In an interview with 60 Minutes’ Anderson Cooper in the US, Benedetto revealed the family is blessed in many ways but the singer’s condition has continued to deteriorate.
“He recognises me, thank goodness, his children, you know we are blessed in a lot of ways,” shared Susan.
“He’s very sweet.”
It was back in February the world first learnt that Bennett is living with Alzheimer’s disease.
The 95-year-old musical legend appeared on stage for one last time in August alongside frequent collaborator Lady Gaga at New York City’s Radio City Music Hall.
Bennett struggled to follow the conversation during the 60 Minutes filming, but Anderson was astonished when Bennet began to rehearse.
Without sheet music in front of him, Bennett performed perfectly, recalling every word and note.
Dr Gaytari Devi, who diagnosed Bennett in 2017, told People the singer “knows he’s Tony Bennett and he knows how to behave like Tony Bennett.”
“That’s an area of the brain that’s just so … innately hardwired,” she said.
Devi explained that music is located in the region of the brain associated with emotion, and when people living with Alzheimer’s sing or perform, they can be easily moved.
Bennett’s is “not a sad story,” Lady Gaga has expressed.
“It’s emotional. It’s hard to watch somebody change. I think what’s been beautiful about this, and what’s been challenging, is to see how it affects him in some ways, but to see how it doesn’t affect his talent.”
Anderson said seeing Bennett rehearse “was among the most extraordinary things I’d experienced on a shoot”.
Great show with him and lady Gaga! It’s great that she is recognizing him for his talent. She’s one classy lady Gaga
Great person!!
I don’t get it why don’t they tell him he has Alzheimer’s?
Well, with my Mom, she was told once, but she never remembered. So for us, I wasn’t going to tell her the same bad news every day. Also, in that declined state, she never understood it to begin with.
A person with Alzheimer’s might be told they have Alzheimer’s and forget the entire conversation a couple minutes later. I can’t speak for specifically Mr. Bennett, although I think this common.
I have always loved Tony Bennett and will NEVER stop. God bless him and his family. A TRUE performer in EVERY respect. Just watched the Lady Gaga & Tony Bennett performance and it rendered me to tears. BRAVO!!!!!!!
Tony Bennett is magic. My late husband and I saw him in concert in the UK several times over 40 years and the experience has always been spellbinding. Thank you Tony gor giving do muck pleasure yo the many thousands of yiur fans world wide. We love you. Take care of yourself. .
How can you use a man like this? He can’t even give consent. It’s abuse.
I don’t think you understand what abuse is. Mr. Bennett clearly loves to sing and perform, and people helping you to do what you love as long as you can is certainly not “abuse”.
Abuse? No abuse is letting him sit in a chair in his pjs looking out the window all day long. Doing what he loves is giving him purpose it’s the one thing he REMEMBERS how to do & enjoys doing it.
It isn’t abuse if Tony’s life and love are expressed in what he shows most….his music. Something that he enjoys so innately can never be termed as “abuse.”
Sherri, it’s life.
This wonderful man provided a private show in Providence RI in 1960. Ralph Sharon accompanied on piano and Tony sang for my new wife and for me. The event was an important new album release. I was the morning DJ at WJAR AM, Providence Ri. Bad weather was predicted and the only two people who attended was Elaine Sandra Hoffman Brown, my new wife. The agent on hand urged Tony to cancel. “No,” he said “they’re here and I’m gonna sing!” And he did for an hour, then thanked us for coming.
God Bless You
He has a caregiver who loves him. That live is transcendant.
How is Tony Bennett since the radio city concert . Has he gotten worse?
Alzheimers is a cruel disease. It takes away the person you once knew who is still there in front of you but changed. The only blessing is that that person is not aware of it , there loved ones are the ones left struggling with the effects.
Tony was and is an amazingly talented man with a beautiful voice that has given pleasure to thousands of people. I saw him at the London palladium on hi 85th birthday. He was fantastic they turned the microphone off and he sang to the audience unaided it was beautiful. His voice was like velvet.
Thank you so much Tony for sharing your wonderful voice and talent. Bless you xx
That sad and just beautiful at the same time ! Tony your music and talent will live on forever. May God bless your contributions to us all !
Tony Bennett has always been a fan favorite in my house since I was a little child, I am 65 now. I grew up listening to his music. He is an amazingly talented man even now in his 90’s❣️
I have always loved Tony Bennett and saw him perform a number of times. I love his cheerful personality and his spectacular voice. He has touched my life and he has given me many wonderful memories with his music. I am familiar with Alzheimer’s Disease which afflicted my Dad “Tony”. The light of joy never left his beautiful blue eyes who was also of Italian descent. I see that same joy in Tony Bennett’s beautiful eyes. That joy comes from being loved and giving Love. God has blessed me in so many ways.
I watch his show with Lady Gaga over and over and the interview with Anderson Cooper.
The magic between Tony and Lady Gaga is mesmerizing.
I hope he continues singing a very long time.
Yes I do too! I just love seeing Tony singing with Lady GaGa, they are so talented and for him to remember songs word for word is absolutely awesome!! Love you Tony and hope you sing forever!!
We love you Tony!! Always and forever!!!,😍👍🏼🌹💝
Tony Bennett has brought so much beauty/pleasure to our family, words cannot express! Favorite song, ‘ When Joanna Left Me’, beautiful, poignant!! Alan J. Kreutzberg, East Lansing, Michigan 48823
I am 71 years of age. I have always loved listening and watching Tony perform. I listen to him on the Senatra channel on XM radio. I was saddened to hear that he was not performing any more because I love hearing him sing. I am an old horse shoer, oil field worker and power plant operator and have a love for Tony’s style of music. God bless you Tony, your awesome. Love Rob
God bless Tony Bennett.
Tony Bennett has been a favourite of my husband and myself for over 60 years, we still play our old records of his on our old record player, I have onset dementia diagnosed when I was 78, he seems happy and is getting excellent care from his wife, thinking of you Tony
Mary Jones
Rhondda Valley
South Wales
HOPE GET BETTER YES WIL SEE BEST YES BEAU LOVING GIVING PERSON YES I NO HIM YES GREAT GREAT FANTASTIC YS GOD BLESS YES HOPE DOESNT GET WORSE WITH DISEASE BAD SAW TOO MANY CONCERTS LAST ON OCT 6. 2017 PlUS NJ ALL YES BEST 914-496-8347 STILL ALIVE THATS GOD BLESSING YES FINE SOMETHING ALTIMERS YES DONT WHY. YET GOD BLESS HIM
I am 91 years old and have listened to wonderful Tony Bennett for many years. He was the most caring and lovable man in the music industry. And THE VERY BEST.
Forgot one thing. I want to thank his Precious wife for taking good care of the man “Tony Bennett” that we all Love.
The greatest male vocalist of all time, period!