View source for Tony Bennett

{{Short description|American singer (1926–2023)}}
{{About other people|the American singer}}
{{Good article}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2024}}
{{Infobox person
| image              = Tony Bennett 7 (49491947111).jpg
| caption            = Bennett in 1995
| alt                = Bennett smiling
| birth_name         = Anthony Dominick Benedetto
| birth_date         = {{Birth date|1926|08|03}}
| birth_place        = New York City, U.S.
| death_date         = {{Death date and age|2023|7|21|1926|8|03}}
| death_place        = New York City, U.S.
| burial_place       = [[Calvary Cemetery, Queens]], [[New York City]]
| occupation         = Singer
| years_active       = 1951–2021
| spouse             = {{Plainlist|
* {{marriage|Patricia Beech|1952|1971|end=div}}
* {{marriage|Sandra Grant|1971|1983|end=div}}
* {{marriage|Susan Crow|2007}}
}}
| children           = 4, including [[Antonia Bennett|Antonia]]
| module             = {{Infobox musical artist |embed=yes
|background = solo_singer
|genre = {{Flatlist|
* [[Traditional pop]]
* [[swing (jazz performance style)|swing]]
* [[jazz]]
* [[easy listening]]
* [[big band]]
}}
|label = {{Flatlist|
* [[Columbia Records|Columbia]]
* [[MGM Records|MGM]]
* Improv
* [[Legacy Recordings|Legacy]]
* [[Verve Records|Verve]]
}}
|instrument = Vocals
}}
| website            = {{URL|www.tonybennett.com}}
 {{Infobox military person
   |embed        = yes
   |embed_title  = Military service
   |allegiance   = <!-- United States -->
   |branch       = [[United States Army]]
   |serviceyears = 1944–1946
   |rank         = [[Private first class]]
   |unit         = [[63rd Infantry Division (United States)|63rd Infantry Division]]
   |battles      = {{Tree list}}
* World War II
** [[Rhineland Offensive]]
** [[Western Allied invasion of Germany|Central Europe]]
{{Tree list/end}}
   |awards       = [[Bronze Star Medal]]
}}
| signature = Tony Bennett signature, Billboard Open Letter 2016.png
}}

'''Anthony Dominick Benedetto''' (August 3, 1926 – July 21, 2023), known professionally as '''Tony Bennett''', was an American [[jazz]] and [[traditional pop]] singer. He received many accolades, including 20 [[Grammy Awards]], a [[Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award|Lifetime Achievement Award]], and two [[Primetime Emmy Awards]]. Bennett was named a [[NEA Jazz Masters|National Endowments for the Arts Jazz Master]] and a [[Kennedy Center Honors|Kennedy Center Honoree]]. He founded the [[Frank Sinatra School of the Arts]] in [[Astoria, Queens]], New York, along with Exploring the Arts, a non-profit arts education program.<ref>{{cite news |first=Corey|last= Kilgannon |date=June 26, 2009 |title=He's Never Left Astoria Behind |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/26/nyregion/26bennett.html|url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180507233026/https://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/26/nyregion/26bennett.html?_r=0 |archive-date=May 7, 2018}}</ref> He sold more than 50 million records worldwide and earned a star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]].

Bennett began singing at an early age. He fought in the final stages of [[World War II]] as a [[United States Army|U.S. Army]] [[infantry]]man in the [[European theatre of World War II|European Theater]]. Afterward, he developed his singing technique, signed with [[Columbia Records]] and had his first number-one popular song with "[[Because of You (1940 song)|Because of You]]" in 1951. Several popular tracks such as "[[Rags to Riches (1953 song)|Rags to Riches]]" followed in early 1953. He then refined his approach to encompass [[jazz singing]]. He reached an artistic peak in the late 1950s with albums such as ''[[The Beat of My Heart]]'' and ''[[Strike Up the Band (Tony Bennett and Count Basie album)|Strike Up the Band]]''. In 1962, Bennett recorded his [[signature song]], "[[I Left My Heart in San Francisco]]". His career and personal life experienced an extended downturn during the height of the rock music era. Bennett staged a comeback in the late 1980s and 1990s, putting out [[gold record]] albums again and expanding his reach to the [[MTV Generation]] while keeping his musical style intact.

Bennett continued to create popular and critically praised work into the 21st century. He attracted renewed acclaim late in his career for his collaboration with [[Lady Gaga]], which began with the album ''[[Cheek to Cheek (album)|Cheek to Cheek]]'' (2014); the two performers [[Cheek to Cheek Tour|toured]] together to promote the album throughout 2014 and 2015. With the release of the duo's second album, ''[[Love for Sale (Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga album)|Love for Sale]]'' (2021), Bennett broke the individual record for the longest span of top-10 albums on the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]] chart for any living artist; his first top-10 record was ''[[I Left My Heart in San Francisco (album)|I Left My Heart in San Francisco]]'' in 1962. Bennett also broke the [[Guinness World Records|Guinness World Record]] for the oldest person to release an album of new material, at the age of 95 years and 60 days.

In February 2021, Bennett revealed that he had been diagnosed with [[Alzheimer's disease]] in 2016.<ref name="alzheimer">{{cite news|url = https://variety.com/2021/music/news/tony-bennett-alzheimers-disease-1234897188/|title = Tony Bennett Reveals Battle With Alzheimer's Disease|last = Aswad|first = Jem|work = [[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|date = February 1, 2021|access-date = February 1, 2021|archive-date = February 1, 2021|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210201134218/https://variety.com/2021/music/news/tony-bennett-alzheimers-disease-1234897188/|url-status = live}}</ref> Due to the slow progression of his illness, he continued to record, tour, and perform until his retirement from concerts due to physical challenges, which was announced after [[One Last Time: An Evening with Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga|his final performances]] on August 3 and 5, 2021, at [[Radio City Music Hall]].<ref name="retirementbbc">{{cite news | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-58198989 | title=Tony Bennett: Legendary singer retires from stage aged 95 | work=[[BBC News]] | date=August 13, 2021 | access-date=August 13, 2021 | archive-date=August 13, 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210813101321/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-58198989 | url-status=live }}</ref>

== Early life ==
=== 1926–1943: Family and education ===
Anthony Dominick Benedetto was born on August 3, 1926,<ref name=bio.com>{{cite web |url= http://www.biography.com/people/tony-bennett-9926699 |publisher= Biography.com |title= Tony Bennett Biography |access-date= March 12, 2018 |url-status=live |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180315041800/https://www.biography.com/people/tony-bennett-9926699 |archive-date= March 15, 2018 |df= mdy-all}}</ref> at St. John's Hospital in [[Long Island City, Queens]], in New York City.<ref>Bennett, ''The Good Life'', p. 15.</ref> His parents were grocer John Benedetto and seamstress Anna ({{nee|Suraci}}), and he was the first member of his family to be born in a hospital.<ref name="evanier-22">Evanier, ''All the Things You Are'', pp. 19–23.</ref> In 1906, John had emigrated from [[Podargoni]], a rural eastern district of the [[Mezzogiorno|southern Italian]] city of [[Reggio Calabria]]; he was a member of the local ethnic Greek community ([[Griko people]]).<ref name="evanier-29">Evanier, ''All the Things You Are'', p. 29. "Tony Bennett's paternal grandfather, Giovanni Benedetto, grew up in the village of Podargoni, above [[Reggio Calabria]]. The family were poor farmers, producing figs, olive oil, and wine grapes. His mother's family, the Suracis, also farmed in Calabria. Neither side of the family could read or write."</ref> Anna had been born in the U.S. shortly after her parents also emigrated from the [[Calabria]] region in 1899.<ref name="evanier-22"/><ref name="evanier-29"/> Other relatives came over as well as part of the [[Italian American#The great Italian diaspora (1880–1914)|mass migration of Italians to America]].<ref name="evanier-22"/><ref name="evanier-29" /> Tony grew up with an older sister, Mary, and an older brother, John Jr.<ref>Bennett, ''The Good Life'', pp. 11, 27.</ref> With a father who was ailing and unable to work, the children grew up in poverty.<ref name="sullivan">{{cite news | url=https://www.today.com/popculture/tony-bennett-musician-artist-wbna20939793 | title=Tony Bennett: The musician and the artist | first=Robert | last=Sullivan | publisher=[[Today.com]] | date=September 24, 2007 | access-date=May 13, 2008 | df=mdy-all | archive-date=February 15, 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200215183231/https://www.today.com/popculture/tony-bennett-musician-artist-wbna20939793 | url-status=live }}</ref> John Sr. instilled in his son a love of art and literature, and a compassion for human suffering,<ref>Evanier, ''All the Things You Are'', pp. 24–25.</ref> but died when Tony was ten years old.<ref name="sullivan"/>

Bennett grew up listening to [[Al Jolson]], [[Eddie Cantor]], [[Judy Garland]], and [[Bing Crosby]] as well as [[jazz]] artists such as [[Louis Armstrong]], [[Jack Teagarden]], and [[Joe Venuti]]. His uncle Dick was a [[tap dance]]r in [[vaudeville]], giving him an early window into show business,<ref name="npr-jazz"/> and his uncle Frank was the [[Queens]] borough library commissioner.<ref name="evanier-27"/> By age 10 he was already singing, and performed at the opening of the [[Triborough Bridge]],<ref name="amg-bio">{{cite web | url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/tony-bennett-p6095/biography | title=Tony Bennett: Biography | first=William |last=Ruhlmann | website=[[AllMusic]] | access-date=June 11, 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110930011534/http://www.allmusic.com/artist/tony-bennett-p6095/biography |archive-date=September 30, 2011}}</ref> standing next to [[Mayor of New York City|Mayor]] [[Fiorello La Guardia]] who patted him on the head.<ref name="evanier-27">Evanier, ''All the Things You Are'', p. 27.</ref> Drawing was another early passion of his;<ref name="sullivan"/> he became known as the class [[caricaturist]] at P.S. 141 and anticipated a career in [[commercial art]].<ref name="evanier-34">Evanier, ''All the Things You Are'', pp. 33–34.</ref> He began singing for money at age 13, performing as a singing waiter in several [[Italian cuisine|Italian]] restaurants around his native Queens.<ref name="evanier-34"/><ref name="abc092707">{{cite news | url=http://www.abcnews.go.com/Nightline/Playlist/story?id=3659051 | title=Nightline Playlist: Tony Bennett | first=Deborah |last=Apton | publisher=[[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]] | date=September 27, 2007 | access-date=May 13, 2008 | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080614223826/http://www.abcnews.go.com/Nightline/Playlist/story?id=3659051 | archive-date=June 14, 2008 | df=mdy-all }}</ref>

Bennett attended New York's [[High School of Art and Design|School of Industrial Art]] where he studied painting and music<ref name="ghk0495"/> and would later appreciate their emphasis on proper technique.<ref>Evanier, ''All the Things You Are'', pp. 35–36.</ref> But he dropped out at age 16 to help support his family.<ref name="aarp"/> He worked as a copy boy and runner for the [[Associated Press]] in [[Manhattan]]<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.cbsnews.com/elements/2005/08/08/in_depth_showbiz/photoessay765550_0_15_photo.shtml | title=Celebrity Circuit: The Graduate | publisher=[[CBS News]] | date=August 8, 2005 | access-date=February 15, 2009}}</ref> and in several other low-skilled, low-paying jobs.<ref name="evanier-40">Evanier, ''All the Things You Are'', pp. 39–40.</ref> He mostly set his sights on a professional singing career, returning to performing as a singing waiter, playing and winning amateur nights all around the city, and enjoying a successful engagement at a [[Paramus, New Jersey]], nightclub.<ref name="abc092707"/><ref name="evanier-40"/>

=== 1944–1950: World War II and after ===
Benedetto was drafted into the [[United States Army]] in November 1944, during the final stages of [[World War II]].<ref name="sullivan"/><ref>Bennett, ''The Good Life'', p. 51.</ref> He did [[United States Army Basic Training|basic training]] at [[Fort Dix]] and [[Fort Robinson]] as part of becoming an [[Rifleman|infantry rifleman]].<ref name="gl-52">Bennett, ''The Good Life'', pp. 52–53.</ref> Benedetto ran afoul of a sergeant from [[Southern United States|the South]] who disliked the Italian from New York City; heavy doses of [[KP duty]] or [[M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle|BAR]] cleaning resulted.<ref name="gl-52"/> Processed through the huge [[Le Havre#History|Le Havre replacement depot]], in January 1945, he was assigned as a replacement infantryman to the 255th Infantry Regiment of the [[63rd Infantry Division (United States)|63rd Infantry Division]], a unit filling in for the heavy losses suffered in the [[Battle of the Bulge]].<ref name="gl-55">Bennett, ''The Good Life'', pp. 54–56.</ref> He moved across [[Provisional Government of the French Republic|France]] and later into [[Nazi Germany|Germany]].<ref name="sullivan"/> As March 1945 began, he joined the [[front line]] of what he would later describe as a "front-row seat in hell".<ref name="gl-55"/>

As the [[Wehrmacht|German Army]] was pushed back to its homeland, Benedetto and his [[Dog company|company]] saw bitter fighting in cold winter conditions, often hunkering down in [[Defensive fighting position|foxholes]] as German [[88 mm gun]]s fired on them.<ref name="gl-57">Bennett, ''The Good Life'', pp. 57–59.</ref> At the end of March, they crossed the [[Rhine]] and entered Germany, engaging in dangerous house-to-house, town-after-town fighting to clean out German soldiers;<ref name="gl-57"/> during the first week of April, they crossed the [[Kocher River]], and by the end of the month reached the [[Danube]].<ref name="gl-60">Bennett, ''The Good Life'', pp. 60–61.</ref> During his time in combat, Benedetto narrowly escaped death several times.<ref name="sullivan"/> The experience made him a [[pacifist]];<ref name="sullivan"/> he would later write, "Anybody who thinks that war is romantic obviously hasn't gone through one",<ref name="gl-55"/> and later say, "It was a nightmare that's permanent. I just said, 'This is not life. This is not life.{{'"}}<ref name="abc-attacks"/> At the war's conclusion he was involved in the liberation of the [[Kaufering concentration camp]], a subcamp of [[Dachau]], near [[Landsberg (district)|Landsberg]], where some American prisoners of war from the 63rd Division had also been held.<ref name="gl-60"/> He later wrote in his autobiography that "I saw things no human being should ever have to see."<ref name="Time">{{cite magazine |last1=Chow |first1=Andrew |title=Tony Bennett Was a Master at Bridging Generational Divides |url=https://time.com/5885953/tony-bennett-dead/ |access-date=July 21, 2023 |magazine=Time |date=July 21, 2023 |archive-date=July 21, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230721234442/https://time.com/5885953/tony-bennett-dead/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Benedetto stayed in [[Allied-occupied Germany|Germany]] as part of the [[American-occupied zone of Germany|occupying force]] but was assigned to an informal Special Services band unit that would entertain nearby American forces.<ref name="sullivan"/> His dining with a black friend from high school—at a time when [[Military history of African Americans|the Army was still racially segregated]]—led to his being demoted and reassigned to [[Graves Registration Service]] duties.<ref name="tavis-int">{{cite web | url=https://www.pbs.org/kcet/tavissmiley/archive/200609/20060929_bennett.html | title=Tony Bennett | work=[[Tavis Smiley]] | publisher=[[PBS]] | date=September 29, 2006 | access-date=January 6, 2008 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071228094530/http://www.pbs.org/kcet/tavissmiley/archive/200609/20060929_bennett.html <!--Added by H3llBot--> | archive-date=December 28, 2007}}</ref> Subsequently, he sang with the [[United States military bands|314th Army Special Services Band]] under the stage name Joe Bari<ref name="gl-74"/> (a name he had started using before the war, chosen after [[Bari|the city]] and [[Province of Bari|province]] in Italy, and as a partial [[anagram]] of his family origins in Calabria).<ref>Bennett, ''The Good Life'', p. 48.</ref> He played with many musicians who would have post-war careers.<ref name="gl-74">Bennett, ''The Good Life'', pp. 71, 74, 77.</ref>

Upon his discharge from the Army and return to the States in 1946, Benedetto studied at the [[American Theatre Wing]] on the [[GI Bill]].<ref name="amg-bio"/> He was taught the ''[[bel canto]]'' singing discipline,<ref name="ap090507">{{cite news|url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2007/09/05/entertainment/e143756D28.DTL |title=Clint Eastwood tells Tony Bennett's story for 'American Masters' |first=Lynn |last=Elber |agency=[[Associated Press]] |date=September 5, 2007 |access-date=January 15, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080616163645/http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=%2Fn%2Fa%2F2007%2F09%2F05%2Fentertainment%2Fe143756D28.DTL |archive-date=June 16, 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref> which would keep his voice in good shape for his entire career. He continued to perform wherever he could, including while waiting tables.<ref name="sullivan"/> Based upon a suggestion from a teacher at the American Theatre Wing, he developed an unusual approach that involved imitating, as he sang, the style and phrasing of other musicians—such as that of [[Stan Getz]]'s saxophone and [[Art Tatum]]'s piano—helping him to improvise as he interpreted a song.<ref name="aarp">{{cite magazine | url=http://www.aarpmagazine.org/entertainment/Articles/a2003-06-18-bennett.html | title=Tony Bennett | first=John |last=Lewis | magazine=[[AARP: The Magazine]] |date=July–August 2003 | access-date=October 22, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090212034140/http://www.aarpmagazine.org/entertainment/Articles/a2003-06-18-bennett.html |archive-date=February 12, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b012cr6v/The_One_Show_04_07_2011/ | title=The One Show: 04/07/2011 | work=[[The One Show]] | publisher=BBC | date=July 4, 2011 | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110709075827/http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b012cr6v/The_One_Show_04_07_2011 | archive-date=July 9, 2011 | df=mdy-all }}</ref> He made a few recordings as Bari in 1949 for a small outfit called Leslie Records, but they failed to sell.<ref name="cleve">{{cite web | url=http://www.cleveland.oh.us/wmv_news/jazz66.htm | title=Tony Bennett's Cleveland Connections | first=Joe |last=Mosbrook | work=Jazzed in Cleveland | publisher=WMV Web News Cleveland | date=November 28, 2001 | access-date=June 15, 2005 | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050619073800/http://www.cleveland.oh.us/wmv_news/jazz66.htm | archive-date=June 19, 2005 | df=mdy-all }}</ref>

In 1949, [[Pearl Bailey]] recognized Benedetto's talent and asked him to open for her in [[Greenwich Village]].<ref name="abc092707"/> She had invited [[Bob Hope]] to the show. Hope decided to take Benedetto on the road with him and shortened his name to Tony Bennett.<ref name="cleve"/> In 1950, Bennett cut a demo of "[[Boulevard of Broken Dreams (Al Dubin song)|Boulevard of Broken Dreams]]" and was signed to the major label [[Columbia Records]] by [[Mitch Miller]].<ref name="amg-bio"/>

== Career ==
=== 1951–1959: First successes ===
[[File:Irv Kupcinet and Tony Bennett circa 1950s.JPG|thumb|upright|left|Bennett (right) with Chicago columnist and talk show host [[Irv Kupcinet]], during the 1950s]]

Warned by Miller not to imitate [[Frank Sinatra]]<ref name="npr-jazz">{{cite web | url=http://news.npr.org/programs/jazzprofiles/archive/bennett.html | title=Tony Bennett | work=Jazz Profiles | first=Greg | last=Fitzgerald | author-link=Greg Fitzgerald (producer) | publisher=[[NPR]] | date=c. 2001 | access-date=June 16, 2021 | archive-date=June 24, 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624195157/http://news.npr.org/programs/jazzprofiles/archive/bennett.html | url-status=live }}</ref> (who was just then leaving Columbia), Bennett began his career as a [[crooner]] of [[Traditional pop|commercial pop tunes]]. His first big hit was "[[Because of You (1940 song)|Because of You]]", a ballad produced by Miller with a lush orchestral arrangement from [[Percy Faith]]. It started out gaining popularity on [[jukebox]]es, then reached number one on the pop charts in 1951 and stayed there for ten weeks,<ref name="essential">{{cite AV media notes | title=The Essential Tony Bennett | title-link=The Essential Tony Bennett | others=Tony Bennett | year=2002 | type=CD foldout | publisher=[[Columbia Records]]/[[Legacy Recordings]] | id=C2K 86634}}</ref> selling over a million copies.<ref name="cleve"/> This was followed to the top of the charts later that year<ref name="essential"/> by a similarly styled rendition of [[Hank Williams]]'s "[[Cold, Cold Heart]]", which helped introduce Williams and country music in general to a wider, more national audience.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/p138231 | title=Hank Williams: Biography | author=Erlewine, Stephen Thomas | website=[[AllMusic]] | access-date=December 17, 2008 | author-link=Stephen Thomas Erlewine | archive-date=October 14, 2010 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101014172550/http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p138231 | url-status=live }}</ref> The Miller and Faith tandem continued to work on all of Bennett's early hits. Bennett's recording of "[[Blue Velvet (song)|Blue Velvet]]" was also very popular and attracted screaming teenage fans at concerts at the famed [[Paramount Theatre (New York City)|Paramount Theater]] in New York (Bennett did seven shows a day, starting at 10:30&nbsp;am)<ref name="cnn101807">{{cite news | url=http://www.cnn.com/2007/SHOWBIZ/Music/10/18/tony.bennett/ | title=Tony Bennett remains true to standards | first=Todd |last=Leopold | publisher=CNN | date=October 18, 2007 | access-date=October 21, 2007 | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081006232901/http://www.cnn.com/2007/SHOWBIZ/Music/10/18/tony.bennett/ | archive-date=October 6, 2008 | df=mdy-all}}</ref> and elsewhere.

A third number-one came in 1953 with "[[Rags to Riches (1953 song)|Rags to Riches]]". Unlike Bennett's other early hits, this was an up-tempo [[big band]] number with a bold, [[brass instrument|brassy]] sound and a double [[tango (music)|tango]] in the instrumental break; it topped the charts for eight weeks.<ref name="essential"/> Later that year, the producers of the upcoming [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] musical ''[[Kismet (musical)|Kismet]]'' had Bennett record "[[Stranger in Paradise (song)|Stranger in Paradise]]" as a way of promoting the show during a New York newspaper strike.<ref name="gl-124"/> The song reached the top, the show was a hit, and Bennett began a long practice of recording [[show tune]]s.<ref name="gl-124">Bennett, ''The Good Life'', pp. 124–125.</ref> "Stranger in Paradise" was also a number-one hit in the United Kingdom a year and a half later.<ref>{{cite book | last=Cossar | first=Neil | title=This Day in Music: An Everyday Record of 10,000 Musical Facts | publisher=[[Sterling Publishing]] | year=2005 | isbn=1-84340-298-X}} May 8 page.</ref>

Once the [[rock and roll]] era began in 1955, the dynamic of the music industry changed and it became harder and harder for existing pop singers to do well commercially.<ref name="amg-bio"/> Nevertheless, Bennett continued to enjoy success, placing eight songs in the [[Billboard magazine|''Billboard'']] {{nowrap|Top 40}} during the latter part of the 1950s, with "[[In the Middle of an Island]]" (which he vehemently hated) reaching the highest at number nine in 1957.<ref name="bb40">Whitburn, ''The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits'', p. 35.</ref>

For a month in August–September 1956, Bennett hosted an [[NBC]] Saturday night television variety show, ''The Tony Bennett Show'', as a summer replacement for ''[[The Perry Como Show]]''.<ref name="dir-tv">Brooks and Marsh, ''The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows'', p. 1407.</ref> [[Patti Page]] and [[Julius La Rosa]] had in turn hosted the two previous months, and they all shared the same singers, dancers, and orchestra.<ref name="dir-tv"/> In 1959, Bennett would again fill in for ''The Perry Como Show'', this time alongside [[Teresa Brewer]] and [[Jaye P. Morgan]] as co-hosts of the summer-long ''Perry Presents.''<ref>{{cite book | last=McNeil | first=Alex | title=Total Television: A Comprehensive Guide to Programming from 1948 to the Present | edition=Revised | publisher=[[Penguin Books]] | year=1996 | isbn=0-14-024916-8}} p. 653.</ref>

=== 1954–1965: A growing artistry ===
In 1954, the guitarist [[Chuck Wayne]] became Bennett's musical director.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.billcrowbass.com/chuck_wayne.htm | title=Chuck Wayne | publisher=billcrowbass.com | year=1997 | access-date=July 26, 2007 | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928190704/http://www.billcrowbass.com/chuck_wayne.htm | archive-date=September 28, 2007 | df=mdy-all }}</ref> Bennett released his first long-playing album in 1955, ''[[Cloud 7]]''. The album was billed as [[featuring]] Wayne and showed Bennett's leanings towards jazz. In 1957, [[Ralph Sharon]] became Bennett's pianist, arranger, and musical director,<ref name="amg-sharon">{{cite web | url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/p9640 | title=Ralph Sharon: Biography | first=William | last=Ruhlmann | website=[[AllMusic]] | access-date=June 14, 2005 | archive-date=November 13, 2011 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111113201550/http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p9640 | url-status=live }}</ref> replacing Wayne. Sharon told Bennett that a career singing "sweet saccharine songs like 'Blue Velvet'" would not last long, and encouraged Bennett to focus even more on his jazz inclinations.<ref name="npr-jazz"/><ref name="nyt-rs-obit"/>

[[File:Harold Arlen Tony Bennett 1964.JPG|thumb|upright|Bennett (right) with composer [[Harold Arlen]], rehearsing for the television program ''[[Twentieth Century (TV series)|The Twentieth Century]]'' in 1964]]
The result was the 1957 album ''[[The Beat of My Heart]]''. It featured well-known jazz musicians such as [[Herbie Mann]] and [[Nat Adderley]], with a strong emphasis on percussion from the likes of [[Art Blakey]], [[Jo Jones]], Latin star [[Candido Camero]], and [[Chico Hamilton]]. The album was both popular and critically praised.<ref name="npr-jazz"/><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/r60481 | title=The Beat of My Heart: Review | last=Ruhlmann | first=William | website=[[AllMusic]] | access-date=December 28, 2008 | archive-date=July 21, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230721234437/https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-beat-of-my-heart-mw0000028746 | url-status=live }}</ref> Bennett followed this by working with the [[Count Basie Orchestra]], becoming the first male pop vocalist to sing with [[Count Basie]]'s band.<ref name="npr-jazz"/> The albums ''[[Strike Up the Band (Tony Bennett and Count Basie album)|Strike Up the Band]]'' and ''[[In Person!]]'' (both 1959) were the well-regarded fruits of this collaboration, with "[[Chicago (That Toddlin' Town)|Chicago]]" being one of the standout songs.<ref name="npr-jazz"/><ref name="amg-bio"/>

Bennett also built up the quality and, therefore, the reputation of his [[nightclub]] act; in this he was following the path of Sinatra and other top jazz and standards singers of this era.<ref name="amg-bio"/> In June 1962, Bennett staged a [[Tony Bennett at Carnegie Hall|highly promoted concert performance at Carnegie Hall]], using a stellar lineup of musicians including [[Al Cohn]], [[Kenny Burrell]], and Candido, as well as the Ralph Sharon Trio. Carnegie Hall had not featured a male pop performer until then (only [[Judy Garland]] one year before that).<ref>Bennett and Friedwald, p. 167</ref> The concert featured 44 songs, including favorites like "[[I've Got the World on a String]]" and "[[The Best Is Yet to Come (song)|The Best Is Yet To Come]]". It was a big success and like Garland's, the concert was recorded for posterity, further cementing Bennett's reputation as a star both at home and abroad.<ref name="npr-jazz"/><ref name="nyt-giddins"/> Bennett also appeared on television, and in October 1962 he sang on the initial broadcast of ''[[The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.paleycenter.org/under-the-tree-a-present-that-captured-history |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081228210634/http://www.paleycenter.org/under-the-tree-a-present-that-captured-history |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 28, 2008 |title=Under the Tree: A Present that Captured History |author=Simon, Ron |publisher=[[Paley Center for Media]] |date=December 22, 2008 |access-date=December 28, 2008}}</ref>

{{Quote box|quote="For my money, Tony Bennett is the best singer in the business. He excites me when I watch him. He moves me. He's the singer who gets across what the composer has in mind, and probably a little more."|source=—[[Frank Sinatra]], in a 1965 ''[[Life (magazine)|Life]]'' magazine interview<ref name="ap090507"/>|width=27%|align=left|style=padding:8px;}}
Also in 1962, Bennett released his recording of "[[I Left My Heart in San Francisco]]", a decade-old but little-known song originally written for an opera singer.<ref name="nyt-rs-obit"/> Although this single only reached number 19 on the {{nowrap|[[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]]}},<ref name="bb40"/> it spent close to a year on various other charts and increased Bennett's exposure.<ref name="amg-bio"/><ref name="nyt-giddins"/> The [[I Left My Heart in San Francisco (album)|album of the same title]] was a {{nowrap|top 5}} hit and both the single and album achieved [[RIAA certification|gold record]] status.<ref name="amg-bio"/> The song won [[Grammy Award]]s for [[Grammy Award for Record of the Year|Record of the Year]] and [[Grammy Award for Best Vocal Performance, Male|Best Male Solo Vocal Performance]] for Bennett. Over the years, this would become known as Bennett's [[signature song]].<ref name="ghk0495"/><ref name="ap090507"/> In 2001, it was ranked 23rd on an [[RIAA]]/[[National Endowment for the Arts|NEA]] list of the most historically significant [[Songs of the Century|Songs of the 20th Century]].

Bennett's following album, ''[[I Wanna Be Around...]]'' (1963), was also a top-5 success,<ref name="amg-bio"/> with the [[I Wanna Be Around|title track]] and "[[The Good Life (1962 song)|The Good Life]]" each reaching the {{nowrap|top 20}} of the pop singles chart<ref name="bb40"/> along with the {{nowrap|top 10}} of the [[Hot Adult Contemporary Chart|Adult Contemporary chart]].<ref name="amg-singles">{{cite web | url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/p6095 | title=Tony Bennett: Charts & Awards: Billboard Singles | website=[[AllMusic]] | access-date=January 15, 2008 | archive-date=November 13, 2011 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111113201529/http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p6095 | url-status=live}}</ref>

The next year brought [[the Beatles]] and the [[British Invasion]], and with them still more musical and cultural attention to rock and less to pop, standards, and jazz. Over the next couple of years, Bennett had minor hits with several albums and singles based on [[show tunes]]; his last top-40 single was the number 34 "[[If I Ruled the World]]" from the musical ''[[Pickwick (musical)|Pickwick]]'' in 1965,<ref name="bb40"/> but his commercial fortunes were clearly starting to decline. An attempt to break into acting with a role in the poorly received 1966 film ''[[The Oscar (film)|The Oscar]]'' met with middling reviews for Bennett; he did not enjoy the experience and did not seek further roles.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://select.nytimes.com/mem/archive/pdf?res=F40C13F93E5F16738DDDAC0894DB405B868AF1D3 | title=Screen 'Oscar' Arrives | author=Crowther, Bosley | newspaper=[[The New York Times]] | date=March 5, 1966 | author-link=Bosley Crowther}}</ref><ref>Bennett, ''The Good Life'', p. 186.</ref>

A firm believer in the [[Civil Rights Movement]],<ref name="ap090507"/> Bennett participated in the 1965 [[Selma to Montgomery marches]].<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.alabamamoments.alabama.gov/sec59det.html | title=Selma-to-Montgomery 1965 Voting Rights March | work=Alabama Moments in American History | publisher=Alabama Department of Archives & History | access-date=September 22, 2016 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161129090948/http://alabamamoments.alabama.gov/sec59det.html | archive-date=November 29, 2016 | df=mdy-all }}</ref> He performed in the "Stars for Freedom" rally the night before Martin Luther King's "[[How Long, Not Long]]" speech.<ref name="Weber2023">{{Cite news |last=Weber |first=Bruce |date=July 21, 2023 |title=Tony Bennett, Champion of the Great American Songbook, Is Dead at 96 |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/21/arts/music/tony-bennett-dead.html |issn=0362-4331 |access-date=July 21, 2023 |archive-date=July 21, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230721123829/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/21/arts/music/tony-bennett-dead.html |url-status=live |url-access=subscription }}</ref> At the conclusion of the march, Bennett was driven to the airport by [[Viola Liuzzo]], a mother of five from Detroit, who was murdered later that day by the Ku Klux Klan.<ref name="Weber2023" /> 

Bennett refused to perform in [[Apartheid in South Africa|apartheid]] South Africa.<ref name="ghk0495" />

=== 1965–1979: Years of struggle ===
[[File:Optreden van de Amerikaanse zanger Tony Bennett, Bestanddeelnr 919-6269.jpg|thumb|upright|left|Bennett performing in 1966]] 
Ralph Sharon and Bennett parted ways in 1965.<ref name="amg-sharon"/> There was great pressure on singers such as [[Lena Horne]] and [[Barbra Streisand]] to record "contemporary" rock songs and, in this vein, Columbia Records' [[Clive Davis]] suggested that Bennett do the same.<ref name="amg-bio"/> Bennett was very reluctant and, when he tried, the results pleased no one. This was exemplified by ''[[Tony Sings the Great Hits of Today!]]'' (1970),<ref name="amg-bio"/> before which Bennett became physically ill at the thought of recording.<ref name="Friedwald-397"/> It featured covers of Beatles and other current songs and a psychedelic art cover.<ref name="Friedwald-397">Friedwald, ''Jazz Singing'', p. 397.</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.franklarosa.com/vinyl/Exhibit.jsp?AlbumID=2 | title=Tony Sings the Great Hits of Today | publisher=Frank's Vinyl Museum | access-date=June 11, 2005 | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050209234046/http://franklarosa.com/vinyl/Exhibit.jsp?AlbumID=2 | archive-date=February 9, 2005 | df=mdy-all }}</ref>

Years later, Bennett would recall his dismay at being asked to do contemporary material, comparing it to when his mother was forced to produce a cheap dress.<ref>Bennett, ''The Good Life'', p. 33.</ref> By 1972, he had departed Columbia for the [[Verve Records|Verve division of MGM Records]] ([[Philips Records|Philips]] in the UK) and relocated for a stint in London, where he hosted a television show from the [[Hippodrome, London#The Talk of the Town|Talk of the Town nightclub]] in conjunction with [[Thames Television]], ''[[Tony Bennett at the Talk of the Town]]''.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/series/30916 | title=Tony Bennett at the Talk of the Town | publisher=[[BFI Film & TV Database]] | access-date=June 22, 2012 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130823125313/http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/series/30916 | archive-date=August 23, 2013 | df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref name="jt2011"/><ref name="evanier-194">Evanier, ''All the Things You Are'', pp. 194–195.</ref> With his new label, he tried a variety of approaches, including some more Beatles material, but found no renewed commercial success, and in a couple more years he was without a recording contract.<ref name="amg-bio"/><ref>Evanier, ''All the Things You Are'', p. 200.</ref>

Taking matters into his own hands, Bennett started his own record company, Improv.<ref name="amg-bio"/> He recorded some songs that would later become favorites, such as "What is This Thing Called Love?", and made two well-regarded albums with jazz pianist [[Bill Evans]], ''[[The Tony Bennett/Bill Evans Album]]'' (1975) and ''[[Together Again (Tony Bennett and Bill Evans album)|Together Again]]'' (1976),<ref name="nyt-giddins">{{cite news | url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B01E7D71138F93BA25752C1A9679C8B63 | title=A Long-Distance Legend Who's Lapped the Field | author=Giddins, Gary | newspaper=[[The New York Times]] | date=November 18, 2001 | author-link=Gary Giddins}}</ref> but Improv lacked a distribution arrangement with a major label and by 1977, it was out of business.<ref name="amg-bio"/><ref name="nyt050299"/>

As the decade neared its end, Bennett had no recording contract, no manager, and was not performing many concerts outside of [[Las Vegas Valley|Las Vegas]].<ref name="aarp"/> He had developed a [[drug addiction]], was living beyond his means, and had the [[Internal Revenue Service]] trying to seize his Los Angeles home.<ref name="aarp"/><ref name="nyt050299"/>

=== 1979–1989: Turnaround ===
After a near-fatal [[cocaine]] [[drug overdose|overdose]] in 1979, Bennett called his sons Danny and Dae for help. "Look, I'm lost here", he told them. "It seems like people don't want to hear the music I make."<ref name="aarp"/>

Danny and Dae's band, [[Quacky Duck and His Barnyard Friends]], had floundered and the former realized he was not musically talented but had a head for business. His father, on the other hand, had tremendous musical talent, but had trouble sustaining a career from it and had little financial sense. Danny signed on as his father's manager.<ref name="nyt050299">{{cite news | url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E01EED6113DF931A35756C0A96F958260 | title=Talking Money With: Tony Bennett: His Heart's in San Francisco, His Money in His Son's Hands | author=Fabrikant, Geraldine | newspaper=[[The New York Times]] | date=May 2, 1999 | access-date=September 17, 2017 | archive-date=July 21, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230721234438/https://www.nytimes.com/1999/05/02/business/talking-money-with-tony-bennett-his-heart-s-san-francisco-his-money-his-son-s.html | url-status=live }}</ref>

Danny got his father's expenses under control, moved him back to New York City, and began booking him in colleges and small theaters to get him away from a "Vegas" image.<ref name="aarp"/><ref name="nyt050299"/> After some effort, a successful plan to pay back the IRS debt was put into place.<ref name="nyt050299"/> The singer had also reunited with Ralph Sharon as his pianist and musical director<ref name="amg-sharon"/> (and would remain with him until Sharon's retirement in 2002).<ref name="nyt-rs-obit">{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/07/arts/music/ralph-sharon-jazz-pianist-who-accompanied-tony-bennett-dies-at-91.html | title=Ralph Sharon, 91, Tony Bennett's Pianist | author=Fox, Margalit |author-link=Margalit Fox| newspaper=[[The New York Times]] | date=April 10, 2015 | page=B19 | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150602220126/http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/07/arts/music/ralph-sharon-jazz-pianist-who-accompanied-tony-bennett-dies-at-91.html | archive-date=June 2, 2015 | df=mdy-all }}</ref> By 1986, Tony Bennett was re-signed to Columbia Records, this time with creative control, and released ''[[The Art of Excellence]]''. This became his first album to reach the charts since 1972.<ref name="amg-bio"/>

[[Henry Mancini]]'s theme song "Life in a Looking Glass" from the [[Blake Edwards]] motion picture ''[[That's Life! (film)|That's Life]]'' (1986), sung by Bennett, received a nomination at the [[Academy Awards|Oscars]] for Best Original Song.<ref name="Academy Awards database">{{cite web |url= https://awardsdatabase.oscars.org/Search/Nominations?nominationId=8735&view=1-Nominee-Alpha |publisher= Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences |title= Oscars Nominations Henry Mancini }}</ref>

=== 1990–2006: Established career ===
Danny Bennett felt that younger audiences who were unfamiliar with his father would respond to his music if given a chance.<ref name="nyt050194">{{cite news | url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D01E5D91F31F932A35756C0A962958260 | title=When He Croons, Slackers Listen | author=Marchese, John | newspaper=[[The New York Times]] | date=May 1, 1994}}</ref> No changes to Tony's formal appearance, singing style, musical accompaniment (The Ralph Sharon Trio or an orchestra), or song choice (generally the [[Great American Songbook]]) were necessary or desirable.<ref name="amg-bio"/><ref name="nyt102193"/> Accordingly, Danny began regularly to book his father on ''[[Late Night with David Letterman]]'', a show with a younger, "hip" audience.<ref name="nyt050194"/> This was subsequently followed by appearances on ''[[Late Night with Conan O'Brien]]'', ''[[Sesame Street]]'', ''[[The Simpsons]]'', ''[[Muppets Tonight]]'', and various [[MTV]] programs.<ref name="ghk0495"/><ref name="aarp"/> In 1993, Bennett played a series of benefit concerts organized by [[alternative rock]] radio stations around the country.<ref name="nyt050194"/> The plan worked; as Tony later remembered, "I realized that young people had never heard those songs. [[Cole Porter]], [[George Gershwin|Gershwin]]—they were like, 'Who wrote that?' To them, it was different. If you're different, you stand out."<ref name="aarp"/>

[[File:Tony Bennett 7 (49491947111).jpg|thumb|left|upright|Bennett in [[Baltimore]], 1995]] 
During this time, Bennett continued to record, first putting out the acclaimed look-back ''[[Astoria: Portrait of the Artist]]'' (1990), then emphasizing themed albums such as the Sinatra homage ''[[Perfectly Frank]]'' (1992) and the [[Fred Astaire]] tribute ''[[Steppin' Out (Tony Bennett album)|Steppin' Out]]'' (1993). The latter two both achieved gold status and won Grammys for [[Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance|Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance]] (Bennett's first Grammys since 1962) and further established Bennett as the inheritor of the mantle of a classic American great.<ref name="nyt050194"/>

As Bennett was seen at [[MTV Video Music Awards]] shows side by side with the likes of the [[Red Hot Chili Peppers]] and [[Flavor Flav]], and as his "[[Steppin' Out with My Baby]]" video received MTV airplay,<ref name="nyt050194"/> it was clear that, as ''[[The New York Times]]'' said, "Tony Bennett has not just bridged the generation gap, he has demolished it. He has solidly connected with a younger crowd weaned on rock. And there have been no compromises."<ref name="nyt060194">{{cite news | url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F05EEDB103BF932A35755C0A962958260 | title=Tony Bennett and MTV: Talk About Bedfellows |first=John J. |last=O'Connor |author-link=John J. O'Connor (journalist)| newspaper=[[The New York Times]] | date=June 1, 1994 | access-date=June 14, 2005}}</ref>

The new audience reached its height with Bennett's appearance in 1994 on ''[[MTV Unplugged]]''.<ref name="nyt050299"/> (He quipped on the show, "I've been unplugged my whole career.") Featuring guest appearances by rock and country stars [[Elvis Costello]] and [[k.d. lang]] (both of whom had an affinity for the standards genre), the show attracted a considerable audience and much media attention.<ref name="nyt050194"/> The resulting ''[[MTV Unplugged (Tony Bennett album)|MTV Unplugged: Tony Bennett]]'' album went platinum and, besides taking the Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance Grammy award for the third straight year, also won the top Grammy prize of [[Grammy Award for Album of the Year|Album of the Year]].<ref name="npr-jazz"/><ref name="ammasters"/>

Following his comeback, Bennett financially prospered; by 1999, his assets were worth $15 to 20&nbsp;million.<!--restore if move <ref name="nyt050299"/>--> He had no intention of retiring, saying in reference to masters such as [[Pablo Picasso]], [[Jack Benny]], and Fred Astaire: "right up to the day they died, they were performing. If you are creative, you get busier as you get older."<!--restore if move <ref name="nyt050299"/>--> He continued to record and tour steadily, playing a hundred shows a year by the end of the 1990s.<ref name="nyt050299"/> In concert, he often made a point of singing one song (usually "[[Fly Me to the Moon]]") without any microphone or amplification, demonstrating his skills at [[vocal projection]].<ref name="nyt102193">{{cite news | url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F0CE6DA1439F932A15753C1A965958260 | title=A Pop Master Delivers A Parade of Hits From Before Rock | author=Holden, Stephen | newspaper=[[The New York Times]] | date=October 21, 1993 | author-link=Stephen Holden | access-date=September 17, 2017 | archive-date=July 21, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230721234939/https://www.nytimes.com/1993/10/21/arts/review-music-a-pop-master-delivers-a-parade-of-hits-from-before-rock.html | url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="st090291">{{cite news | url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/19910902/1303324/a-touch-of-class-from-tony-bennett | title=A Touch Of Class From Tony Bennett | author=Macdonald, Patrick | newspaper=[[The Seattle Times]] | date=September 2, 1991 | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120929001925/http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19910902&slug=1303324 | archive-date=September 29, 2012 | df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/live_reviews/article1728917.ece | title=Tony Bennett | author=Sinclair, David | newspaper=[[The Times]] | date=May 1, 2007 | access-date=November 18, 2008 | location=London | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110615121727/http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/live_reviews/article1728917.ece | archive-date=June 15, 2011 | df=mdy-all }}</ref> One show, ''Tony Bennett's Wonderful World: Live From San Francisco'', was made into a [[PBS]] special. He conceptualized and starred in the first episode of the [[A&E Network]]'s popular ''[[Live by Request]]'' series, for which he won an [[Emmy Award]].<ref name="nyt050299"/><ref name="ammasters"/> He made [[cameo appearance]]s as himself in films such as ''[[The Scout (1994 film)|The Scout]]'', ''[[Analyze This]]'', and ''[[Bruce Almighty]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/tony-bennetts-five-favourite-movies-of-all-time/|title=Tony Bennett's five favourite movies of all time|date=July 21, 2023|publisher=Far Out Magazine|accessdate=July 21, 2023|archive-date=July 21, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230721234939/https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/tony-bennetts-five-favourite-movies-of-all-time/|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 1998, Bennett performed on the final day of a mud-soaked [[Glastonbury Festival]] in an immaculate suit and tie,<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk/history/history-1998/ | title=History – 1998 | publisher=[[Glastonbury Festival]] | access-date=November 16, 2015 | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150905083709/http://www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk/history/history-1998/ | archive-date=September 5, 2015 | df=mdy-all }}</ref> his whole set on this occasion consisting of songs about the weather. His autobiography ''The Good Life'' was also first published in 1998. A series of albums, often based on themes (such as [[Duke Ellington]], [[Louis Armstrong]], [[Billie Holiday]], [[blues]], or duets), met with largely positive reviews.<ref name="ammasters"/>

[[File:2005 Kennedy Center honorees.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|President [[George W. Bush]] and [[First Lady of the United States|First Lady]] [[Laura Bush]] pose with the [[Kennedy Center Honors|Kennedy Center honorees]]: actress [[Julie Harris (American 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 (White House)|Blue Room]] at the [[White House]].]]

For his contribution to the recording industry, Bennett was given a star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]] at 1560 [[Vine Street]].<ref name="hwof">{{cite web | url=http://www.tibp.com/cgi-bin/foxweb.dll/wlx/dir/wlxdirectory?cc=WOFAME | title=Hollywood Icons: Tony Bennett | publisher=Hollywood Chamber of Commerce | access-date=December 29, 2009 | archive-date=January 4, 2019 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190104045406/http://www.tibp.com/cgi-bin/foxweb.dll/wlx/dir/wlxdirectory?cc=WOFAME | url-status=live }}</ref> Bennett was inducted into the Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame in 1997, was awarded the [[Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award]] in 2001, and received a lifetime achievement award from the [[American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers]] (ASCAP) in 2002.<ref name="ascap">{{cite news|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_pwwi/is_200204/ai_mark03040822 |title=Tony Bennett To Be Presented With The ASCAP Pied Piper Award At The 19th Annual ASCAP Pop Music Awards |publisher=[[Market Wire]] |date=April 2002 |access-date=December 29, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130730164611/http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_pwwi/is_200204/ai_mark03040822 |archive-date=July 30, 2013}}</ref> In 2002, [[Q magazine|''Q'' magazine]] named Bennett in its list of the "50 Bands To See Before You Die".<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/qlistspage2.html#Die%E2%80%A6 | title=A Selection of Lists from Q Magazine | publisher=rocklistmusic.co.uk | date=September 2002 | access-date=December 29, 2008 | url-status=usurped | archive-url=http://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/20110224060525/http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/qlistspage2.html#Die%E2%80%A6 | archive-date=February 24, 2011 | df=mdy-all }}</ref> On December 4, 2005, Bennett was the recipient of a [[Kennedy Center Honors|Kennedy Center Honor]].<ref name="ammasters"/> Later, a theatrical musical revue of his songs, called ''I Left My Heart: A Salute to the Music of Tony Bennett'' was created and featured some of his best-known songs such as "I Left My Heart in San Francisco", "Because of You", and "Wonderful".<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.summerwindproductions.com/bennett/index.html | title=I Left My Heart, A Salute to the Music of Tony Bennett | publisher=Summer Wind Productions | access-date=December 29, 2008 | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080528141504/http://www.summerwindproductions.com/bennett/index.html | archive-date=May 28, 2008 | df=mdy-all }}</ref> The following year, Bennett was inducted into the [[Long Island Music Hall of Fame]].<ref name="limhof">{{cite web|url=http://www.limusichalloffame.org/inductees_00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090522200444/http://www.limusichalloffame.org/inductees_00.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 22, 2009 |title=Inductees |publisher=[[Long Island Music Hall of Fame]] |access-date=December 29, 2008}}</ref>

Bennett frequently donated his time to charitable causes, to the extent that he was sometimes nicknamed "Tony Benefit".<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.osia.org/public/newsroom/pr05_13_99.asp | title=SIF to Honor Bennett & Giancamilli | publisher=[[Order Sons of Italy in America]] | date=May 13, 1999 | access-date=June 15, 2005 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20050317143921/http://www.osia.org/public/newsroom/pr05_13_99.asp |archive-date = March 17, 2005}}</ref> In April 2002, he joined [[Michael Jackson]], [[Chris Tucker]], and former President [[Bill Clinton]] in a fundraiser for the [[Democratic National Committee]] at New York City's [[Apollo Theater]].<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1453591/20020425/jackson_michael.jhtml | title=Michael Jackson Sings For Bill Clinton In Harlem | author=Reid, Shaheem | publisher=[[MTV News]] | date=April 25, 2002 | access-date=December 29, 2008 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081220105756/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1453591/20020425/jackson_michael.jhtml | archive-date=December 20, 2008 | df=mdy-all }}</ref> He also recorded [[public service announcement]]s for [[Civitan International]].<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.civitan.com/template.php?id=72 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708161734/http://www.civitan.com/template.php?id=72 | url-status=dead | archive-date=July 8, 2011 | title=Radio & TV Public Service Announcements | publisher=[[Civitan International]] | access-date=December 29, 2008}}</ref>

Danny Bennett continued to be Tony's manager while Dae Bennett is a [[recording engineer]] who worked on a number of Tony's projects and who opened Bennett Studios in [[Englewood, New Jersey]] in 2001, now shuttered due to the downturn of major label budgets combined with skyrocketing overhead. Tony's younger daughter Antonia is an aspiring jazz singer who opened shows for her father.<ref name="aarp"/>

=== 2006–2021: Later years and final album ===
On August 3, 2006, Bennett turned 80 years old. His record label celebrated by releasing reissues, compilations, and the album ''[[Duets: An American Classic]]'', which reached his highest chart position ever and won a Grammy Award.<ref name="amg-bio"/> Concerts were given, including a high-profile one for New York radio station [[WLTW]]/106.7; a performance was done with [[Christina Aguilera]] and a comedy sketch was made with affectionate Bennett impressionist [[Alec Baldwin]] on ''[[Saturday Night Live]]''; a [[Thanksgiving]]-time, [[Rob Marshall]]–directed television special ''Tony Bennett: An American Classic'' on [[NBC]], which went on to [[59th Primetime Emmy Awards|win multiple Emmy Awards]];<ref name="cnn101807"/> receipt of the [[Billboard Century Award|''Billboard'' Century Award]];<ref name="ammasters"/> and guest-mentoring on [[American Idol season 6|''American Idol'' season 6]] as well as performing during its finale. He received the [[United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees]]' Humanitarian Award.<ref name=Yahoo2023obit/> Bennett was awarded the [[NEA Jazz Masters|National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Masters Award]] in 2006.<ref name="ammasters"/>

[[File:Tony Bennett meets Stevie Wonder.jpg|thumb|left|Greeting [[Stevie Wonder]] at the White House on February 25, 2009]]
In 2008, Bennett made two appearances with [[Billy Joel]] singing "[[New York State of Mind]]" at the final concerts given at [[Shea Stadium]], and in October released the album ''[[A Swingin' Christmas]]'' with [[the Count Basie Big Band]], for which he made a number of promotional appearances at holiday time.<ref name=Yahoo2023obit/><ref>{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r161004|label=Bennett & Basie Strike Up the Band}}</ref> In 2009, Bennett performed at the conclusion of the final [[Macworld Conference & Expo]] for [[Apple Inc.]], singing "The Best Is Yet to Come" and "I Left My Heart In San Francisco" to a standing ovation,<ref>{{cite magazine | url=https://www.macworld.co.uk/news/index.cfm?newsid=24226 | title=Apple: "The Best Is Yet To Come" | last = Hattersley | first = Mark | magazine=[[MacWorld]] | date=January 6, 2009 | access-date=January 7, 2009 | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090216135154/http://www.macworld.co.uk/news/index.cfm?newsid=24226 | archive-date=February 16, 2009 | df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2008597402_macanalysis07.html | title=Apple's blah final appearance at Macworld no Jobs fest | last = Fleishman | first = Glenn | newspaper=[[The Seattle Times]] | date=January 7, 2009 | access-date=January 7, 2009 | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100829065759/http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2008597402_macanalysis07.html | archive-date=August 29, 2010 | df=mdy-all }}</ref> and later making his [[Jazz Fest]] debut in [[New Orleans]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.louisianaweekly.com/news.php?viewStory=1240 |title=Jazz Fest – Second Weekend |author=Wyckoff, Geraldine |newspaper=[[The Louisiana Weekly]] |date=April 27, 2009 |access-date=May 2, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101009100501/http://louisianaweekly.com/news.php?viewStory=1240 |archive-date=October 9, 2010 }}</ref> In February 2010, Bennett was one of over 70 artists who sang on "[[We Are the World 25 for Haiti]]", a [[charity single]] in aid of the [[2010 Haiti earthquake]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cnn.com/2010/SHOWBIZ/Music/02/01/haiti.we.are.the.world/?hpt=Sbin|title=Stars gather for 'We Are the World' recording|last=Duke|first=Alan|date=February 2, 2010|publisher=CNN|access-date=February 7, 2010|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100206002023/http://www.cnn.com/2010/SHOWBIZ/Music/02/01/haiti.we.are.the.world/?hpt=Sbin|archive-date=February 6, 2010}}</ref> In October, he performed "[[I Left My Heart in San Francisco]]" at [[AT&T Park]] before the third inning of [[2010 World Series#Game 1|Game 1 of the 2010 World Series]] and sang "[[God Bless America]]" during the [[seventh-inning stretch]]. Days later he sang "[[America the Beautiful]]" at the [[Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear]] in Washington, D.C., which he reprised ten years later in a segment on ''[[The Late Show with Stephen Colbert]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://apnews.com/article/tony-bennett-dies-celebrity-reaction-f5252974c62bcc3f11d46afd116161fd|title=Friends and admirers of Tony Bennett react to the news of his death|date=July 21, 2023|publisher= [[AP News]] |accessdate=July 21, 2023|archive-date=July 21, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230721234939/https://apnews.com/article/tony-bennett-dies-celebrity-reaction-f5252974c62bcc3f11d46afd116161fd|url-status=live}}</ref>

In September 2011, Bennett appeared on ''[[The Howard Stern Show]]'' and named American military actions in the Middle East as the root cause of the [[September 11 attacks]].<ref name="abc-attacks">{{cite news | url=https://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2011/09/tony-bennett-on-911-attacks-they-flew-the-plane-in-but-we-caused-it/ | title=Tony Bennett on 9/11 Attacks: 'They Flew the Plane in, But We Caused It' | author=Canova, Brian | publisher=[[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]] | date=September 19, 2011 | access-date=October 1, 2011 | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110930003217/https://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2011/09/tony-bennett-on-911-attacks-they-flew-the-plane-in-but-we-caused-it/ | archive-date=September 30, 2011 | df=mdy-all }}</ref> Bennett also claimed that former President [[George W. Bush]] personally told him at the Kennedy Center in December 2005 that he felt he had made a mistake [[U.S. Invasion of Iraq|invading Iraq]], to which a Bush spokesperson replied, "This account is flatly wrong."<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.reuters.com/article/idUS21632756720110921 | title=Tony Bennett 'Flat Wrong' About Iraq War Claim, Bush Spokesman Says | author=Kenneally, Tim | work=[[Reuters]] | publisher=[[The Wrap]] | date=September 21, 2011 | access-date=October 1, 2011 | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110925095625/http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/09/21/idUS21632756720110921 | archive-date=September 25, 2011 | df=mdy-all }}</ref> Following bad press resulting from his remarks, Bennett clarified his position, writing: "There is simply no excuse for terrorism and the murder of the nearly 3,000 innocent victims of the 9/11 attacks on our country. My life experiences, ranging from the [[Battle of the Bulge]] to marching with [[Martin Luther King]], made me a life-long humanist and pacifist, and reinforced my belief that violence begets violence and that war is the lowest form of human behavior."<ref name="Apology">{{cite news | url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/467353/tony-bennett-goes-on-apology-tour-for-911-comments | title=Tony Bennett Goes on Apology Tour for 9/11 Comments | author=Schneider, Marc | magazine=[[Billboard magazine|Billboard]] | date=September 21, 2011 | access-date=September 26, 2011 | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130527132823/http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/467353/tony-bennett-goes-on-apology-tour-for-911-comments | archive-date=May 27, 2013 | df=mdy-all }}</ref>

In September 2011, Bennett released ''[[Duets II (Tony Bennett album)|Duets II]]'', a follow-up to his first collaboration album, in conjunction with his 85th birthday. He sang duets with seventeen prominent singers of varying techniques, including [[Aretha Franklin]], [[Willie Nelson]], [[Queen Latifah]], and [[Lady Gaga]].<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Talese |first=Gay |author-link=Gay Talese |date=September 19, 2011 |title=High Notes: Tony Bennett in the studio – with Lady Gaga |magazine=[[The New Yorker]] |pages=62–68 |url=http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2011/09/19/110919fa_fact_talese |access-date=July 7, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130606051639/http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2011/09/19/110919fa_fact_talese |archive-date=June 6, 2013 }}</ref> Bennett appeared on the season 2 premiere of the television procedural ''[[Blue Bloods (TV series)|Blue Bloods]]'' performing "It Had To Be You" with [[Carrie Underwood]].<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.tvguide.com/news/blue-bloods-premiere-1035507/|title=Carrie Underwood, Tony Bennett Make Cameos on Blue Bloods Premiere|date=July 21, 2011|magazine=TV Guide|access-date=May 7, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170707052047/http://www.tvguide.com/news/blue-bloods-premiere-1035507/|archive-date=July 7, 2017}}</ref> His duet with [[Amy Winehouse]] on "[[Body and Soul (1930 song)|Body and Soul]]"—reportedly the last recording she made before her death<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/entertainment/52583885-81/duets-winehouse-amy-tony.html.csp | title=Amy Winehouse the highlight of Tony Bennett's 'Duets II' | author=Burger, David | newspaper=[[The Salt Lake Tribune]] | date=September 25, 2011 | access-date=September 26, 2011 | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927054647/http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/entertainment/52583885-81/duets-winehouse-amy-tony.html.csp | archive-date=September 27, 2011 | df=mdy-all }}</ref>—charted on the lower reaches of the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]], making Bennett the oldest living artist to appear there, as well as the artist with the greatest span of appearances.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.billboard.com/pro/tony-bennett-oldest-living-artist-ever-on-hot-100/ | title=Tony Bennett Oldest Living Artist Ever On Hot 100 | author=Trust, Gary | magazine=[[Billboard magazine|Billboard]] | date=September 21, 2011 | access-date=September 26, 2011 | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130405012410/http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/467357/tony-bennett-oldest-living-artist-ever-on-hot-100 | archive-date=April 5, 2013 | df=mdy-all }}</ref> The single did well in Europe, where it reached the top 15 in several countries. The album then debuted at number one on the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]], making Bennett the oldest living artist to reach that top spot, as well as marking the first time he had reached it himself.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/467230/tony-bennett-85-achieves-first-no-1-album-on-billboard-200 | title=Tony Bennett, 85, Achieves First No. 1 Album on Billboard 200 | author=Caulfield, Keith | magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] | date=September 28, 2011 | access-date=September 30, 2011 | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130301062949/http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/467230/tony-bennett-85-achieves-first-no-1-album-on-billboard-200 | archive-date=March 1, 2013 | df=mdy-all }}</ref> A model of [[Koss Corporation|Koss headphones]], the Tony Bennett Signature Edition (TBSE1), was created for this milestone<ref>{{cite web|title=Koss TBSE1|url=http://www.koss.com/en/products/headphones/full_size_headphones/TBSE1__TBSE1_Full_Size_Headphone|publisher=[[Koss Corporation]]|access-date=March 10, 2012|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120323174336/http://www.koss.com/en/products/headphones/full_size_headphones/TBSE1__TBSE1_Full_Size_Headphone|archive-date=March 23, 2012}}</ref> (Bennett having been one of the early adopters of the Koss product back in the 1960s).<ref>{{cite news | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=4bxbAAAAIBAJ&pg=1228,3829683 | title=Koss finds success | author=Chilsen, Jim | agency=[[Associated Press]] | newspaper=[[Record-Journal]] | location=Meriden, Connecticut | date=June 21, 1998 | page=E1 | access-date=September 7, 2020 | archive-date=November 9, 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211109174715/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=4bxbAAAAIBAJ&pg=1228%2C3829683 | url-status=live }}</ref> In November 2011, Columbia released ''Tony Bennett – The Complete Collection'', a 73-CD plus 3-DVD set, which although not absolutely "complete", finally brought forth many albums that had not had a previous CD release, as well as some unreleased material and rarities.<ref name="jt2011">{{cite magazine | url=http://jazztimes.com/articles/28381-columbia-legacy-releasing-tony-bennett-the-complete-collection | title=Columbia/Legacy Releasing 'Tony Bennett – The Complete Collection' |author=Tamarkin, Jeff |author-link=Jeff Tamarkin| magazine=[[JazzTimes]] | date=August 31, 2011 | access-date=March 24, 2012 | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120415213257/http://jazztimes.com/articles/28381-columbia-legacy-releasing-tony-bennett-the-complete-collection | archive-date=April 15, 2012 | df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://music.barnesandnoble.com/Tony-Bennett-The-Complete-Collection/Tony-Bennett/e/886978746023 | title=Tony Bennett – The Complete Collection [B&N Exclusive] |author=Friedwald, Will |author-link=Will Friedwald| publisher=[[Barnes & Noble]] | access-date=March 24, 2012 | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120313124000/http://music.barnesandnoble.com/Tony-Bennett-The-Complete-Collection/Tony-Bennett/e/886978746023 | archive-date=March 13, 2012 | df=mdy-all }}</ref> In December 2011, Bennett appeared at the [[Royal Variety Performance]] in [[Salford, Greater Manchester|Salford]] in the presence of [[Anne, Princess Royal|Princess Anne]].<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-16037436 | work=BBC News | title=Salford's Lowry hosts Royal Variety Performance | date=December 5, 2011 | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111208191323/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-16037436 | archive-date=December 8, 2011 | df=mdy-all }}</ref>

[[File:Tony Bennett.jpg|thumb|upright|Bennett pictured in 2013]]
In the wake of the premature deaths of Winehouse and [[Whitney Houston]], Bennett called for the [[legalization of drugs]] in February 2012.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://thechronicleherald.ca/artslife/62656-legalize-drugs-bennett-suggests | title=Legalize drugs, Bennett suggests | author=Harris, Beth | agency=[[Associated Press]] | newspaper=[[The Chronicle Herald]] | location=Halifax | date=February 14, 2012 | access-date=February 14, 2012 | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120216201019/http://thechronicleherald.ca/artslife/62656-legalize-drugs-bennett-suggests | archive-date=February 16, 2012 | df=mdy-all }}</ref> In October 2012, Bennett released ''[[Viva Duets]]'', an album of [[Latin American music]] duets, featuring [[Vicente Fernández]], [[Juan Luis Guerra]], and [[Vicentico]] among others.<ref name=vivaduet>{{cite news | url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/music/reviews/2012/10/22/tony-bennett-listen-up-viva-duets/1650437/ | title=Tony Bennett's 'Viva Duets' takes a Latin spin | author=Gardner, Elysa | newspaper=[[USA Today]] | date=October 22, 2012 | access-date=November 20, 2012 | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121026024058/http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/music/reviews/2012/10/22/tony-bennett-listen-up-viva-duets/1650437/ | archive-date=October 26, 2012 | df=mdy-all }}</ref> The recording and filming for the project, in [[Fort Lauderdale]], was co-sponsored by the city.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2012-05-20/business/fl-tony-bennett-fort-lauderdale-20120520_1_duets-album-latin-american-vicentico | title=Lauderdale tourism score: Tony Bennett records, films Latin duets | first=Doreen | last=Hemlock | newspaper=[[Sun-Sentinel]] | date=May 20, 2012 | access-date=June 24, 2012 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130527223211/http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2012-05-20/business/fl-tony-bennett-fort-lauderdale-20120520_1_duets-album-latin-american-vicentico | archive-date=May 27, 2013 | df=mdy-all }}</ref> On October 31, 2012, Bennett performed "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" in front of more than 100,000 fans at a City Hall ceremony commemorating the [[2012 World Series]] victory by the [[San Francisco Giants]].<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.mercurynews.com/giants/ci_21899927/world-series-san-francisco-giants-get-ultimate-thank?source=autofeed# | title=World Series: San Francisco Giants get the ultimate thank you | author=Pavlovic, Alex | newspaper=[[Mercury News]] | location=San Jose, California | date=October 31, 2012 | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131113215041/http://www.mercurynews.com/giants/ci_21899927/world-series-san-francisco-giants-get-ultimate-thank?source=autofeed | archive-date=November 13, 2013 | df=mdy-all }}</ref> He published another memoir, ''Life is a Gift: The Zen of Bennett'', and a documentary film produced by his son Danny was released, also titled ''[[The Zen of Bennett]]''.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://movies.nytimes.com/2012/10/24/movies/the-zen-of-bennett-featuring-tony-bennett.html| title=A Pop Culture Father Figure, as Mellow as His Tone | author=Holden, Stephen | author-link=Stephen Holden | newspaper=[[The New York Times]] | date=October 23, 2012 | access-date=November 22, 2012 | archive-date=July 21, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230721234940/https://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/24/movies/the-zen-of-bennett-featuring-tony-bennett.html?_r=0 | url-status=live }}</ref>

In September 2014, Bennett performed for the first time in Israel, with his jazz quartet at the [[Charles Bronfman Auditorium]] in [[Tel Aviv]], receiving a standing ovation. He also made a surprise cameo appearance on stage with Lady Gaga at [[Yarkon Park]], Tel Aviv, the previous evening.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4570708,00.html | title=Lady Gaga leaves Israeli audience hungry for more | author=Cotler, Amit | publisher=[[Ynetnews]] | date=September 14, 2014 | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140915115748/http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4570708,00.html | archive-date=September 15, 2014 | df=mdy-all }}</ref> The performance took place days before the release that month of the two stars' much-delayed collaborative effort and resultant Grammy-winning album, ''[[Cheek to Cheek (album)|Cheek to Cheek]]'', which debuted at number one on the ''Billboard'' charts, extending the 88-year-old Bennett's record for the oldest artist to do so,<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/posts/la-et-ms-tony-bennett-lady-gaga-cheek-billboard-no-1-20141001-story.html | title=Tony Bennett-Lady Gaga's 'Cheek to Cheek' reaches No. 1 | author=Lewis, Randy | newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] | date=October 1, 2014 | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141114012616/http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/posts/la-et-ms-tony-bennett-lady-gaga-cheek-billboard-no-1-20141001-story.html | archive-date=November 14, 2014 | df=mdy-all }}</ref> It also earned him the ''[[Guinness World Records]]'' for "oldest person to reach No.1 on the US Album Chart with a newly recorded album", at the age of 88 years and 69 days.<ref name="GWR14">{{cite web|url=https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/85545-oldest-person-to-reach-no-1-on-the-us-album-chart-with-a-newly-recorded-album|title=Oldest person to reach No.1 on the US album chart with a newly recorded album|work=[[Guinness World Records]]|date=October 11, 2014|access-date=March 26, 2021|archive-date=July 4, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210704192027/https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/85545-oldest-person-to-reach-no-1-on-the-us-album-chart-with-a-newly-recorded-album|url-status=live}}</ref> In October 2014, Bennett and Lady Gaga released the concert special ''[[Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga: Cheek to Cheek Live!]]'',<ref>{{cite news|title=Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga: Cheek to Cheek Live!|url=https://www.pbs.org/wnet/gperf/tony-bennett-lady-gaga-cheek-to-cheek-live-about-the-concert/3524/|access-date=March 10, 2015|publisher=PBS|date=October 15, 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150312193346/http://www.pbs.org/wnet/gperf/tony-bennett-lady-gaga-cheek-to-cheek-live-about-the-concert/3524/|archive-date=March 12, 2015}}</ref> and at the end of the year, they kicked off their co-headlining [[Cheek to Cheek Tour]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/lady-gaga-to-perform-with-tony-bennett-on-new-year-s-eve-114100800065_1.html|title=Lady Gaga to perform with Tony Bennett on New Year's Eve|date=October 8, 2014|access-date=June 17, 2015|work=[[Business Standard]]|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150717163929/http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/lady-gaga-to-perform-with-tony-bennett-on-new-year-s-eve-114100800065_1.html|archive-date=July 17, 2015}}</ref> The pair also appeared in a [[Barnes & Noble]] commercial.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/barnes-noble-chairman-creates-tv-ad-with-tony-bennett-and-lady-gaga-1447357812|title=Barnes & Noble Chairman Creates TV Ad With Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga|last=Trachtenberg|first=Jeffrey A.|date=November 12, 2015|access-date=August 4, 2022|work=[[The Wall Street Journal]]|url-status=live|archive-url=https://archive.today/20160108121831/http://www.wsj.com/articles/barnes-noble-chairman-creates-tv-ad-with-tony-bennett-and-lady-gaga-1447357812|archive-date=January 8, 2016}}</ref>

On September 25, 2015, he released an album of songs composed by [[Jerome Kern]], featuring [[Bill Charlap]] on piano, called ''[[The Silver Lining: The Songs of Jerome Kern]]''.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Reed|first=Ryan|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/tony-bennett-teams-with-jazz-pianist-bill-charlap-for-new-lp-20150821|title=Tony Bennett Teams With Jazz Pianist Bill Charlap for New LP|date=August 21, 2015|access-date=August 22, 2015|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150824044919/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/tony-bennett-teams-with-jazz-pianist-bill-charlap-for-new-lp-20150821|archive-date=August 24, 2015}}</ref> On November 1, 2015, Bennett, joined by the choir from the Frank Sinatra School, sang "America the Beautiful" before Game 5 of the baseball [[World Series]] between the [[Kansas City Royals]] and [[New York Mets]] at [[Citi Field]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.texarkanagazette.com/news/2023/jul/21/tony-bennett-masterful-stylist-of-american/|title=Tony Bennett, masterful stylist of American musical standards, dies at 96|date=July 21, 2023|work=Texarkana Gazette|accessdate=July 21, 2023|archive-date=July 21, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230721234941/https://www.texarkanagazette.com/news/2023/jul/21/tony-bennett-masterful-stylist-of-american/|url-status=live}}</ref>

On August 19, 2016, shortly after his 90th birthday, Bennett was honored by the unveiling of an 8-foot tall statue in his likeness in front of the [[Fairmont San Francisco|Fairmont Hotel]] in San Francisco. With Senator [[Dianne Feinstein]], House Minority Leader [[Nancy Pelosi]], and several San Francisco mayors in attendance, Bennett was serenaded by a young-adult choir singing "I Left My Heart in San Francisco". Bennett had first sung the song at the hotel in 1961. That same year, he performed at the [[Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade]] on November 24 and the [[Rockefeller Center]] tree lighting on November 30. On December 20, 2016, NBC televised a special concert in honor of his 90th birthday, called ''[[Tony Bennett Celebrates 90|Tony Bennett Celebrates 90: The Best Is Yet to Come]]''.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.ew.com/article/2016/08/02/tony-bennett-90th-birthday-special-nbc|title=Tony Bennett gets 90th birthday celebration special on NBC |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|last=Lujan|first=Adam|date=August 2, 2016|accessdate=November 12, 2016|archive-url=https://archive.today/20220811104515/https://ew.com/awards/emmys/lady-gaga-tony-bennett-added-2022-emmy-nominees-one-last-time-special/|archive-date=August 11, 2022|url-status=live}}</ref> In September 2018, Bennett re-recorded the [[George Gershwin]] song "[[Fascinating Rhythm]]", after 68 years and 342 days, according to the ''Guinness World Records'' adjudicator, earning the title of "longest time between the release of an original recording and a re-recording of the same single by the same artist".<ref>{{Citation|pages=108–113|publisher=Blackwell Publishing Ltd|isbn=9780470759196|doi=10.1002/9780470759196.ch18|title = Statutory Adjudication|year = 2003|chapter = After the Adjudicator has Released his Decision}}</ref><ref name="guinness record">{{cite news |last1=Bruner |first1=Raisa |title=Tony Bennett Just Locked Down a Very Obscure Guinness Record |url=https://time.com/5395612/tony-bennett-guinness-record/ |magazine=Time |access-date=September 19, 2018 |language=en |archive-date=September 17, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180917105221/http://time.com/5395612/tony-bennett-guinness-record/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The song appeared on the collaborative album ''[[Love Is Here to Stay (album)|Love Is Here to Stay]]'' with [[Diana Krall]] that was released on September 14.<ref name="loveis">{{cite magazine |last1=Hart |first1=Ron |title=Tony Bennett & Diana Krall on Gershwin Duets Album 'Love Is Here to Stay' & Their Mutual Admiration |url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/8475272/tony-bennett-diana-krall-gershwin-love-is-here-to-stay-interview |magazine=Billboard |access-date=September 25, 2018 |date=September 14, 2018}}</ref>

[[File:Tony Bennett & Lady GaGa, Cheek to Cheek Tour 01 (cropped).jpg|thumb|left|Performing with [[Lady Gaga]] on their co-headlining [[Cheek to Cheek Tour]] (2015). Their second collaborative album, ''[[Love for Sale (Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga album)|Love for Sale]]'' (2021), was his final record.]] 
Bennett's final album, ''[[Love for Sale (Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga album)|Love for Sale]]'', another collaborative record with Lady Gaga, was released on September 30, 2021. The record received generally favorable reviews, and debuted at number eight in the United States.<ref>{{cite metacritic|id=music/love-for-sale/tony-bennett|type=music|title=Love for Sale|access-date=October 8, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Caulfield|first=Keith|date=October 10, 2021|title=Taylor Swift's 'Fearless (Taylor's Version)' Returns to No. 1 on Billboard 200|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/9643266/taylor-swift-fearless-taylors-version-billboard-200-return-number-1/|access-date=October 11, 2021|magazine=Billboard}}</ref> [[Alexis Petridis]] called Bennett's performance on the album "pretty remarkable" despite the singer's age and health condition in his review for ''[[The Guardian]]''.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/sep/30/lady-gaga-and-tony-bennett-love-for-sale-review|title=Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett: Love for Sale review – jazz interloper livens up crooner's swan song|last=Petridis|first=Alexis|author-link=Alexis Petridis|date=September 30, 2021|newspaper=The Guardian|access-date=September 30, 2021|archive-date=October 2, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211002015201/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/sep/30/lady-gaga-and-tony-bennett-love-for-sale-review|url-status=live}}</ref> Bennett broke the individual record for the longest span of top-10 albums on the ''Billboard'' 200 chart for any living artist; his first top-10 record was ''I Left My Heart in San Francisco'' in 1962.<ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Caulfield|first=Keith|date=October 10, 2021|title=Taylor Swift's 'Fearless (Taylor's Version)' Returns to No. 1 on Billboard 200|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/9643266/taylor-swift-fearless-taylors-version-billboard-200-return-number-1/|access-date=October 11, 2021|magazine=Billboard|language=en}}</ref> Bennett also broke the Guinness World Record for the oldest person to release an album of new material, at the age of 95 years and 60 days <ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Marcus|first=Amanda|date=October 8, 2021|title=Legendary Tony Bennett officially the oldest person to release an album of new material|url=https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/news/2021/10/legendary-tony-bennett-officially-the-oldest-person-to-release-an-album-of-new-ma-678310|url-status=live|archive-url=https://archive.today/20211008195526/https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/news/2021/10/legendary-tony-bennett-officially-the-oldest-person-to-release-an-album-of-new-ma-678310|archive-date=October 8, 2021|access-date=October 8, 2021|magazine=[[Guinness World Records]]}}</ref> until being surpassed by [[saxophonist]] [[Marshall Allen]] at age 100 on February 14, 2025.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Pareles |first1=Jon |title=A 100-Year-Old Jazz Legend's Solo Debut, and 11 More New Songs |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/17/arts/music/playlist-marshall-allen-lucy-dacus-bartees-strange.html |publisher=The New York Times |access-date=9 October 2025 |date=17 January 2025}}</ref>

Bennett's final live performances were on August 3 and 5, 2021, when he presented a pair of shows with Lady Gaga at [[Radio City Music Hall]]. On August 12, 2021, nine days after his 95th birthday, Bennett's retirement from concerts was announced by his son and manager Danny Bennett. Danny stated that though his father remained a capable singer, he was becoming physically frail and risked a major fall if he continued touring.<ref name="retirementvariety">{{cite magazine | url=https://variety.com/2021/music/news/tony-bennett-danny-concerts-canceled-radio-city-music-hall-1235040769/ | first=A. D.|last=Amorosi| title=Tony Bennett's Son, Danny, on Why the Legend's Radio City Music Hall Shows Went So Well — and Why There Won't Be More | magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|date=August 12, 2021 | access-date=July 26, 2023}}</ref> A television special, ''[[One Last Time: An Evening with Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga]]'' debuted on November 28, 2021, on [[CBS]], which contained select performances from the two final concerts.<ref name="VarietySpecials">{{cite magazine|last=Willman|first=Chris|date=September 15, 2021|title=Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga Partner With ViacomCBS for Three Specials, to Air on CBS, MTV and Paramount Plus|url=https://variety.com/2021/music/news/lady-gaga-tony-bennett-viacomcbs-mtv-unplugged-special-video-1235065259/|access-date=September 15, 2021|magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|archive-url=https://archive.today/20210915151443/https://variety.com/2021/music/news/lady-gaga-tony-bennett-viacomcbs-mtv-unplugged-special-video-1235065259/|archive-date=September 15, 2021|url-status=live}}</ref> Bennett's last televised performance was also with Gaga on December 16, 2021, on ''[[MTV Unplugged]]''. The special was filmed the previous July in front of an intimate studio audience in New York City, and included duets from ''Love for Sale''.<ref>{{cite web|last=Romaine|first=Jenna|title=After Alzheimer's diagnosis, singing great Tony Bennett to perform free concert with Lady Gaga|url=https://thehill.com/changing-america/enrichment/arts-culture/560874-after-alzheimers-diagnosis-singing-great-tony|access-date=August 5, 2021|work=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]]|date=June 30, 2021|archive-url=https://archive.today/20211205104850/https://thehill.com/changing-america/enrichment/arts-culture/560874-after-alzheimers-diagnosis-singing-great-tony|archive-date=December 5, 2021|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|last=Calvario|first=Liz|date=December 17, 2021|title=Lady Gaga and Tony Bennet Are a Class Act in Final Televised Performance Together for 'MTV Unplugged'|url=https://www.etonline.com/lady-gaga-and-tony-bennet-are-a-class-act-in-final-televised-performance-together-for-mtv-unplugged?amp|access-date=December 18, 2021|magazine=[[Entertainment Tonight]]|archive-url=https://archive.today/20211218104343/https://www.etonline.com/lady-gaga-and-tony-bennet-are-a-class-act-in-final-televised-performance-together-for-mtv-unplugged?amp|archive-date=December 18, 2021|url-status=live}}</ref> 

Despite his retirement, as of early 2022, Bennett still continued to rehearse with his music director three times a week, Danny Bennett said in an interview.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Amorosi |first1=A. D. |title=Why Tony Bennett Played a Big Part in the 'Mrs. Maisel' Season Finale — Despite Not Being Seen or Heard |url=https://variety.com/2022/artisans/news/marvelous-mrs-maisel-tony-bennett-1235210668/ |access-date=March 22, 2022 |work=Variety |date=March 21, 2022 |archive-date=March 22, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220322012940/https://variety.com/2022/artisans/news/marvelous-mrs-maisel-tony-bennett-1235210668/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Artistry==

===Painting===
Bennett also had success as a painter, done under his real name of Anthony Benedetto, or just Benedetto.<ref name="kc-bio">{{cite web | url=http://www.kennedy-center.org/calendar/index.cfm?fuseaction=showIndividual&entity_id=14581&source_type=A | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060923224936/http://www.kennedy-center.org/calendar/index.cfm?fuseaction=showIndividual&entitY_id=14581&source_type=A | url-status=dead | archive-date=September 23, 2006 | title=Biography of Tony Bennett | publisher=[[John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts]] | access-date=February 16, 2009}}</ref> He followed up his childhood interest with professional training, work, and museum visits throughout his life. He sketched or painted every day, often of views out of hotel windows when he was on tour.<ref name="ammasters">{{cite web | url=https://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/tony-bennett-the-music-never-ends/79/ | title=Tony Bennett: The Music Never Ends | work=[[American Masters]] | publisher=[[PBS]] | date=September 12, 2007 | access-date=November 18, 2008 | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081016125254/http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/tony-bennett/the-music-never-ends/79/ | archive-date=October 16, 2008 | df=mdy-all }}</ref>

He exhibited his work in numerous galleries around the world.<ref name="ammasters"/> He was chosen as the official artist for the 2001 [[Kentucky Derby]], and was commissioned by the United Nations to do two paintings, including one for its fiftieth anniversary.<ref name="ammasters"/> His painting ''Homage to Hockney'' (for his friend [[David Hockney]], painted after Hockney drew him) is on permanent display at the [[Butler Institute of American Art]] in [[Youngstown, Ohio]].<ref name="kc-bio"/> His ''Boy on Sailboat, Sydney Bay'' is in the permanent collection at the [[National Arts Club]] on [[Gramercy Park]] in New York City, as is his ''Central Park'' at the [[Smithsonian American Art Museum]] in Washington, D.C.<ref name="ammasters"/> His paintings and drawings have been featured in ''[[ARTnews]]'' and other magazines, and have sold for as much as $80,000 a piece.<ref name="ghk0495"/><ref name="nyt050299"/> Many of his works were published in the art book ''Tony Bennett: What My Heart Has Seen'' in 1996. In 2007, another book involving his paintings, ''Tony Bennett in the Studio: A Life of Art & Music'', became a bestseller among art books.<ref name="cnn101807"/>

===Musical style===
Regarding his choices in music, Bennett reiterated his artistic stance in a 2010 interview:

{{Blockquote|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.<ref>{{cite news |last=Clodfelter |first=Tim |date=April 9, 2019 |orig-date=September 5, 2010 |title=Star Performer: Tony Bennett says a key to his continued success is being true to the audience |url=https://journalnow.com/entertainment/star-performer-tony-bennett-says-a-key-to-his-continued-success-is-being-true-to/article_7bb857f5-8d29-5704-b57c-ac9b3228da6c.html |url-access=subscription |newspaper=[[Winston-Salem Journal]] |location=North Carolina}}</ref>}}

==Awards and legacy==
Bennett won 20 [[Grammy Awards]] (including the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award),<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.grammy.com/GRAMMY_Awards/Winners/Results.aspx | title=Grammy Award Winners | publisher=[[National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences]] | access-date=February 19, 2009 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090215191102/http://grammy.com/GRAMMY_Awards/Winners/Results.aspx <!--Added by H3llBot--> | archive-date=February 15, 2009}} Search database for "Tony Bennett".</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.grammy.com/Recording_Academy/Awards/Lifetime_Awards/ |title=Lifetime Achievement Award |publisher=[[National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences]] |access-date=February 19, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090212143148/http://grammy.com/Recording_Academy/Awards/Lifetime_Awards/ |archive-date=February 12, 2009 |url-status=dead}} Gives Lifetime Achievement Award, not included in searchable database.</ref> as follows (years shown are the year in which the ceremony was held and the award was given, not the year in which the recording was released):

[[File:TonyBenettKimmelCenter2.JPG|thumb|right|The Tony Bennett concert show as seen by the audience, with no stage set, visual effects or advanced lighting schemes. [[Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts|Kimmel Center]], [[Philadelphia]], September 2005.]]
{| class=wikitable
|+Grammy Awards for Tony Bennett<ref>{{Cite web|date=November 19, 2019|title=Tony Bennett|url=https://www.grammy.com/grammys/artists/tony-bennett/1073|access-date=November 27, 2021|publisher=National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences|language=en|archive-date=February 1, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210201153723/https://www.grammy.com/grammys/artists/tony-bennett/1073|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
! scope="col"| Year
! scope="col"| Work
! scope="col"| Category
! scope="col"| Result
|-
! scope="row" rowspan="3"| [[5th Annual Grammy Awards|1963]]
| ''[[I Left My Heart in San Francisco (album)|I Left My Heart in San Francisco]]''
| [[Grammy Award for Album of the Year|Album of the Year (Other Than Classical)]]
| {{nominated}}
|-
| rowspan="2"| "[[I Left My Heart In San Francisco]]"
| [[Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance|Best Solo Vocal Performance, Male]]
| {{won}}
|-
| [[Grammy Award for Record of the Year|Record of the Year]]
| {{won}}
|-
! scope="row" rowspan="2"| [[6th Annual Grammy Awards|1964]]
| rowspan="2"| "[[I Wanna Be Around]]"
| [[Grammy Award for Record of the Year|Record of the Year]]
| {{nominated}}
|-
| [[Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance|Best Vocal Performance, Male]]
| {{nominated}}
|-
! scope="row" | [[7th Annual Grammy Awards|1965]]
| "[[Who Can I Turn To?]]"
| [[Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance|Best Vocal Performance, Male]]
| {{nominated}}
|-
! scope="row" rowspan="2"| [[8th Annual Grammy Awards|1966]]
| rowspan="2"|"[[The Shadow of Your Smile|The Shadow of Your Smile (Love Theme From "The Sandpiper")]]"
| [[Grammy Award for Record of the Year|Record of the Year]]
| {{nominated}}
|-
| [[Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance|Best Vocal Performance, Male]]
| {{nominated}}
|-
! scope="row" | [[33rd Annual Grammy Awards|1991]]
| ''[[Astoria: Portrait of the Artist]]''
| [[Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Male|Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Male]]
| {{nominated}}
|-
! scope="row" | [[35th Annual Grammy Awards|1993]]
| ''[[Perfectly Frank]]''
| [[Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album|Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance]]
| {{won}}
|-
! scope="row" | [[36th Annual Grammy Awards|1994]]
| ''[[Steppin' Out (Tony Bennett album)|Steppin' Out]]''
| [[Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album|Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance]]
| {{won}}
|-
! scope="row" rowspan="3"| [[37th Annual Grammy Awards|1995]]
| rowspan="2"|''[[MTV Unplugged (Tony Bennett album)|MTV Unplugged]]''
| [[Grammy Award for Album of the Year|Album of the Year]]
| {{won}}
|-
| [[Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album|Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance]]
| {{won}}
|-
| "[[Moonglow (song)|Moonglow]]" (with [[k.d. lang]])
| [[Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals|Best Pop Vocal Collaboration]]
| {{nominated}}
|-
! scope="row" | [[39th Annual Grammy Awards|1997]]
| ''[[Here's to the Ladies]]''
| [[Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album|Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance]]
| {{won}}
|-
! scope="row" rowspan="2"| [[40th Annual Grammy Awards|1998]]
| ''[[Tony Bennett on Holiday]]''
| [[Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album|Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance]]
| {{won}}
|-
| "[[God Bless the Child (Billie Holiday song)|God Bless The Child]]" (with [[Billie Holiday]])
| [[Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals|Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals]]
| {{nominated}}
|-
! scope="row" | [[41st Annual Grammy Awards|1999]]
| ''[[Tony Bennett: The Playground]]''
| [[Grammy Award for Best Musical Album for Children|Best Musical Album for Children]]
| {{nominated}}
|-
! scope="row" | [[42nd Annual Grammy Awards|2000]]
| ''[[Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool]]''
| [[Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album|Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance]]
| {{won}}
|-
! scope="row" rowspan="2"| [[44th Annual Grammy Awards|2002]]
| {{n/a}} 
| [[Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award|Lifetime Achievement Award]]
| {{won}}
|-
| ''[[New York State of Mind]]'' (with [[Billy Joel]])
| [[Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals|Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals]]
| {{nominated}}
|-
! scope="row" rowspan="2"| [[45th Annual Grammy Awards|2003]]
| ''[[Playin' with My Friends: Bennett Sings the Blues]]''
| [[Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album|Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album]]
| {{won}}
|-
| "[[What a Wonderful World]]" (with [[k. d. lang]])
| [[Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals|Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals]]
| {{nominated}}
|-
!scope="row" rowspan="2"| [[46th Annual Grammy Awards|2004]] 
| ''[[A Wonderful World (Tony Bennett and k.d. lang album)|A Wonderful World]]'' (with [[k. d. lang]])
| [[Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album|Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album]]
| {{won}}
|-
| "[[La Vie en rose]]" (with [[k. d. lang]])
| [[Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals|Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals]]
| {{nominated}}
|-
! scope="row" | [[48th Annual Grammy Awards|2006]]
| ''[[The Art of Romance]]''
| [[Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album|Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album]]
| {{won}}
|-
! scope="row" rowspan="2"| [[49th Annual Grammy Awards|2007]]
| ''[[Duets: An American Classic]]''
| [[Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album|Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album]]
| {{won}}
|-
| "[[For Once in My Life]]" (with [[Stevie Wonder]])
| [[Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals|Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals]]
| {{won}}
|-
! scope="row" | [[50th Annual Grammy Awards|2008]] 
| "[[Steppin' Out with My Baby]]" (with [[Christina Aguilera]])
| [[Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals|Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals]]
| {{nominated}}
|-
! scope="row" | [[52nd Annual Grammy Awards|2010]]
| ''[[A Swingin' Christmas (Featuring The Count Basie Big Band)|A Swingin' Christmas]]''
| [[Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album|Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album]]
| {{nominated}}
|-
!scope="row" rowspan="2"| [[54th Annual Grammy Awards|2012]]
| ''[[Duets II (Tony Bennett album)|Duets II]]''
| [[Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album|Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album]]
| {{won}}
|-
| "[[Body and Soul (1930 song)#Tony Bennett and Amy Winehouse|Body And Soul]]" (with [[Amy Winehouse]])
| [[Grammy Award for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance|Best Pop Duo/Group Performance]]
| {{won}}
|-
! scope="row" | [[56th Annual Grammy Awards|2014]]
| ''[[Viva Duets]]''
| [[Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album|Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album]]
| {{nominated}}
|-
! scope="row" | [[57th Annual Grammy Awards|2015]] 
| ''[[Cheek to Cheek (album)|Cheek To Cheek]]'' (with [[Lady Gaga]])
| [[Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album|Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album]]
| {{won}}
|-
! scope="row" | [[58th Annual Grammy Awards|2016]] 
| ''[[The Silver Lining: The Songs of Jerome Kern]]'' (with [[Bill Charlap]])
| [[Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album|Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album]]
| {{won}}
|-
! scope="row" rowspan="2"| [[61st Annual Grammy Awards|2019]] 
| ''[[Love Is Here to Stay (album)|Love Is Here To Stay]]'' (with [[Diana Krall]])
| [[Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album|Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album]]
| {{nominated}}
|-
| "[['S Wonderful]]" (with [[Diana Krall]])
| [[Grammy Award for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance|Best Pop Duo/Group Performance]]
| {{nominated}}
|-
!scope="row" rowspan="5"| [[64th Annual Grammy Awards|2022]] 
| rowspan="2"| ''[[Love for Sale (Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga album)|Love For Sale]]'' (with [[Lady Gaga]])
| [[Grammy Award for Album of the Year|Album of the Year]]
| {{nominated}}
|-
| [[Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album|Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album]]
| {{won}}
|-
| rowspan="3"|"[[I Get a Kick Out of You#Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga version|I Get a Kick Out of You]]" (with [[Lady Gaga]])
| [[Grammy Award for Record of the Year|Record of the Year]]
| {{nominated}}
|-
| [[Grammy Award for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance|Best Pop Duo/Group Performance]]
| {{nominated}}
|-
| [[Grammy Award for Best Music Video|Best Music Video]]
| {{nominated}}
|-
{{end}}

[[File:Tony Bennett footprints at International Civil Rights Walk of Fame.jpg|thumb|right|upright|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.]]
Bennett gained other recognition:
{|class="wikitable sortable"
|+Honors and recognition for Tony Bennett
!scope="col"| Recognition
!scope="col"| Year
!scope="col"| Results
!scope="col"| Ref.
|- bgcolor=
| [[Bronze Medallion (New York City award)|New York City's Bronze Medallion]] 
| 1969
| {{Honored}}
|
|-bgcolor=
| Star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]]
| 
| {{Honored}}
| <ref name="hwof"/>
|-bgcolor=
| Induction into the Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame
| 1997
| {{Honored}}
| <ref name=insiderobit>{{cite web|url=https://www.insider.com/tony-bennett-singer-dead-obituary-2019-7|title=Legendary jazz crooner Tony Bennett dead at 96|publisher=Insider|accessdate=July 21, 2023|archive-date=July 21, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230721235441/https://www.insider.com/tony-bennett-singer-dead-obituary-2019-7|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-bgcolor=
| [[Society of Singers]] Lifetime Achievement Award
| 2000
| {{Honored}}
| <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.singers.org/special-events/ |title=Ella Award Special Events |date=February 12, 2011 |access-date=May 10, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150514064028/http://www.singers.org/special-events/ |archive-date=May 14, 2015}}</ref>
|-bgcolor=
| Lifetime achievement award from the [[American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers]]
| 2002
| {{Honored}}
| <ref name="ascap"/>
|- bgcolor=
| [[Kennedy Center Honors|Kennedy Center Honoree]]
| 2005
| {{Honored}}
| <ref name="ammasters"/>
|-bgcolor=
| Induction into the [[Long Island Music Hall of Fame]]
|
| {{Honored}}
| <ref name="limhof"/>
|-bgcolor=
| [[United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees]] Humanitarian Award
| 2006
| {{Honored}}
| <ref name=Yahoo2023obit>{{cite web|url=https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/tony-bennett-legendary-voice-american-123450986.html|title=Tony Bennett, Legendary Voice of American Standards, Dead at 96|date=July 21, 2023|publisher=Yahoo|accessdate=July 21, 2023|archive-date=July 21, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230721235517/https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/tony-bennett-legendary-voice-american-123450986.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-bgcolor=
| [[NEA Jazz Masters|National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Masters Award]]
| 2006
| {{Honored}}
| <ref name="ammasters"/>
|- bgcolor=
| Induction into the [[International Civil Rights Walk of Fame]]
| 2007
| {{Honored}}
| <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nps.gov/features/malu/feat0002/wo|title=International Civil Rights Walk of Fame|publisher=NPS.gov|accessdate=July 21, 2023}}{{dead link|date=June 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>
|-bgcolor=
| Recipient of the Golden Plate Award of the [[Academy of Achievement|American Academy of Achievement]] presented by Awards Council member [[John Lewis]]
| 2009
|
| <ref>{{cite web|title=Golden Plate Awardees of the American Academy of Achievement|website=achievement.org|publisher=[[American Academy of Achievement]]|url=https://achievement.org/our-history/golden-plate-awards/|access-date=October 14, 2020|archive-date=December 15, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161215023909/https://achievement.org/our-history/golden-plate-awards/|url-status=live}}</ref>
|- bgcolor=
| Induction into the [[New Jersey Hall of Fame]]
|2011
| {{Honored}}
| <ref>{{cite news|newspaper=[[The Newark Star Ledger]]|url=http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/06/nj_hall_of_fame_inducts_class.html|title=Tony Bennett, Queen Latifah among 2011 N.J. Hall of Fame inductees|first=Ryan|last=Hutchins|date=June 6, 2011|access-date=February 4, 2012|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110815012115/http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/06/nj_hall_of_fame_inducts_class.html|archive-date=August 15, 2011}}</ref>
|-bgcolor=
| Induction into the [[DownBeat]] Jazz Hall of Fame
| 2015
| {{Honored}}
| <ref>{{cite web|url=https://downbeat.com/archives/detail/downbeat-hall-of-fame|title=DownBeat Hall of Fame|accessdate=July 26, 2024}}</ref>
|-bgcolor=
|Library of Congress Gershwin Prize
|2017
| {{Honored}}
| <ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.loc.gov/events/gershwin-prize/honorees/2017-tony-bennett/| title=Tony Bennett &#124; Honorees &#124; the Gershwin Prize &#124; Events at the Library of Congress &#124; Library of Congress| website=[[Library of Congress]]}}</ref>
|-bgcolor=
| Honorary doctorates from the [[Berklee College of Music]]
| 1974
| {{Honored}},<ref>{{cite news | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=iiImAAAAIBAJ&pg=5266,2462372 | title=Doctorate for Basie | newspaper=[[Afro-American (newspaper)|The Afro-American]] | location=Baltimore | date=December 26, 1981 | page=6 | access-date=September 7, 2020 | archive-date=November 5, 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211105001525/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=iiImAAAAIBAJ&pg=5266%2C2462372 | url-status=live }}</ref> [[The Art Institute of Boston]] (1994),<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-8280390.html | title=Area colleges confer degrees on students | newspaper=[[The Boston Globe]] | date=May 22, 1994 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130518233555/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-8280390.html | archive-date=May 18, 2013 | df=mdy-all | access-date=June 23, 2012 }}</ref> [[Roosevelt University]]'s [[Chicago Musical College]] (1995),<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-4271330.html | title=Bennett's Got the Cure | author=Zwecker, Bill | newspaper=[[Chicago Sun-Times]] | date=February 27, 1995 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130518234048/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-4271330.html | archive-date=May 18, 2013 | df=mdy-all | access-date=June 23, 2012 }}</ref> [[George Washington University]] (2001),<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-449083.html | title=The Reliable Source |author=Grove, Lloyd |author-link=Lloyd Grove| newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] | date=May 10, 2001 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130518232706/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-449083.html | archive-date=May 18, 2013 | df=mdy-all | access-date=June 23, 2012 }}</ref> [[Cleveland Institute of Music]] (2010),<ref name="hon-2010"/> the [[Juilliard School]] (2010),<ref name="hon-2010">{{cite news | url=http://www.cleveland.com/musicdance/index.ssf/2010/05/tony_bennett_revels_in_honorar.html | title=Tony Bennett revels in honorary doctorate from Cleveland Institute of Music |first=Donald |last=Rosenberg |author-link=Donald Rosenberg| newspaper=[[The Plain Dealer]] | location=Cleveland | date=May 14, 2010 | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130523231121/http://www.cleveland.com/musicdance/index.ssf/2010/05/tony_bennett_revels_in_honorar.html | archive-date=May 23, 2013 | df=mdy-all }}</ref> and [[Fordham University]] (2012).<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-288431316.html | title=Eight Notables to Receive Honorary Degrees from Fordham | agency=States News Service | date=May 2, 2012 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130518233716/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-288431316.html | archive-date=May 18, 2013 | df=mdy-all | access-date=June 23, 2012 }}</ref>
| <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.berklee.edu/president/honorary-degree-recipients|title=Honorary Degree Recipients|publisher=Berklee.edu|accessdate=July 21, 2023|archive-date=June 30, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230630233906/https://www.berklee.edu/president/honorary-degree-recipients|url-status=live}}</ref>


|-bgcolor=
| A statue of Bennett was unveiled outside the [[Fairmont San Francisco|Fairmont Hotel]] in honor of his 90th birthday, and his first performance of "[[I Left My Heart in San Francisco]]" there in 1961.
| August 16, 2016
|
| <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/San-Francisco-to-honor-Tony-Bennett-with-statue-9172361.php |title='He's San Francisco': Tony Bennett honored for 90th birthday – SFGate |access-date=August 20, 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160820165809/http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/San-Francisco-to-honor-Tony-Bennett-with-statue-9172361.php |archive-date=August 20, 2016 }}</ref>
|-bgcolor=
| A ''[[Guinness World Record]]'' for "oldest person to reach No.1 on the US Album Chart with a newly recorded album", at the age of 88 years 69 days, for ''Cheek to Cheek'' 
| 2014
| {{Honored}}
| <ref name="GWR14" />
|-bgcolor=
| A ''Guinness World Record'' for "the longest time between the release of an original recording and a re-recording of the same single by the same artist" for re-recording "Fascinating Rhythm" 68 years and 342 days after the original recording.
|
| {{Honored}}
| <ref name="guinness record" />
|-bgcolor=
| With the release of ''Love for Sale'', Bennett broke a Guinness World Records title for being the oldest person to release an album of new material at the age of 95 years and 60 days. On April 3, 2022, he became the second-oldest person to win a Grammy Award, when he shared the Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album Grammy with [[Lady Gaga]] for ''Love for Sale'', aged 95 years, 8 months, and 1 day.
|
| {{Honored}}
| <ref>{{cite news|last=Phillips|first=Jevon|date=April 3, 2022|title=Here's the complete list of 2022 Grammy Award winners|url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2022-04-03/2022-grammy-winners-complete-list|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|url-status=live|access-date=April 4, 2022|archive-date=March 8, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230308001425/https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2022-04-03/2022-grammy-winners-complete-list}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|last=Marcus|first=Amanda|date=October 8, 2021|title=Legendary Tony Bennett officially the oldest person to release an album of new material|url=https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/news/2021/10/legendary-tony-bennett-officially-the-oldest-person-to-release-an-album-of-new-ma-678310|access-date=October 8, 2021|magazine=[[Guinness World Records]]|archive-url=https://archive.today/20211008195526/https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/news/2021/10/legendary-tony-bennett-officially-the-oldest-person-to-release-an-album-of-new-ma-678310|archive-date=October 8, 2021|url-status=live}}</ref>
|}

==Works==
===Discography===
{{main|Tony Bennett discography}}

Bennett released over 70&nbsp;albums during his career, almost all for [[Columbia Records]]. The biggest selling of these in the U.S. were ''[[I Left My Heart in San Francisco (album)|I Left My Heart in San Francisco]]'', ''[[MTV Unplugged: Tony Bennett]]'', and ''[[Duets: An American Classic]]'', all of which went [[platinum record|platinum]] for shipping one million copies.<ref name="riaa-search">{{cite web | url=http://www.riaa.org/goldandplatinumdata.php?table=SEARCH_RESULTS | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100820142502/http://riaa.org//goldandplatinumdata.php?table=SEARCH_RESULTS | url-status=dead | archive-date=August 20, 2010 | title=Gold and Platinum: Search Results | publisher=[[Recording Industry Association of America]] | access-date=February 23, 2009}}</ref> Eight other albums of his went [[Music recording sales certification|gold]] in the U.S., including several compilations.<ref name="riaa-search"/> Bennett also charted over 30&nbsp;singles during his career, with his biggest hits all occurring during the early 1950s, and none charting between 1968 and 2010.

===Books===
*{{cite book|last1= Bennett|first1= Tony|date= 1996|title= Tony Bennett: What My Heart Has Seen|publisher= [[RCS MediaGroup|Rizzoli]]|isbn= 0-8478-1972-8|url= https://archive.org/details/tonybennettwhatm00benn}}
*{{cite book |last1=Bennett |first1=Tony |title=The Good Life: The Autobiography Of Tony Bennett |publisher=[[Pocket Books]] |others=With Will Friedwald |year=1999 |isbn=0-671-02958-4 |edition=[2nd] |publication-place=New York |url-access=registration |via=[[Internet Archive]] |url=https://archive.org/details/goodlife0000benn_n0t0/mode/2up}}
*{{cite book|last1= Bennett|first1= Tony|last2= Sullivan|first2= Robert|date= 2007|title= Tony Bennett in the Studio: A Life of Art & Music|publisher= [[Sterling Publishing]]|isbn= 978-1-4027-4767-0|url= https://archive.org/details/isbn_9781402747670}}
*{{cite book|last1= Bennett|first1= Tony|date= 2012|title= Life is a Gift: The Zen of Bennett|url= https://archive.org/details/lifeisgiftzenofb0000benn|publisher= [[HarperCollins]]|isbn= 978-0-06-220706-7|url-access= registration}}
*{{cite book | last1=Bennett | first1=Tony | last2=Simon | first2=Scott | title=Just Getting Started | publisher=[[HarperCollins]] | date=2016 | isbn=978-0-06-247677-7}}

==Personal life==
[[File:Tony Bennett and Susan Crow.jpg|thumb|right|upright|Bennett and wife Susan Crow at the opening of the [[Broad Contemporary Art Museum]] in Los Angeles in 2008]]
On February 12, 1952,<ref>Evanier, ''All the Things You Are'', p. 92.</ref> Bennett married Ohio art student and jazz fan Patricia Beech, whom he had met the previous year after a nightclub performance in [[Cleveland]].<ref name="cleve"/> Two thousand female fans dressed in black gathered outside the ceremony at [[St. Patrick's Cathedral (Manhattan)|St. Patrick's Cathedral]] in [[Manhattan]], New York, in mock mourning.<ref name="ghk0495">{{cite news | url=http://www.rosemaryclooney.com/goodhousekeeping95.html | title=He keeps coming back like a song | magazine=[[Good Housekeeping]] |date=April 1995 | access-date=June 15, 2005 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050422180045/http://www.rosemaryclooney.com/goodhousekeeping95.html <!--Added by H3llBot--> | archive-date=April 22, 2005}}</ref> The couple had two sons, D'Andrea (Danny, b. 1954) and Daegal (Dae, b. 1955).<ref>Evanier, ''All the Things You Are'', p. 97.</ref> Bennett and his wife Patricia separated in 1965, their marriage a victim of Bennett's spending too much time on the road, among other factors.<ref name="ghk0495"/> In 1969, Patricia sued him for divorce on grounds of adultery.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=WSMrAAAAIBAJ&pg=1480,2177440 | title=Tony Bennett's Estranged Wife Seeks Divorce | agency=[[United Press International]] | newspaper=[[Reading Eagle]] | date=October 3, 1969 | page=31 | access-date=September 7, 2020 | archive-date=August 31, 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210831013749/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=WSMrAAAAIBAJ&pg=1480%2C2177440 | url-status=live}}</ref> In 1971, their divorce became official.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/obituaries/2023/07/21/tony-bennett-i-left-my-heart-in-san-francisco-lady-gaga/|title=Tony Bennett, suave singer of I Left My Heart in San Francisco whose career spanned 70 years – obituary|work=The Daily Telegraph|date=July 21, 2023|accessdate=July 21, 2023|archive-date=July 21, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230721235443/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/obituaries/2023/07/21/tony-bennett-i-left-my-heart-in-san-francisco-lady-gaga/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Bennett had become involved with aspiring actress Sandra Grant while filming ''The Oscar'' in 1965. The couple lived together for several years and on December 29, 1971, they quietly married in New York.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=hMolAAAAIBAJ&pg=3944,1247856 | archive-url=https://archive.today/20130124213710/http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=hMolAAAAIBAJ&sjid=GfMFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3944,1247856 | url-status=dead | archive-date=January 24, 2013 | title=Tony Bennett gets married | agency=[[Reuters]] | newspaper=[[The Miami News]] | date=January 5, 1972 | page=4B}}</ref> They had two daughters, Joanna (b. 1970) whom he named after the 1964 song "[[When Joanna Loved Me]]" and [[Antonia Bennett|Antonia]] (b. 1974),<ref>Evanier, ''All the Things You Are'', pp. 182, 225.</ref> and moved to Los Angeles.<ref name="peo112398">{{cite news | url=http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20126853,00.html | title=Tony Bennett | author=Helligar, Jeremy | magazine=[[People (magazine)|People]] | date=November 23, 1998 | access-date=December 4, 2008 | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090206042653/http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20126853,00.html | archive-date=February 6, 2009 | df=mdy-all }}</ref> The two were married until 1983.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Orfanides |first1=Effie |title=Susan Benedetto, Tony Bennett's Wife: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know |url=https://heavy.com/entertainment/2016/08/susan-bennett-tony-wife-married-is-how-old-age-alive-90-spouse-benedetto/ |access-date=April 15, 2021 |publisher=Heavy |date=January 13, 2018 |archive-date=April 16, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210416063503/https://heavy.com/entertainment/2016/08/susan-bennett-tony-wife-married-is-how-old-age-alive-90-spouse-benedetto/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

In the late 1980s, Bennett entered into a long-term romantic relationship with Susan Crow, a former New York City schoolteacher.<ref name="dt-young">{{cite news | url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/rockandpopfeatures/8734663/Young-at-heart-Tony-Bennett-at-85.html | title=Young at heart: Tony Bennett at 85 | first=Neil | last=McCormick | newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph]] | date=September 2, 2011 | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160608122300/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/rockandpopfeatures/8734663/Young-at-heart-Tony-Bennett-at-85.html | archive-date=June 8, 2016 | df=mdy-all }}</ref> Bennett and Crow founded Exploring the Arts, a charitable organization dedicated to creating, promoting, and supporting arts education. At the same time, they founded (and named after Bennett's friend) the [[Frank Sinatra School of the Arts]] in Queens, a public high school dedicated to teaching the performing arts. The school opened in 2001 and has a very high graduation rate.<ref name="sullivan"/> On June 21, 2007, Bennett married Crow in a private civil ceremony in New York that was witnessed by [[Mario Cuomo]], the former governor of New York.<ref name="peo062907">{{cite news | url=http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20044183,00.html | title=Tony Bennett, Wife Plan Italian Honeymoon | author=Huver, Scott | magazine=[[People (magazine)|People]] | date=June 29, 2007 | access-date=April 18, 2010 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100420052146/http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20044183,00.html | archive-date=April 20, 2010 | df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine | url=https://people.com/celebrity/tony-bennett-marries-his-very-longtime-love/ | title=Tony Bennett Marries His (Very) Longtime Love | author=Ulrica Wihlborg | magazine=[[People (magazine)|People]] | date=June 22, 2007 | access-date=June 23, 2007 | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070625040058/http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20043508,00.html | archive-date=June 25, 2007 | df=mdy-all }}</ref>

==Politics==
The experience of growing up in the [[Great Depression]] and a distaste for the effects of the [[presidency of Herbert Hoover]] would make Bennett a lifelong [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]].<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.forbes.com/2008/07/09/democrats-book-media-oped-cx_jb_0710brady.html | title='Why I'm A Democrat' |author=Brady, James |author-link=James Brady (columnist)| magazine=[[Forbes]] | date=July 10, 2008 | access-date=September 22, 2011 | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111112185811/http://www.forbes.com/2008/07/09/democrats-book-media-oped-cx_jb_0710brady.html | archive-date=November 12, 2011 | df=mdy-all }}</ref>

==Illness and death==
In February 2021, an article in ''[[AARP: The Magazine]]'' revealed that Bennett had been diagnosed with [[Alzheimer's disease]] in 2016, though he continued to perform and record until the [[Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the music industry|COVID-19 pandemic]] in early 2020.<ref name=BBCAlz/> He briefly resumed performing in 2021 for his farewell performances. Bennett's twice-weekly singing practices are thought to have kept his brain stimulated and spared him from symptoms such as disorientation, depression, and a detachment from reality.<ref name=BBCAlz/> His [[neurologist]] told ''AARP'' that, prior to the pandemic, the singer's touring schedule "kept him on his toes and also stimulated his brain in a significant way".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://people.com/music/tony-bennett-still-practices-performing-after-alzheimers-diagnosis/|title=Tony Bennett Still Practices Performing Twice a Week amid Alzheimer's Diagnosis|work=People|first=Jen|last=Juneau|date=February 1, 2021|accessdate=July 21, 2023|archive-date=February 28, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230228023917/https://people.com/music/tony-bennett-still-practices-performing-after-alzheimers-diagnosis/|url-status=live}}</ref> Bennett recorded tracks with Lady Gaga from 2018 until early 2020 for their 2021 album ''Love for Sale'', despite at times being "lost and bewildered" during recording sessions.<ref name=BBCAlz>{{cite news |last1=Savage |first1=Mark |title=Tony Bennett reveals he has Alzheimer's |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-55891221 |access-date=February 2, 2021 |work=BBC News |date=February 1, 2021 |archive-date=February 1, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210201152232/https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-55891221 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In announcing Bennett's retirement in August 2021, Danny Bennett stated that the Alzheimer's was mainly affecting his father's [[short-term memory]] and that he would often forget he had just performed after a concert; his [[long-term memory]] remained intact and he could still remember all the lyrics to his repertoire when performing.<ref name="retirementvariety"/> 

Bennett died at his home in New York City on July 21, 2023, following a seven-year battle with Alzheimer's disease. His family said he kept singing to the end, lastly "[[Because of You (1940 song)|Because of You]]".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Gans |first1=Charles J. |title=Tony Bennett, masterful stylist of American musical standards, dies at 96 |url=https://apnews.com/article/tony-bennett-dies-c3b3a7e2360449fb936a38794c7c3266 |access-date=July 21, 2023 |work=Associated Press News |date=July 21, 2023 |archive-date=July 21, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230721123715/https://apnews.com/article/tony-bennett-dies-c3b3a7e2360449fb936a38794c7c3266 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-66271090|title=Tony Bennett: Legendary singer dies aged 96|work=[[BBC News]]|first1=Paul|last1=Glynn|first2=Steven|last2=McIntosh|date=July 21, 2023|access-date=July 21, 2023|archive-date=July 21, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230721124016/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-66271090|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Weber2023"/> He was hailed as the "champion" and "legendary interpreter" of the [[Great American Songbook]].<ref name="Weber2023"/><ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/tony-bennett-dead-great-american-sonbook-pop-singer-dies-7333099/|title=Tony Bennett, Legendary Interpreter of Great American Songbook, Dies at 96|magazine=Billboard|first=Phil|last=Gallo|date=July 21, 2023|accessdate=July 21, 2023}}</ref>

Bennett was interred alongside his parents at [[Calvary Cemetery, Queens]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Mastrosimone|first=Peter C. |name-list-style=and |author2=Walter Karling |date=August 17, 2023|title=Tony Bennett buried in Calvary Cemetery|url=https://www.qchron.com/editions/central/tony-bennett-buried-in-calvary-cemetery/article_92b6131e-3d17-11ee-b593-9fb64b2e1df4.html|access-date=August 28, 2023|website=Queens Chronicle|language=en}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Bibliography==
* {{Cite book |last=Bennett |first=Tony |url=https://archive.org/details/goodlife0000benn_n0t0/page/14/mode/2up |title=The Good Life: The Autobiography Of Tony Bennett |publisher=[[Pocket Books]] |others=With Will Friedwald |year=1999 |isbn=0-671-02958-4 |edition=[2nd] |publication-place=New York |url-access=registration |via=[[Internet Archive]]}}
* {{cite book | last=Brooks | first=Tim |author2=Marsh, Earle F. | title=The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946–Present | edition=9th | publisher=[[Ballantine Books]] | year=2007 | isbn=978-0-345-49773-4}}
* {{cite book | last=Evanier | first=David | title=All the Things You Are: The Life of Tony Bennett | url=https://archive.org/details/allthingsyouarel00evan_0 | url-access=registration | publisher=[[John Wiley & Sons]] | location=Hoboken, New Jersey | year=2011 | isbn=978-0-470-52065-9}}
* {{cite book | last=Friedwald | first=Will | author-link=Will Friedwald | title=Jazz Singing | publisher=[[Da Capo Press]] | year=1996 | isbn=0-306-80712-2 | url=https://archive.org/details/jazzsingingameri00frie}}
* {{cite book | last=Whitburn | first=Joel | author-link=Joel Whitburn | title=The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits: 1955 to present | publisher=[[Billboard magazine|Billboard Publications]] | year=1983 | isbn=0-8230-7511-7 | url-access=registration | url=https://archive.org/details/billboardbookoft0000whit_x9d9}}

==Further reading==
*[[Willis Conover]]. [https://books.google.com/books?id=G0UEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA55 "20 Years with Tony"]. ''[[Billboard Magazine|Billboard]]''. November 30, 1968. pp. T1-T40.
*Dorothy Andries. [https://archive.today/20130901193940/http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=fHpQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=GBIEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5731,2745720 "Tony Bennett; 'Life's Been Good to Me'"]. ''[[The Milwaukee Sentinel]]''. November 14, 1980. p.&nbsp;3.
*Peter B. King. [https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=makcAAAAIBAJ&sjid=XWMEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6828%2C4618264 "Tony Bennett; 'I just have to paint, and I have to sing'"]. ''[[The Pittsburgh Press]]''. February 10, 1986. p.&nbsp;C6.
*[https://books.google.com/books?id=4wkEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA37 "Tony Bennett: Half a Century and Looking Forward"]. ''Billboard''. December 20, 1997. pp.&nbsp;37–65. Pullout section includes multiple articles, including:
**Irv Lichtman. "Tony Bennett: The Billboard Interview". pp. [https://books.google.com/books?id=4wkEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA38 38–39], [https://books.google.com/books?id=4wkEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA52 52] and [https://books.google.com/books?id=4wkEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA56 56].
**Tom Vickers. "Tony and Columbia". pp. [https://books.google.com/books?id=4wkEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA40 40] and [https://books.google.com/books?id=4wkEAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22On+a+Clear+Day%22+%22Tony+and+Columbia%22&pg=PA58 58].
**Don Waller. "When It Comes to Good Works, Bennett Does a Great Job". pp. [https://books.google.com/books?id=4wkEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA42 42] and [https://books.google.com/books?id=4wkEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA54 54].
**Paul Sexton. [https://books.google.com/books?id=4wkEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA44 "Bennett Over There"]. p.&nbsp;44.
**Mark Rowland. "Essential Bennett". pp. [https://books.google.com/books?id=4wkEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA46 46] and [https://books.google.com/books?id=4wkEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA48 48].
**Richard Henderson. [https://books.google.com/books?id=4wkEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA50 "Bennett Brushes Up"]. p.&nbsp;50.
*[https://books.google.com/books?id=pQ0EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA61 "Backbeat: "Happy 80th, Tony Bennett!"]. ''Billboard''. August 19, 2006. p.&nbsp;61.
*Jim Bessman. [https://books.google.com/books?id=UA8EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA24 "Tony's Long Haul: Strategic Partnerships Fuel Big Sales for Bennett's 'Duets' Album"]. ''Billboard''. November 11, 2006. p.&nbsp;24.

==External links==
{{Commons category|Tony Bennett}}
{{Wikiquote}}
{{Portal|Jazz}}
* {{Official website|http://www.tonybennett.com}}
* [https://www.namm.org/library/oral-history/tony-bennett Tony Bennett Interview] at [[NAMM Oral History Program|NAMM Oral History Collection]] (1986)
*{{allmusic}}
* {{discogs artist|170754}}
* {{IMDb name|id=0004746|name=Tony Bennett}}

{{Tony Bennett|state=expanded}}
{{Navboxes
|title = Awards for Tony Bennett
|list =
{{EmmyAward VarietyPerformance}}
{{Gershwin Prize}}
{{Grammy Award for Album of the Year}}
{{Grammy Award for Record of the Year}}
{{Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance}}
{{Grammy Award for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance}}
{{Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award}}
{{Kennedy Center Honorees 2000s}}
{{MusiCares Person of the Year}}
}}
{{Authority control}}

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