist to reach that top spot. In November 2011, Columbia Records released Tony Bennett – The Complete Collection, a huge set of 73 CDs and 3 DVDs.

In October 2012, Tony released Viva Duets, an album of Latin American music duets. He sang with artists like Vicente Fernández. He also performed "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" for over 100,000 fans celebrating the San Francisco Giants' baseball victory. He published another book, Life is a Gift: The Zen of Bennett, and a documentary film about him was released, also called The Zen of Bennett.

Tony Bennett performing with Lady Gaga on their Cheek to Cheek Tour in 2015.

In September 2014, Tony performed in Israel for the first time. He also made a surprise appearance with Lady Gaga at a concert there. Days later, their album Cheek to Cheek was released. It debuted at number one on the Billboard charts. This made Tony Bennett the oldest artist to have a number-one album, at 88 years and 69 days old. He earned a Guinness World Records title for this. In October 2014, Tony and Lady Gaga released a concert special, Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga: Cheek to Cheek Live!. They also started their co-headlining Cheek to Cheek Tour.

On September 25, 2015, he released an album of songs by Jerome Kern, called The Silver Lining: The Songs of Jerome Kern. In November 2015, Tony sang "America the Beautiful" before a baseball World Series game.

Tony Bennett in 2018.

On August 19, 2016, shortly after his 90th birthday, a statue of Tony Bennett was unveiled in San Francisco. It was placed in front of the Fairmont Hotel, where he first sang "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" in 1961. In December 2016, NBC aired a special concert for his 90th birthday. In September 2018, Tony re-recorded the song "Fascinating Rhythm". This earned him another Guinness World Records title for the longest time between an original recording and a re-recording by the same artist (68 years and 342 days). This song was on his album Love Is Here to Stay with Diana Krall.

Final Album and Retirement (2021–2023)

On August 12, 2021, a week after his 95th birthday, Tony Bennett's son and manager, Danny Bennett, announced his retirement from concerts. Danny said that while his father could still sing well, he was becoming physically weak. His last album, Love for Sale, was another collaboration with Lady Gaga. It was released on September 30, 2021. Critics praised Tony's performance on the album, despite his age and health.

This album broke Tony's own record for the longest time between top-10 albums on the Billboard 200. His first was in 1962. He also broke a Guinness World Record for being the oldest person to release an album of new material, at 95 years and 60 days old.

Tony Bennett's final live performances were on August 3 and 5, 2021. He performed two shows with Lady Gaga at Radio City Music Hall. A TV special, One Last Time: An Evening with Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga, showed parts of these concerts. Tony's last televised performance was also with Lady Gaga on December 16, 2021, on MTV Unplugged.

Tony Bennett passed away at his home in New York City on July 21, 2023. His family said he kept singing until the end. The last song he ever sang was "Because of You." After his death, Tony Bennett was remembered as a "champion" and "legendary interpreter" of the "Great American Songbook".

Tony Bennett's Artistry

Painting

Tony Bennett was also a successful painter, using his real name, Anthony Benedetto. He loved drawing as a child and continued to train and visit museums throughout his life. He sketched or painted every day, often drawing views from hotel windows while on tour.

His artwork was shown in many galleries around the world. He was chosen as the official artist for the 2001 Kentucky Derby. The United Nations asked him to create two paintings, including one for its 50th anniversary. His painting Homage to Hockney is on display at the Butler Institute of American Art. His painting Boy on Sailboat, Sydney Bay is in the collection at the National Arts Club in New York. His painting Central Park is at the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, D.C. His paintings have been featured in art magazines and sold for a lot of money. Many of his works were published in his art book Tony Bennett: What My Heart Has Seen in 1996. In 2007, another book about his paintings, Tony Bennett in the Studio: A Life of Art & Music, became a best-seller.

Musical Style

Tony Bennett always stuck to his artistic choices in music. In a 2010 interview, he said:

I'm not staying contemporary for the big record companies, I don't follow the latest fashions. I never sing a song that's badly written. In the 1920s and '30s, there was a renaissance in music that was the equivalent of the artistic Renaissance. Cole Porter, Johnny Mercer and others just created the best songs that had ever been written. These are classics, and finally they're not being treated as light entertainment. This is classical music.

Awards and Recognition

Tony Bennett won 20 Grammy Awards, including a special Lifetime Achievement Award. Here are some of his Grammy wins and nominations:

Tony Bennett performing in 2005. He often performed without a big stage set or special lighting.

Tony Bennett also received many other honors:

Tony Bennett's work for the Civil Rights Movement earned him a spot on the International Civil Rights Walk of Fame in Atlanta.

Tony Bennett's Music

Discography

Tony Bennett released over 70 albums during his career. Most of them were for Columbia Records. His best-selling albums in the U.S. were I Left My Heart in San Francisco, MTV Unplugged: Tony Bennett, and Duets: An American Classic. Each of these sold over a million copies. Eight of his other albums also sold millions of copies in the U.S. Tony also had over 30 hit singles. His biggest hits were in the early 1950s.

Tony Bennett's Personal Life

Tony Bennett and his wife Susan Crow in 2008.

On February 12, 1952, Tony Bennett married Patricia Beech. She was an art student and jazz fan. They met after one of his nightclub performances. Two thousand female fans dressed in black gathered outside their wedding in New York City. Tony and Patricia had two sons, D'Andrea (Danny, born 1954) and Daegal (Dae, born 1955). They separated in 1965 and divorced in 1971.

Tony Bennett later became involved with actress Sandra Grant. They lived together for several years and married on December 29, 1971. They had two daughters, Joanna (born 1970) and Antonia (born 1974). They moved to Los Angeles. Tony and Sandra were married until 1983.

In the late 1980s, Tony Bennett started a long-term relationship with Susan Crow. She was a former schoolteacher in New York City.

Tony and Susan started a charity called Exploring the Arts. This organization helps create and support arts education. They also founded the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts in Queens, New York. This public high school teaches performing arts and has a very high graduation rate. On June 21, 2007, Tony Bennett married Susan Crow in a private ceremony in New York.

Illness and Passing

In February 2021, it was shared that Tony Bennett had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2016. Despite this, he continued to perform and record until the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020. He briefly returned to performing in 2021 for his final shows. His doctors believed that his regular singing practices helped keep his brain active. This may have protected him from some symptoms like confusion or sadness. He only started showing signs of decline in the two years before the news was shared. Even so, he recorded songs with Lady Gaga from 2018 to 2020 for their 2021 album Love for Sale.

When his retirement was announced in August 2021, his son Danny said that Alzheimer's mainly affected his father's short-term memory. He would sometimes forget he had just performed after a concert. However, his long-term memory was still good. He could remember all the lyrics to his songs when he performed.

Tony Bennett passed away at his home in New York City on July 21, 2023. His family announced his death. They said he kept singing until the very end. The last song he ever sang was "Because of You." After his death, Tony Bennett was celebrated as a "champion" and "legendary interpreter" of the "Great American Songbook".

Images for kids

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  Bennett, c. 1960s

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  Bennett (right) with Chicago columnist and talk show host Irv Kupcinet, during the 1950s

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  Bennett (right) with composer Harold Arlen, rehearsing for the television program The Twentieth Century in 1964

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  Bennett performing in 1966

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  Bennett in Baltimore, 1995

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  President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush pose with the Kennedy Center honorees: actress Julie Harris, actor Robert Redford, singer Tina Turner, ballet dancer Suzanne Farrell and Tony Bennett. December 4, 2005, at a reception in the Blue Room at the White House.

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  Bennett greets Stevie Wonder at the White House on February 25, 2009

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  Tony Bennett performing with Lady Gaga on their co-headlining Cheek to Cheek Tour, in 2015

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  Bennett in 2018

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  Bennett's work for the Civil Rights Movement, including his participation in the 1965 Selma to Montgomery marches, later earned him induction into the International Civil Rights Walk of Fame in Atlanta.

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  The Tony Bennett concert show as seen by the audience, with no stage set, visual effects or advanced lighting schemes. Kimmel Center, Philadelphia, September 2005.

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  Bennett and wife Susan Crow at the opening of the Broad Contemporary Art Museum in Los Angeles in 2008

See also

In Spanish: Tony Bennett para niños

• List of best-selling music artists