Famed crooner Tony Bennett, known for such classics as "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" died in his hometown of New York City. The last of the great saloon singers of the mid-20th century, Bennett often said his lifelong ambition was to create a hit catalog rather than hit records.
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00:00 The famed crooner known for such classics as I left my heart in San Francisco died in his hometown of New York City
00:06 The last of the great saloon singers of the mid 20th century
00:09 Bennett often said his lifelong ambition was to create a hit catalog rather than hit records. Here's ABC's Rena Roy
00:24 Tony Bennett was a singer's singer for more than 60 years. He played his voice like a beautiful instrument
00:30 And with a passion that led Frank Sinatra to call him the best in the business
00:36 Well, you know Sinatra was my best friend. He gave me the best advice
00:39 He was 10 years my elder and he was my master. You know what he said stay away from bad songs
00:45 He said just do great songs and he did singing classics from what he called the Great American Songbook
00:52 One song stood out above all others
00:54 San Francisco
01:05 It became his signature and won him the first of more than a dozen Grammys
01:12 Ironically Bennett was born in New York the son of a grocer and a seamstress
01:16 He was performing by the age of 10 and painting - he became a very accomplished painter
01:22 I've always had to sing and I had to paint the two things that I love there were tough times in the mid 60s
01:29 There wasn't much demand for Bennett style of music. So he tried acting
01:33 Anyhow, I know Frankie
01:36 He won't be back the movie flopped as did his two marriages
01:41 But in the 1980s with his son's help Bennett resurrected his career and found a new audience in the MTV generation
01:48 He's saying duets with Elton John Amy Winehouse
01:53 And Lady Gaga
01:58 Bennett was even featured on The Simpsons. Hey good to see you as he celebrated his 80th birthday
02:09 Again
02:11 It was hip again and having the time of his life
02:14 But at age 90 a devastating Alzheimer's diagnosis
02:18 His family saying the disease progressed rapidly with the weight of isolation during the kovat 19 pandemic
02:25 Still he continued singing when there are clouds in the sky
02:30 His wife Susan opening up to a ARP magazine
02:36 I just chalked it up to
02:38 you know old age and
02:41 So I said well, we'll put the names of the musicians on the piano for you
02:44 So you can just kind of look over and it was Tony that said yeah
02:47 I'd like to go see the doctor the secret Bennett has said is loving what you do
02:51 Rena Roy ABC News, New York