The legendary singer Tony Bennett has passed away. No official cause of death has been released, but he was diagnosed with Alzheimers disease in 2016. He died in New York on Friday July 21, 2023, at the age of 96 years old. He was just 2 weeks away from celebrating his 97th birthday.

The last time Bennett performed in public was back in 2021 when he performed a duet with Lady Gaga at Radio City Music Hall. That was almost two years ago.

Upon hearing the news of his death, many celebrities have posted tributes to him. Elton John posted a picture of the two of them on social media and wrote, “So sad to hear of Tony’s passing. Without doubt the classiest singer, man, and performer you will ever see. He’s irreplaceable. I loved and adored him. Condolences to Susan, Danny and the family.”

David Letterman posted a throwback clip from one of his shows where Bennett takes the stage to perform “Everybody Has the Blues.” Alongside the clip, Letterman wrote, “The great Tony Bennett sings ‘Everybody Has The Blues.’ RIP, Tony.”

During Bennett’s long music career, he won 2 Emmy Awards, 19 Grammy Awards and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Recording Academy. He is survived by his wife, Susan Benedetto, his sons Danny and Dae, his daughters Joanna and Antonia, and nine grandchildren.

Upon hearing the news of Bennett’s death, the US Alzheimer’s Association also released a statement. In the statement, Joanne Pike, the organizations CEO, explained, “For decades, Tony inspired the world with his music and, after being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, he continued to use that powerful voice to make a very real difference in inspiring action and change.” Pike continued, “For the Bennett family, and the millions of others impacted by Alzheimer’s and dementia, we will continue our work of increasing awareness and education, providing families support, and advancing research and treatments, to slow, stop and ultimately, cure Alzheimer’s disease.”

Rest in peace.