NEW YORK -
It is with great sadness that we report the passing of Tony Bennett. He was one of the most beloved voices in American History. He was 96 years old and just two weeks shy of his birthday.
Publicist Sylvia Weiner confirmed Bennett's death to The Associated Press, saying he died in his hometown of New York. His official cause of death has not been announced, but he had a seven-year battle with Alzheimer's disease.
Bennett often said his lifelong ambition was to create "a hit catalog rather than hit records." He released more than 70 albums, bringing him 19 competitive Grammys -- all but two after he reached his 60s.
Bennett said he never got sick of singing his 1962 signature song, “I Left My Heart in San Francisco.”
"I enjoy entertaining the audience, making them forget their problems," he told The Associated Press in 2006. "I think people ... are touched if they hear something that's sincere and honest and maybe has a little sense of humor. ... I just like to make people feel good when I perform."
"A tenor who sings like a baritone," he called himself -- that made him a master of caressing a ballad or brightening an up-tempo number.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and loved ones. He will be greatly missed.
Tony Bennett
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