2023-08-03 23:20:58
Tony Bennett passed away on July 21, 2023 (REUTERS/Carlo Allegri)
Tony Bennett, one of the most outstanding singers of the 20th century, passed away on July 21. Various figures have spoken before the unfortunate event, including his wife Susan Benedetto, shared an emotional message to fire the man she was married to for 16 years.
“Thank you to all of Tony’s fans, friends and colleagues who celebrated his life and humanity and shared their love for him and his musical legacy. From his early performances as a singing waiter in Queens to his final performances in 2021 at Radio City Music Hall, Tony delighted in performing the songs he loved and making people happy. And as sad as today has been for all of us, we can find joy in Tony’s legacy forever.”
Now, Susan and Tony’s eldest son, Danny, gave an interview with Today journalist Hoda Kotb where they provided more details about Tony Bennett’s last words.
Susan Benedetto, widow of Tony Bennett, said that the last thing her husband told her was that he loved her
Danny, son of Tony’s first marriage to Patricia Beech, said the last word he heard from his father was “thank you,” adding that “you can’t say better than that.”
Previously, Bennett went so far as to declare that regardless of his successful career, he assured that there was nothing that made him feel more proud than his four children and seven grandchildren, so this simple word dedicated to Danny encompasses endless feelings.
For her part, Susan said the last thing she heard from Tony was “that he loved her.” She “she would wake up every day and keep saying that. He woke up happy every day,” Bennett’s widow stated.
It was “Because of You” the piece that brought Tony Bennett to stardom, and also the last one he would perform in life (Bureau/Handout via REUTERS)
Even in those last days when Tony was so weak, it was in music that he found a moment of clarity. In 2016 the singer was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, but against all odds, he was able to remember the songs that immortalized him. Susan confessed that the last song that Tony sang while he was alive was nothing less than Because of You, the piece that in 1951 brought him world fame.
“I could do it,” Susan commented, referring to Tony’s ability to remember his songs despite Alzheimer’s. He sang Because of You. We were getting him up to exercise, so it was easy for him to get hooked on the piano. And I said, ‘Ton, why don’t you get up and sing? You know, any excuse to pick it up. I said, ‘Why don’t you sing?’ And he said to me: ‘What do you want to hear? I said, ‘How about we sing Because of You?’ So he sang Because of You. That was literally the last song he ever sang… Yeah.”
During the interview, Susan reflected on how poetic it was that Because of You was the song that led Tony to success as well as the last song he sang in his entire life. “Of course, she closes her career, if she only thinks of herself musically speaking. It was her first hit. And it was literally the last song that she ever sang. So the music never left him.”
Lady Gaga assured that it was on stage where Tony Bennett was more lucid (EFE/EPA/JULIEN WARNAND)
Lady Gaga, who was one of the artists closest to Bennett in his last years of his career, shared a similar experience, assuring that the stage was the only place where the renowned singer recovered his lucidity. This is because during the rehearsals prior to the shows that the duo gave, Tony did not remember Gaga’s name, referring to her all the time as “darling”. It wasn’t until he was in front of the audience that he called her by her name, which moved the Poker Face singer almost to tears.
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