Tony Bennett Net Worth

No one would contest that Tony Bennet is among some of the most influential singers in recent history. With famous works such as “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” and collaborations like “New York State of Mind” with Billy Joel, there is no doubt that the jazz icon has made a name for himself. Tony Bennett has clearly done well, living with his wife, Susan Crow, in their incredible mansion of a home in New York. However, what does such a high level of success look like for this singer, songwriter, and artist in terms of his net worth?

What is Tony Bennett’s Net Worth?

Having officially retired last year, Tony Bennett’s net worth has peaked at around $200 million with a yearly salary of $1.7 million from his New York school, Frank Sinatra School of the Arts. Though his success is undeniable in the music industry, he has also accumulated financial success as an actor, painter, and author as well. What makes Bennett, born Anthony Dominick Benedetto, impressive is that he came from a humble background. Yet despite this, Tony has risen in financial success not only for his own benefit but for the benefit of the many impactful movements he has been a part of over the years.

Tony Bennett’s Journey to Success

Tony grew up with just his mother and two siblings, John Benedetto and Mary Benedetto after his father died at the early age of 9. Growing up in the Great Depression, Tony supported his family by working as a singing waiter at Italian restaurants. The performer studied music and art in high school but eventually dropped out to pursue music on his own and performed on amateur nights locally while waiting tables. Tony Bennett indeed received his start in music by performing in military bands after leaving his home in New York to enlist in the army during World War II in the 1940s. After returning back home, Bennett’s big break came in 1949 when he met Bob Hope when he returned to New York, where he began singing for Bob Hope in his concert tour that same year.

Early Career

Bennett went on to receive 19 Grammy Awards for his music. His music originally received recognition from a string of Columbia singles in the early 1950s, culminating in two Grammys for “I Left My Heart in San Francisco,” among other popular singles such as “Because of You” and “Rags to Riches.” In 1956, Tony Bennett hosted The Tony Bennett Show, and in 1962, he released Tony Bennett at Carnegie Hall as a popular live album. However, in 1964, the rising pop icon seemed to stall against the rise of The Beatles and other popular bands. An attempted rebrand of his image was an apparent flop; by 1972, Bennett was without a recording job. Bennett developed his record company and performed for audiences such as the Queen of England, yet he neared bankruptcy and turned to drug addiction.

In what appeared to be a dead end in his life, our American singer turned to his son, Danny Bennett, who became his father’s manager. A fantastic decision for the duo, Bennett again grew in fame by bringing about his original style, resigning with Columbia Records, and producing two gold albums in 1992 and 1993. The two went on to make a collaborative album with Frank Sinatra and entered the movie industry, cementing Bennett’s reputation with a national audience in their 20s and 30s. From his first album to today, Bennett has sold more than 50 million records worldwide in his illustrious career.

Fun Facts About Tony Bennett

• Tony is the second oldest Grammy nominee ever at the age of 95.
• He has released countless books and has painted several popular works, such as his Central Park, which Bennett signed with his original name, Anthony Benedetto.
• He has collaborated with several existing pop singers on his album Duets II, such as Lady Gaga and Red Hot Chili Peppers. He received 2 Grammys for this work alone. He went on to create a jazz album with Lady Gaga as well.
• Bennett released his book: The Good Life: The Autobiography of Tony Bennett in 1998 and Life is a Gift in 2014, a New York Times Bestseller.
• Bennett received the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2002 from ASCAP.
• Tony Bennett marched with Martin Luther King Jr. in the Selma-to-Montgomery Civil Rights movement.

Tony Bennett in Recent Years

What has this American classic been up to in the past few years? Tony decided to broaden his successful career to the modern entertainment industry. Tony has starred as himself in films such as Analyze This, The Scout, and Bruce Almighty and even produced a country song in 2015. Alongside this, Bennett provided a traditional pop vocal performance for several album duets with singers such as Elton John, Bono, Barbara Streisand, and others. In 1999, Tony and his wife, Susan Benedetto, founded Exploring the Arts to better incorporate art in public schools. This organization established the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts in New York City. Due to a recent diagnosis of Alzheimer’s, Tony has been retired since 2021. However, Bennett enjoys his massive success in retirement as one of the most decorated singers to ever grace the pop charts.

Tony Bennett FAQs

What song won Bennett the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award?

• His MTV Unplugged CD won the lifetime achievement award.

What was Tony’s first full-length album?

• Bennett released Cloud 7 in 1955, an album containing multiple jazz tunes.

Who influenced Tony Bennett’s music?

• Tony’s singing technique and jazz standards are modeled after his heroes: Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, and Nat “King” Cole.

Tony Bennett FAQs