Tony Bennett Passed Today At 96

Concentration camp liberator, too.
https://www.military.com/off-duty/music/2023/07/21/tony-bennetts-world-war-ii-experience-was-front-row-seat-hell.html

Who just so happened to have perfect pitch.

One of the greatest of our lifetime.

He was a beautiful guy, humble and kind, who loved music and art. I remember a story where he and Lena Horne were doing shows in the same theater. Tony Bennett was given top billing and the VIP dressing room. He wouldn't have it and made sure that Horne's name was first on the marquee and that she got the finest dressing room.

Also got demoted just after the war for having dinner at another black GI's home off base. Busted from from Corporal to PFC.

Bennett said many times including in his autobiography that the contributions by black troops were ignored in every war.

He became a pacifist in from his war experience.

They don’t make them like THAT anymore. Loved his voice and his personality shone through every song he sang. What a voice!

What a voice and what a generous duet partner.

In the footage of a duet with Lady Gaga, he remembered her name and she got all excited. Which I think shows how incredible music was in his life. Put on the music, and he was still Tony Bennett, the consummate entertainer. But when the music stopped, he was a nonagenarian with Alzheimer's.

My grandfather's alzheimers was similar: put him in a room of grandchildren playing and he smiled and spoke. He'd sing them the little songs he sang to us when we were young. He loved to hold a baby, so careful and so loving.

Otherwise he seemed very unhappy and agitated and seemed to recognize no one.

Though one time when my grandmother walked past him in the living room, he smiled and winked at me and said clearly, "That's some hotsy totsy!"

My parents kept him at home until just a few weeks before he died and I sat with him as he passed. It reminded me of one of Laurie Anderson's lyrics - that when her father died, she felt like a library burnt down. He lived almost the complete 20th century and I did not get enough of his history.


I believe Lady Gaga added years and zest to Tony Bennett's life. There was chemistry between them and Lady Gaga showed a lot of love and interest in him. I believe it when as you said, when she wasn't there, his lights dimmed significantly. Bless Tony Bennett, bless Gaga.