Inside Tony Bennett’s battle with Alzheimer’s disease as singer continued to put out music despite incurable condition

BELOVED singer Tony Bennett continued to make music up until the final years of his life, despite suffering from an incurable condition.

The legendary crooner, who passed away aged 96, was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2016 but didn’t let his condition keep him from doing what he loved.

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In fact, those close to the New York City-born singer say making music helped him battle health issues and much more.

The two-time Emmy Award winner died on Friday morning in New York City, his publicist Sylvia Weiner confirmed to the Associated Press.

When his wife first announced that he suffered from the irreversible neurological disorder two years ago, Susan told AARP that he had increasingly rare moments of clarity and awareness.

For example, he and Susan had returned to their home from walking their dog in the park to conduct the interview with AARP magazine when he seemingly had short-term memory loss.

He was reportedly talking with his wife he looked up suddenly from a book in his lap before smiling and asking, in a whisper, “How’s the weather outside?”

His wife stressed: “Singing is everything to him,”

“Everything,” she went on.

“It has saved his life many times. Many times. Through divorces and things. If he ever stops singing, that’s when we’ll know.”

Saying that was said to be hard for her as her voice caught on the ending statement as she came close to tears.

Even after his diagnosis and even going public about his health struggles, he continued to rehearse music multiple days out the week, The Associated Press reported.

Bennett would faithfully do 90-minute sets twice a week with his longtime pianist, Lee Musiker.

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For years, he continuously maintained perfect pitch and reportedly did it with apparent ease.

His wife said, at the time: “There’s a lot about him that I miss.”

“Because he’s not the old Tony anymore,” she explained.

Susan got choked up and added, with a smile: “But when he sings, he’s the old Tony.”

She even said that music was such a part of him, he didn’t continue to do other passions they’d settled in the heart of the city for him to pursue after receiving his diagnosis except making melodies.

“I wish he kept up his painting, but that hasn’t latched in like the singing has,” his wife admitted to AARP.

Some of his most memorable duets feature artists like the late Amy Winehouse and Lady Gaga, who quickly became a devoted protégé. 

Lady Gaga and Tony recorded Cheek to Cheek in 2014, before his diagnosis.

It debuted at number one on Billboard’s Top 200 pop and rock chart which is the kind of success that cannot be ignored leading to discussions about a follow-up.

The songs for the second collaboration were reportedly recorded in sessions that were widely spaced between 2018 and early 2020.

Between a number of delays stemming from Gaga’s movie stardom, her solo-recording career, and even the Covid-19 pandemic, the collaboration, Love For Sale, was finally ready in Spring 2021.

Of course, during this time, Tony was already showing clear signs of the disease.

When he and Gaga started recording the new LP two years after his diagnosis, Susan said she was not entirely sure that Tony was up to the task.

She recalled telling their oldest son at the time, Danny, who’d often join Bennett in the studio: “We’ll try.”

Susan said she expressed to him: “That’s all I can tell you. We’ll try.”