Tony Bennett

Born in 1926, Tony Bennett began singing at an early age. He served as a U.S. Army infantryman in the European Theater during the final stages of World War II. Following his military service, he developed his singing technique and signed with Columbia Records, achieving his first number-one hit with "Because of You" in 1951. Early 1953 saw more popular tracks like "Rags to Riches," after which he refined his approach to incorporate jazz singing. His artistic peak in the late 1950s included albums such as The Beat of My Heart and Basie Swings, Bennett Sings, and in 1962, he recorded his signature song, "I Left My Heart in San Francisco." His career experienced a downturn during the rise of rock music but he staged a significant comeback in the late 1980s and 1990s, earning gold records and reaching new audiences while maintaining his musical style.Throughout his career, Bennett amassed 20 Grammy Awards, a Lifetime Achievement Award, and two Primetime Emmy Awards, among other honors. He was recognized as an NEA Jazz Master and a Kennedy Center Honoree, and he founded the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts in Astoria, Queens, New York. He collaborated with many acclaimed singers, continuing to produce popular and critically praised work into the 21st century, notably with Lady Gaga on albums like Cheek to Cheek (2014) and Love for Sale (2021). The latter release, in 2021, saw him break records for the longest run of a top-10 album on the Billboard 200 for a living artist and as the oldest person to release an album of new material at 95. Diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2016, he continued to perform until his retirement from concerts in August 2021. Tony Bennett, who was married three times and had four children, died on July 21, 2023, at the age of 96.