Musical icon Tony Bennett has died aged 96 after being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. What he died of and his fortune explored.
Tony Bennett was a legendary musician whose career spanned eight decades, winning 20 Grammy Awards and selling over 50 million records worldwide.
On July 21, 2023, the world learned about his death. Shortly, tributes started pouring in on social media after it was announced on Friday that the star died.
Following his death, many who were inspired by him are curious to learn more about what his cause of death was and how much he was worth. Read on for more.
Profile Summary
Celebrated Name: | Tony Bennett |
Net Worth: | $200 million |
Profession: | Singer, Artist, Musician, Actor, Painter, Writer, Visual Artist, Music artist |
Full Real Name: | Anthony Dominick Benedetto |
Date of Birth: | August 3, 1926 |
Birthplace: | Long Island City, New York, United States |
Nationality: | American |
Died: | July 21, 2023 (96 years old) |
Gender: | Male |
Height: | 5 ft 7 in (1.71 m) |
What was Tony Bennett’s cause of death?
Anthony Dominick Benedetto, known professionally as Tony Bennett, a two-time Emmy Award winner, died on Friday morning in his hometown of New York City, his publicist Sylvia Weiner confirmed to the Associated Press.
A cause of death has not been determined, however, his death comes following a battle with Alzheimer’s disease.
Bennett was two weeks shy of his 97th birthday.
The iconic singer, who served during the final stages of World War II, was considered one of the greatest performers of the 20th century.
His peer Frank Sinatra called him the greatest popular singer in the world.
On Bennett’s birthday in 2021, he and Lady Gaga performed together at Radio City Music Hall before Bennett retired on August 12 that same year.
Tony Bennett had shared a heartfelt video of his special memory just hours before his death.
The Instagram account shared an emotional performance of the saloon singer from 2015.
Tony performed The Way You Look Tonight onstage in front of a New York audience.
While the iconic singer belted out the lyrics, jazz artist Bill Charlap played the piano.
The caption stated: “Sharing a special memory from 2015 – serenading New York with the remarkable Bill Charlap, performing ‘The Way You Look Tonight.’ A night to remember!”
What was Tony Bennett’s net worth?
Before his death, Tony Bennett had an estimated current net worth of $200 million and earned an impressive salary per year. He accrued his fortune from his years of being a musician singer, performer, international icon, royalties, and album sales, as well as other endeavors like real estate, and investments.
He began his career as a crooner of commercial pop tunes and eventually signed with Columbia Records.
His first smash hit came in 1951 with Because of You, which gained popularity on jukeboxes, then reached number one on the pop charts, selling over a million copies.
Bennett’s career continued to skyrocket during the late 1950s with albums such as The Beat of My Heart and Basie Wings, Bennett Sings.
His career took a hit during the mid-1960s with the evaluation of the rock music genre, however, he bounced back in the late 1980s when he expanded his reach to a younger hip audience.
During this time, Bennett continued to put out award-winning albums, including Portrait of the Artist, the Frank Sinatra homage Perfectly Frank, and the Fred Astaire tribute Steppin’ Out.
His homage albums both achieved gold status and won Grammys for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance and further established Bennett as the inheritor of the mantle of a classic American great.