From rock stars to Sesame Street, there’s no shortage of tributes pouring in for the late, great Tony Bennett. The legendary crooner passed away on Friday (July 21) in New York. Though no cause of death has been given, Bennett was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2016. Following the announcement of his passing, several artists across genres and decades took to social media to celebrate the life of an icon.
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Keith Richards (The Rolling Stones)
“May you Rest in Peace, Tony Bennett!” The Rolling Stones’ Keith Richards shared on Twitter, along with a photo of him and Bennett at an event in 2015.
Ozzy Osbourne
Osbourne also shared a throwback photo of him and the singer at an industry event. “Very sad to hear about Tony Bennett’s passing,” Osbourne captioned the photo. “Rest in Peace.”
Billy Joel
Joel offered a particularly poignant tribute, as he reflected on Bennett’s legacy alongside a series of photos of when Bennett made an appearance during his residency at Madison Square Garden in 2019. “Tony Bennett was one of the most important interpreters of American popular song during the mid to late 20th century. He championed songwriters who might otherwise have remained unknown to many millions of music fans,” Joel states on his website.
“His was a unique voice that made the transition from the era of Jazz into the age of Pop. I will always be grateful for his outstanding contribution to the art of contemporary music,” Joel continues. “He was a joy to work with. His energy and enthusiasm for the material he was performing was infectious. He was also one of the nicest human beings I’ve ever known.”
Bette Midler
Fellow music icon and revered vocalist Bette Midler also took to Twitter to tribute the “singer’s singer.” “I’m thankful I was alive during his musical reign, to hear and treasure the music he made and the man himself,” Midler praises. “He will be sorely missed.”
Country stars Carrie Underwood and Keith Urban were also among those sharing kind words for Bennett.
Carrie Underwood
Underwood shared a series of photos of her performing with Bennett over the years. The two dueted on “It Had to Be You,” that was featured on his 2011 album, Duets II. “Rest in peace, Tony,” Underwood begins. “You were the epitome of a gentleman with a God given one-of-a-kind voice. It was truly a great honor of my career and of my life to get to share the stage with you…”
Keith Urban
“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 raves.
Artists aren’t the only ones remembering Bennett’s impact. The official Twitter account for Sesame Street shared a clip from his 1998 appearance on the show singing an adapted version of the classic “Fly Me to the Moon” with Big Bird, while NASA shared a photo from outer space zooming into the Fisherman’s Warf in San Francisco while quoting Bennett’s historical recording of, “I Left My Heart in San Francisco.”
Photo by Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images 8th Annual Exploring The Arts Gala
