Do you ever feel like time passes faster every day? If the answer is yes, it moves at double speed when it comes to pop icons. Then there is Tony Bennett. People still smile thinking of the last time they enjoyed the man and his music. Over his nearly century-long career, he released more than 70 albums and won 20 Grammy Awards. For a while, it seemed like he may never slow down. Then, in February 2021, Bennett revealed that he had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2016, and that his condition had reached a point where he and his family felt that he needed to call it a career. If ever there was a performer to live up to the complement of “timeless,” it is Tony Bennett—a man whose gifts and grace always rose above
WHY WE LOVE TONY BENNETT • A singer’s singer—and a reminder of a bygone era
HUMBLE BEGINNINGS • At the start, Tony Bennett had little more than dreams of a better life
A BIG BREAK • With help from Uncle Sam, Tony Bennett launched his career
BELOVED CLASSICS • The stories behind nine unforgettable songs
OUT OF STEP • As popular music changed, Bennett needed all of his survival instincts to hold on
STRONG BELIEFS • Whether his career was up or down, Bennett lived by a set of standards
TONY’S RENAISSANCE • In the 1990s, America rediscovered Tony Bennett
NATIONAL TREASURE • Bennett became a pop culture fixture in the 2000s—then came shocking news
SURROUNDED BY LOVE • Tony Bennett made his public farewell with style and panache
The Legendary Tonny Bennett
PHOTO CREDITS
THE LEGENDARY Tonny BENNETT • Tony Bennett is timeless. And for a while, it seemed he might never stop. His sudden retirement due to Alzheimer’s disease made the world appreciate the gifts and grace of a man who made beautiful music for more than 70 years.