Tony Bennett proved that he is a music legend, even on his deathbed. His last words are touching and heartfelt, here's what he said.
Tony Bennett dazzled the second half of the 20th century with his soulful jazzy pop music. The 20-time Grammy winner dedicated his life to making music that spoke to the listeners of the 50s and 60s eras. His biggest hits include Because of You, Rags to Riches, and The Very Thought of You.
From the Grammys to even 2 Emmy Awards, Tony Bennett dazzled the screens of the 1960s with his immense talent. And after a long and enriching life, Tony Bennett died at the age of 96, recently. Just like many iconic personalities before him, his last words left a big impact on the lives of his family. Here’s what Tony Bennett’s last words were.
Tony Bennett’s last words
Tony Bennett passed away on July 21st, 2023, in New York, surrounded by his loving family. Tony who was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2016, breathed his last after having fought a big battle with the illness. His son from his first wife (Patricia Beech), Danny Bennett, who was also Tony’s manager, recounted Tony’s last words to him in an interview with Today, and he said:
“His last words to me (were), 'Thank you. Can’t say it better than that.”
The interview took place on August 3rd, and included Tony Bennett’s wife Susan Benedetto, alongside her step-son Danny. During the interview, Susan revealed that her late husband also sang one of his hit songs on his deathbed. He allegedly said his first hit, Because of You, during his final days. He also told her that he loved her. And that he would wake up every day and still say that.
Danny also spoke about his father’s career graph and his drive towards it even when he was old. This is what he said about his father’s comeback to music.
Tony Bennett’s drive towards music
Danny, who was also Tony Bennett’s manager seems to be in full awe of his late father. He described his beloved father as a ‘man of the people’, who was extremely focussed on his career even during the later stages of his life.
As per Rolling Stone, Danny said the following, about a conversation he had with his late father:
“He came into my office one time, and he said, ‘I was watching MTV … I think I can do that. And then walked out. And I was like, all right. He turned to me, and he said, ‘Can I ask you a question? And he goes, ‘You think Frank [Sinatra] would do this?’ And I said, ‘No.”
But, that didn’t discourage Tony Bennett from reaching out to a younger audience. And went on to play a set at a music festival between Nine Inch Nails and PJ Harvey.
The music that never stopped
Music was the life and soul of Tony Bennett, and despite his unfortunate diagnosis, he still insisted on performing whenever he could. Susan recalled that by saying that the ‘music never left him’.
Till the very end, Tony Bennett stayed as close to music as he could. Till 2021, he continued to tour, record and perform as an artist. He even collaborated with Lady Gaga on two albums, and the music really hit differently. The Poker Face singer even wrote a tribute honoring Bennett on her Instagram account, which said:
“I will miss my friend forever. I will miss singing with him, recording with him, talking with him, being on stage together. With Tony, I got to live my life in a time warp. Tony & I had this magical power. We transported ourselves to another era, modernized the music together, & gave it all new life as a singing duo.”
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