Tony Bennett Retires at 95 years old - even though he can still perform

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cyber888

Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
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cyber888 said:
Tony Bennett at 95 is still performing concert tours. However, due to dementia, he sometimes forget words. And upon his doctor's recommendation, he's retiring. His son said he could still physically perform, but dementia's getting in the way. What a great career .. seems like he enjoys the concert tour life and does not see it as work.

https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/singer-tony-bennett-officially-retires-004922895.html
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I was blessed to work with him, as the lighting designer, several times thru the years. Thoroughly enjoyed each and every gig and he was always a classy gentleman. Have a great pic of he and the wife maybe 25ish years ago when she flew out just to see one of the shows.
 
rt-texas said:
I was blessed to work with him, as the lighting designer, several times thru the years. Thoroughly enjoyed each and every gig and he was always a classy gentleman. Have a great pic of he and the wife maybe 25ish years ago when she flew out just to see one of the shows.
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Wow, that's great man. He's so cool to be performing in his 90s
 
I heard them talking about him on NPR, sounded like they were going to announce his death, and I knew he was in his 90s but still sad to hear. Then they announce his retirement, a little later than most. Wonder if there's an L-R.org board that he posts on? :LOL:

His voice was almost as good as ever in these last few years, like in the duets with Lady Gaga. Unlike Paul McCartney, for example, who's voice is way off from his prime, IMO.
 
Reminds me of a special that ran on HBO a number of years ago about dementia. It ran around the same time when my Mom was starting to have significant metal decline due to dementia.

I recall that one of the patients couldn't remember much of anything...his short term memory was about 30 seconds. However, on occasion, they would take him to sing in a acapella group that he used to sing with. He would stand with the group, very confused until the singing started...and jumped right in and didn't miss a beat.

It was one of the saddest things I have ever seen but was still interesting to see how the mind works when it doesn't work quite right. I do have to wonder if that is some of Tony's issues, but not to that extreme yet.

edit: The show I referenced was part of HBO's Alzheimer's Project from 2009. The segment I was thinking of was from "The Memory Loss Tapes" that chronicled. The man singing was in the second program of that show and some can be seen on this video:

 
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Pure class. I remember asking my mom what she and my dad did while dating. She said “honky tonking” but Their Song was “Because Of You” by Tony Bennett.
 
DW and I got to see him in 2009 when he was a sprightly 83....lol

It was the night of a vicious winter snowstorm in Toronto and Tony still made it to the stage.. his opener was his daughter.

For his encore, he put down the microphone and sang. Roy Thomson Hall is renowned for its acoustics and his voice just rang out all the way around the theatre. He said that he was originally trained in opera signing and liked to keep up the ability to "project" his voice. Incredible talent.

DW had been a life long fan being brought up on jazz. I went because for me he was the last link to that era of Sinatra, Martin, Davis, etc.. I came away a Bennett fan as well.
 
He started out as a singing waiter at Riccardo's in my hometown of Astoria, NY, where I attended many Italian wedding receptions in the 60s-70s. He had moved on to bigger things by then
 
It sounds as if Mr. Bennett may have taken a turn for the worse. And at 95, it's certainly expected.

I just think it's great that the family had the insight to spend the last few years recording his Duets music and videos with many of the great modern singers from all kinds of music.

He certainly wasn't your normal, everyday crooner. His phrasing was just so superior. And to be able to sing for so many decades was such a Blessing. He turned his generation of music into being so cool.
 
Sue J said:
A few months ago the AARP magazine had a very good article about him -

https://www.aarp.org/entertainment/celebrities/info-2021/tony-bennett-alzheimers.html

The article starts with his current state and his struggles while still trying to perform but also gives his history and biography. What a life he's had!
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A great article that keeps the man where he belongs, way above his condition. Thanks for posting!

The documentary mentioned in the article, Alive Inside, is wonderful. It shows the stunning effect that music can have on Alzheimer's/dementia patients.
 
One of the saddest effects of ALZ on my mom was she stopped playing the piano. She was very good for the relatively little time she had to practice through her w*rking years. When she retired at 80, she was already showing signs, but in her last couple of years, the music just went away. I hope that doesn't happen to Tony Bennett. He has entertained so many. He deserves to be singing until the day he goes to his reward.
 
Tony has had a blessed life. He sure has wonderful voice!
Sadly, it is not the concerts, but the travel that is so difficult for him, but at that age, it is understandable. It sounds like singing for others has kept his mind active and helps with his Alz. dementia
 
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