Reba McEntire, Carrie Underwood, Tim McGraw & More Pay Tribute To The Late Tony Bennett
Legendary vocalist, Tony Bennett, passed away in New York City, on Friday, July 21 at the age of 96. He…
Tony Bennett, Reba McEntire; Photo Courtesy Instagram
Legendary vocalist, Tony Bennett, passed away in New York City, on Friday, July 21 at the age of 96. He died just two weeks short of his 97th birthday.
Bennett enjoyed a long-lasting and successful career and despite being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2016, he continued to perform and record music through 2021. According to The Associated Press, no specific cause of death has been revealed.
Throughout his career, Bennett released more than 70 albums and sold more than 50 million albums worldwide.
Some of Tony Bennett’s biggest hits include “I Left My Heart in San Francisco,” “Rags to Riches,” “New York State of Mind,” and “Blue Velvet.”
The 19-time GRAMMY winner was loved and respected by fans and his peers. The news of Tony Bennett’s death sent shockwaves through the music community on Friday and many artists took to social media to share kind words about the kind of artist and person that he was.
Among the artists who shared their admiration for Bennett was Carrie Underwood, who collaborated with the iconic vocalist on his Duets II album in 2011. The pair teamed up to record “It Had To Be You” for the project.
“Rest in peace, Tony. You were the epitome of a gentleman with a God given one-of-a-kind voice,” Underwood said. ”It was truly a great honor of my career and of my life to get to share the stage with you…”
Several other artists, including Reba McEntire, Tim McGraw, Wynonna Judd, Brett Eldredge, Keith Urban, and LeAnn Rimes also reacted to Tony Bennett’s passing on social media.
‘Sad to hear about Tony Bennett. His remarkable voice and timeless songs have touched the hearts of generations… A true icon and I was honored to get to work with him,” McGraw wrote. ”Our hearts are with his family and friends.”
“One of THE greatest memories I have EVER experienced was getting to perform with Mr. Bennett. What a blessing he was to me. #RIP @itstonybennett ❤️🩹” Judd shared.
“Just heard about the great Tony Bennett passing. What a legacy of not only superb timeless music, but a class act study in cool, grace, and elegance,” Urban shared.
McEntire posted, “I had the pleasure of being around @itstonybennett twice in my career, both times at Christmas. He was a gentleman and a music icon and his voice will live on for years to come. Rest in peace, Tony.”
“rip #legend #TonyBennett 🤍,” Rimes said.
Eldredge wrote, “Tony Bennett was such a gift of a human and crooner to this world…not long ago on a beautiful night in Manhattan, he and I were both taping the Rockefeller tree lighting and our dressing rooms were right next to each other. As I walked by to go to my room, there he was, eating a granola bar and smiling. He kindly invited me in and we chatted for a brief and beautiful moment. I will never forget what that glimmer in time meant to me and my soul. He was literally 60 years older than me and had seen and accomplished just about as much as any performer could ever dream of and yet, there he was, a fellow singer, waiting for his chance to take the stage once again, just like everyone else, because that was his heart, and damn was he good at it. I have learned so much about singing from his records and his music will live on forever. Thanks for showing us how to live “The Good Life” Tony.”
“Tony Bennett was full of greatness,” The Chicks shared. ”The consummate musician who had a warm and gracious soul. He gave the world decades of music that was easy to love. We will be forever grateful to have known him.”
Tony Bennett was one of the all-time greats and his legacy will continue to live on through his music.
Lauren Jo Black, a University of Central Florida graduate, has immersed herself in the world of country music for over 15 years. In 2008, she co-founded CountryMusicIsLove, eventually selling it to a major record label in 2015. Following the rebranding of the website to Sounds Like Nashville, Black served as Editor-in-Chief for two and a half years. Currently, she assumes the role of Editor-in-Chief at Country Now and oversees Country Now’s content and digital footprint. Her extensive experience also encompasses her previous role as a Country Music Expert Writer for Answers.com and her work being featured on Forbes.com. She’s been spotlighted among Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. Black also spent time in front of the camera as host of Country Now Live, which brought live music directly to fans in 2021 when the majority of concerts were halted due to the pandemic. During this time, she hosted 24 weeks of live concerts via Country Now Live on Twitch with special guests such as Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Jordan Davis, Brett Young, and Jon Pardi. Over the course of her career, she has had the privilege of conducting interviews with some of the industry’s most prominent stars, including Reba McEntire, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, Lainey Wilson, and many others. Lauren Jo Black is a longtime member of the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.
You may also like
Country Next
Playlist
On Repeat
Get the latest country music news delivered straight to your inbox.
