Through his music, Tony Bennett touched the lives of generations of listeners. On July 21, the singer died in New York City at age 96. His first major hit, “Because of You,†debuted in 1951 and went to No. 1 on the Billboard “Hot 100.†His last top-ten album came 70 years later, his second collaborative record with Lady Gaga, Love for Sale. It should be no surprise, then, that celebrities of all ages remembered the singer with heartfelt tributes and reactions. Susan Benedetto, Bennett’s wife since 2007, shared a photo of Bennett in Florence during their honeymoon exclusively with People on July 22. “Tony, naturally, loved visiting his ancestral homeland, and we spent many summers in Italy over the years, and it was always a special time for us to be together, just the two of us,†she said of the photo. “Tony would paint all day, and then we would eat pasta, which was his favorite meal. I love how this photo captured his thoughtful demeanor … everyone knows Tony had heart, but he also was a wonderful soul.†Below, notable names, from Elton John to Carrie Underwood and Fran Drescher to President Barack Obama, also expressed their gratitude to the late performer.
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