Tony Bennett in September 2015.Photo: JP Yim/Getty
Despite having been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s,Tony Bennettkept the mindset of “Anything Goes.”
The music legend, whodied at the age of 96on Friday, spent the last few years of his life performing while battling the disease, which his family revealed he had in 2021.
While many people who suffer from the disease end up losing their ability to speak, understand and recognize their loved ones, Benedetto said Bennett was a special case. He had been capable of recognizing his friends and family and even able to remember the lyrics and sing out his songs.
“Singing is everything to him. Everything,” Benedetto noted. “It has saved his life many times.”
Tony Bennett and Dae Bennett in January 2018.Slaven Vlasic/FilmMagic
The star continued to perform and tour as recently as 2019 and launched a concert series with his friendLady Gagain early and mid 2021 — a feat his neurologist, Gayatri Devi, said had been incredibly beneficial for the Grammy Award winner.
“It kept him on his toes and also stimulated his brain in a significant way,” Devi explained in 2021.
Tony Bennett in his youth.Michael Ochs Archives/Getty
Devi admitted that the COVID-19 pandemic had been a” real blow from a cognitive perspective” for Bennett since he was unable to perform on stage and sing his songs. She said his memory prior to the pandemic “was so much better," so she had recommended to Bennett’s family that he continue to rehearse twice a week. “The Good Life” singer’s longtime pianist, Lee Musiker, would come over to their house to run through a 90-minute set with him so he could perform.
During a60 Minutesbroadcast back in 2021, Bennett performed a song with his pianist — recalling each word and note without sheet music or lyrics in front of him.
“Well that was really one of the great honors I’ve ever had,” host Cooper, 56, said following the performance.
“Tony likes to say he’s in the business of making people feel good, and he still is,” Benedetto commented, to which Bennett confirmed, “That’s it.”
He alsocontinued to make new music, collaborating with “Poker Face” songstress on their joint Cole Porter tribute album released on Oct. 1, 2021 calledLove for Sale— which was nominated for six awards at last year’s64th Grammy Awards.
Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga in February 2015.Michael Tran/FilmMagic
Michael Tran/FilmMagic
“This album happened because it was Tony’s idea and I made him a promise that we would make it and we did,” Lady Gaga said at the time, laterperforming the title song sans Bennettat the Grammys.
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“It’s not a sad story,” she said. “It’s emotional. It’s hard to watch somebody change. I think what’s been beautiful about this, and what’s been challenging, is to see how it affects him in some ways, but to see how it doesn’t affect his talent.”
“I think he really pushed through something to give the world the gift of knowing that things can change and you can still be magnificent,” she concluded.
source: people.com
