Danny Bennett, Tony Bennett’s Son, Tells How Dad Had One of the Great Final Acts in American Life With MTV, Lady Gaga and a Radio City Swan Song
Chris Willman Senior Music Writer and Chief Music Critic Pop-jazz singing legend Tony Bennett died July 24 at age 96, after being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease seven years earlier. His 75-year career followed a classic three-act structure: a rise through the 1950s and early ‘60s that culminated in his biggest hit, “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” in 1962; the loss of pop opportunities as rock took over, resulting in deeper explorations into jazz; and a return to superstardom in the 1990s as he won the album of the year Grammy for “MTV Unplugged.” Actually, “we had a fourth act, with Lady Gaga, that lasted 10 years,” says his son, Danny Bennett. Danny became his dad’s manager in 1986 and oversaw one of the great comebacks in music, which ended with Bennett and Gaga taping a final special at Radio City Music Hall on his 95th birthday.