Tony Bennett Bio | Wiki
Tony Bennett (Full Name: Anthony Dominick Benedetto) is a notable American retired singer of traditional pop standards, big band, show tunes, as well as jazz. He was also a painter, having created services under his birth name that are on permanent public display in numerous institutions. Tony is also the initiator of the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts in Astoria, Queens, New York.
He started singing at an early age. Tony fought in the last stages of World War II as a U.S. Army infantryman in the European Theater. Later on, Tony developed his singing technique, signed with Columbia Records, and had his first position-one famous song with “Because of You” in 1951. Numerous tracks including “Rags to Riches” followed at the beginning of 1953. Tony later refined his approach to encompass jazz singing.
Most importantly, Tony became an artistic peak in the late 1950s with albums including The Beat of My Heart and Basie Swings, Bennett Sings. He recorded his signature song, “I Left My Heart In San Francisco” in 1962. Tony’s career and personal life experienced an extended downturn during the height of the rock music era.
He produced a comeback in both the late 1980s and 1990s, putting out gold record albums also and expanding his reach to the MTV generation as he kept his musical style intact. Tony remains a famous and critically praised recording artist as well as a concert performer to date. Additionally, Tony’s work includes a collaboration with Lady Gaga, having toured and recorded two albums together, Cheek to Cheek (2014) plus Love for Sale (2021).
Tony Bennett Age
Tony was born on August 3, 1926, in Queens, New York City, in the United States. He is 96 years old. Tony celebrates his birthday on August 3, every year.
Tony Bennett Height
He is a man of average stature. Tony stands at a height of 5 ft 7 in (Approx 1.7m).
Tony Bennett Family
He was born on August 3, 1926, at St. John’s Episcopal Hospital in Long Island City, Queens. Tony is the proud son of grocer John Benedetto and seamstress Anna (Suraci) and became the first member of his family to be born in a hospital. His father John had emigrated in 1906, from Podàrgoni, a pastoral eastern district of the southern Italian city of Reggio Calabria. His mother Anna had been born in the U.S. lately after her parents also emigrated in 1899 from the Calabria region.
Their relatives came over also as part of the mass migration of Italians to America. He has siblings named Mary, and an older brother named John Jr.Together with a dad who was ailing and unable to go to a job the children grew up in poverty. His father John Sr. instilled in his son a love of art and literature, as well as compassion for human suffering, but his dad died when Tony was only 10 years old. That experience of being raised up in the Great Depression and a distaste for the effects of the presidency of Herbert Hoover would make the kid a lifelong Democrat.
Tony was brought up hearing Al Jolson, Eddie Cantor, Judy Garland, and Bing Crosby and jazz artists including Louis Armstrong, Jack Teagarden, and Joe Venuti. Tony’s Uncle named Dick worked as a tap dancer in vaudeville, offering him an early window into show business, while his Uncle named Frank worked as the Queens borough library commissioner. At the age of 10, Tony was already singing and presenting at the opening of the Triborough Bridge, standing next to Mayor Fiorello La Guardia who patted him on the head.
Tony Bennett Wife | Spouse
Tony is currently married to his lovely wife Susan Crow a previous New York City schoolteacher. The pair married in 2007. Susan had been the head of the Bay Area fan club for Tony.
Tony Bennett Children
He is a father of four children from his previous marriages. Tony and Patricia had two sons, named D’Andrea (Danny, who was born in 1954, and Daegal (Dae, born 1955). He and his second wife Sandra had two daughters, namely Joanna (born 1970) and Antonia (born 1974).
Tony Bennett Education
He went to New York’s School of Industrial Art where Tony pursued painting and music and would afterward appreciate their emphasis on proper technique. Later Tony dropped out at age 16 to help support his family. Tony served as a copy boy and runner for the Associated Press in Manhattan and in many other low-skilled, low-paying jobs. Thus Tony mostly set his sights on a professional singing career, coming back to performing as a singing waiter, playing as well as winning amateur nights all around the city, and having a successful engagement at a Paramus, New Jersey, nightclub.
Tony Bennett Singer
He is a retired singer of traditional pop standards, big band, show tunes, as well as jazz. He was also a painter, having created services under his birth name that are on permanent public display in numerous institutions.
Tony has won 20 Grammy Awards (such as a Lifetime Achievement Award presented in 2001) and two Primetime Emmy Awards and became named an NEA Jazz Master and a Kennedy Center Honoree. He has sold over 50 million records nationwide.
It was disclosed in February 2021, that Tony was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2016. Because of the slow progression of his sickness, Tony proceeded to record, tour, and present until his unrelated retirement from concert performances in August 2021.
Tony Bennett Songs
– I Left My Heart In San Francisco
– I Get A Kick Out Of You
– The Shadow Of Your Smile
– The Lady Is A Tramp
– Love For Sale
– Rags to Riches
– The Way You Look Tonight
– Who Can I Turn To
– Body and Soul
– A wanna Be Around
– The Best Is Yet To Come
– Anything Goes
– I Wont Cry Anymore
Tony Bennett And Lady Gaga
He and Lady Gaga first met backstage in 2011 following when Lady had presented a rendition of Nat King Cole’s “Orange Colored Sky”, at the Robin Hood Foundation gala in New York City. Tony later asked Lady to sing a duet with him on his album Duets II.
Then when Lady sings, he’s the old Tony.” Lady tears up over Tony in the emotional music video for ‘I Get a Kick Out of You. ‘
He pop star Lady Gaga released their number two duet album, Love for Sale, on Oct. 1. … Singing together first on his album Duets II, and later on their co- album, Cheek to Cheek, Tony and Lady made history on the charts while proving some things never go out of style.
Tony Bennett Wives
Tony married his first wife Patricia Beech an Ohio art student and jazz fan. The pair married on February 12, 1952. He and Patricia had met in 1951 following a nightclub performance in Cleveland. Tony and Patricia had two sons, named D’Andrea (Danny, who was born in 1954, and Daegal (Dae, born 1955). The couple divorced in 1965, their marriage a victim of Tony’s spending too much time on the road, among other factors. Patricia sued Tony for divorce in 1969, on grounds of adultery. Their divorce became official in 1971.
Later on, Tony became involved with Sandra Grant who was an aspiring actress. The two met while Tony was filming The Oscar in 1965. The pair stayed together for many years, and on December 29, 1971, they officially married in New York. He and his second wife Sandra had two daughters, namely Joanna (born 1970) and Antonia (born 1974), and went to Los Angeles. The couple was married until 1983.
During the late 1980s, Tony entered into a long-term romantic relationship with previous New York City schoolteacher Susan Crow. She was born on September 9, 1966, and is 40 years junior to Tony and had been brought up in a family of Tony fans, and as it happened the singer had once posed with her mom named Marion, while she was pregnant with her. Being a teenager, Susan had been the head of the Bay Area fan club for Tony.
Tony Bennett Duets
He released Duets II, in September 2011 a follow-up to his number one collaboration album, in conjunction with his 85th birthday. Tony sings duets with seventeen prominent singers of varying techniques, such as Aretha Franklin, Willie Nelson, Queen Latifah, as well as Lady Gaga. He released Viva Duets, an album of Latin American music duets, tht featured Vicente Fernández, Juan Luis Guerra, plus Vicentico among others.
Tony Bennett Paintings
He has also had success as a painter, having done under his real name of Anthony Benedetto or just Benedetto. Tony followed up his childhood interest with professional training, work, as well as museum visits over his life. Most importantly, Tony draws or paints each day, often of views out of hotel windows when he was on tour.
Tony Bennett Wife Susan Crow
During the late 1980s, Tony entered into a long-term romantic relationship with previous New York City schoolteacher Susan Crow. She was born on September 9, 1966, and is 40 years junior to Tony and had been brought up in a family of Tony fans, and as it happened the singer had once posed with her mom named Marion, while she was pregnant with her. Being a teenager, Susan had been the head of the Bay Area fan club for Tony.
Tony Bennett Retires
Following one week after his 95th birthday on August 12, 2021, and presenting at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, Tony’s retirement from concerts became announced by Danny Bennett his son who works as a manager. His son Danny stated that though his dad remained a capable singer, Tony was becoming physically frail and risked a major fall if he proceeded to tour. Tony’s last album Love for Sale, another collaborative record with Lady Gaga, became released on October 1, 2021.
Tony Bennett Net Worth
Tony gets his wealth from his work as a notable American retired singer of traditional pop standards, big band, show tunes, as well as jazz. Therefore, Tony had accumulated a decent fortune over the years. Tony’s estimated net worth is $200 million.
How Old Is Tony Bennett
Tony is a 96-year-old who was born on August 3, 1926, in Queens, New York City, in the United States.
Is Tony Bennett Still Alive
Yes. Tony remains a capable singer, though he is becoming physically frail and risked a major fall if he proceeds to tour. Tony’s last album Love for Sale, another collaborative record with Lady Gaga, became released on October 1, 2021.