A Class Act

 

Singer Tony Bennett has passed at 96. This legendary crooner who Frank Sinatra called "the best singer in the business," won 20 Grammy Awards and every major accolade from his profession. From his first recording in 1947 to his final one in 2021, his recordings were the ultimate interpretation of songs from giants like Cole Porter and Irving Berlin to new hits like his signature song, I Left My Heart in San Francisco, Rags to Riches, The Good Life, and many more. Bob Hope helped discover him and even gave him his stage name. He performed live constantly and later produced albums featuring duets with the greatest singers of our time from Barbra Streisand to Bono to Lady Gaga, resulting in new generations of fans. He was amusingly parodied on SNL and had a memorable send-off at Radio City Music Hall with Lady Gaga in 2021. He was classy all the way.