Tony Bennett passed away on July 21 at the age of 96, leaving behind his wife, Susan Benedetto (née Crow). The couple were together for over three decades and Susan, 56, became the singer's primary caregiver following his Alzheimer's disease diagnosis in 2016.
Tony and Susan – who is 40 years his junior – actually met long before they became a couple, in fact, it was before she was even born. When her mom, Marion Crow, was pregnant with her, she and Susan's dad, Dayl, attended one of Tony's shows in 1966 and had a picture taken with him backstage.
"As fate would have it, Marion was pregnant at the time with … Susan!" Tony wrote in his 2016 memoir Just Getting Started. "It's a photo we all laugh about, knowing the incredible turn of events that followed."
Susan Benedetto's statement on Tony Bennett's death
Shortly after news of Tony's death, Susan and his son, Danny Bennett, released a joint statement, which read: "Thank you to all the fans, friends, and colleagues of Tony's who celebrated his life and humanity and shared their love of him and his musical legacy.
"From his first performances as a singing waiter in Queens to his last performances in 2021 at Radio City Music Hall, Tony delighted in performing the songs he loved and making people happy. And as sad as today has been for all of us we can find joy in Tony's legacy forever – Susan Benedetto and Danny Bennett.
Who is Tony Bennett's wife, Susan Benedetto?
Susan Benedetto is a former teacher with degrees from Fordham University and Columbia University's Teachers College. She taught social studies at Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and the Performing Arts in New York City.
She and Tony founded Exploring the Arts in 1999, a nonprofit organization that promotes and supports arts education in 56 schools in New York and Los Angeles.
How did Tony Bennett meet his wife?
Susan was a huge fan of Tony's long before they met at one of his shows in the late 1980s. As a teenager, she was president of his fan club in the San Francisco area, and when she was 19, they had their first encounter backstage following his concert – just like her mom and dad did.
"It tickled me that someone of her age was so devoted to my music," Tony said in his memoir. "I not only agreed to say hello to her backstage but asked her to be my date for the evening, and that's how it all really began, foreshadowed by a backstage photo taken in 1966!"
They were together for 20 years before they tied the knot "in a private, intimate ceremony" in New York City in 2007. Following the wedding, Susan took Tony's legal name, Benedetto, instead of his stage name, Bennett.
Does Tony Bennett have children?
Alongside Susan, Tony leaves behind four children from previous relationships. He welcomed two sons with his ex-wife, Patricia Beech: D'Andrea 'Danny' Bennett, born in 1954, and Daegal 'Dae' Bennett, born in 1955.
He also has two daughters, Joanna, born in 1969, and Antonia, born in 1974, whom he welcomed with his ex-wife, Sandra Grant.
How many times has Tony Bennett been married?
Tony has been married three times. His first wife was Patricia Beech, whom he wed in 1952 after meeting at one of his shows. On their wedding day, thousands of Tony's female fans stood outside the venue wearing all black to signify they were in "mourning". Tony and Patricia separated in 1965 but their divorce wasn't finalized until 1971.
Tony met his second wife, Sandra Grant, while they were both filming the 1965 movie, The Oscar. They started dating and moved in together before tying the knot in 1971. They called it quits eight years later in 1979, but their divorce wasn't finalized until 2007 – the same year he married his third wife, Susan.
Speaking about his greatest accomplishment in an interview with Forbes in 2016, Tony said: "Personally, my four children and seven grandchildren are what make me proud."