Veteran singer Tony Bennett has been fighting Alzheimer’s for five years, his family recently revealed to AARP.
In an interview with AARP magazine published on Monday, Bennett’s doctor and loved ones revealed details of his condition and symptoms, which include some memory loss, confusion and unresponsiveness. The 94-year-old crooner was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2016 and started running a 90-minute series on tour without fail soon after.
“Singing is everything for him,” Bennett’s wife, Susan Benedetto, told AARP. “Everything. It saved his life many times. Many times. Through divorces and things like that. If he stops singing, we’ll know.”
Unlike some Alzheimer’s patients, Bennett still manages to recognize friends and family, does not leave home and has not shown signs of terror, anger or depression often caused by the debilitating disease. He struggles to identify everyday objects, however, and when recording his next album with Lady Gaga from 2018 to 2020, he had lost his vigor and conscience in the studio.
His interactions with Gaga – who told him he looked “so good” and recalled the 2015 tour – were brief and uncertain. At one point, in the filming of the recording sessions, Gaga could be seen sobbing while Bennett did a solo part of a love song.
The “Chromatica” artist was aware of the condition of her duet partner at the time, and her new album – a continuation of the 2014 joint release, “Cheek to Cheek” – is scheduled to debut in the spring.
“He always likes to say that he is committed to making people feel good,” Benedetto told journalist Gayle King in a recent interview for “CBS This Morning”. “And so he never wanted the public to know that he had a problem, but obviously, as things progress, it becomes more and more obvious when you interact with Tony that there is something going on.
“He doesn’t feel pain and that’s why he doesn’t think there’s anything wrong with him,” she added.
According to AARP, Bennett has been taking standard Alzheimer’s drugs, which regulate memory function in the brain, in addition to following a Mediterranean diet and weekly exercise regime. His doctor also recommended that he continue to perform as long as possible to stimulate “his brain significantly.”
“There are many things about him that I miss,” Benedetto told AARP. “Because he is no longer old Tony. … But when he sings, he’s old Tony. “
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Bennett rehearsed his 90-minute set at home twice a week with the help of his longtime pianist, Lee Musiker, who lives nearby. Although Bennett suffers from “cognitive problems,” said his neurologist, Gayatri Devi, “several other areas of his brain are still resistant and working well.”
“He is doing so many things, at 94, that many people without dementia cannot do,” added Devi. “It really is the symbol of hope for someone with cognitive impairment.”
Read more about Bennett’s experience with Alzheimer’s on the AARP website.