Tony Bennett

Tony Bennett, the traditional pop artist and jazz vocalist whose voice epitomized the American Songbook, died on July 21, 2023. He was 96.

While the world knew him as Tony Bennett, a name given to him by Bob Hope, he was born Anthony Dominick Benedetto on August 3, 1926 in the Astoria neighborhood of Queens, NY. His recordings – most of them made for Columbia Records, which signed him in 1950 – were characterized by ebullience, immense warmth, vocal clarity and emotional openness. Bennett hit the scene as a suave crooner and quickly established himself as one of radio's most popular hit-makers. He was a showman, with an intimate nightclub sensibility. He went on to make duet recordings with everyone from Stevie Wonder to Lady Gaga, who later became his biggest cheerleader and an ambassador to a legion of new fans. His professional career spanned eight decades, and he garnered a No. 1 album at age 85.