Tony Bennett looks frail in his wheelchair in heartbreaking final pics taken before his death at 96
TONY Bennett has been seen looking frail in a wheelchair in the final photos before his death.
The legendary singer - who was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 2016 - died at age 96 in New York City on Friday morning.
Tony was pictured looking fragile as he was wheeled around Central Park in Manhattan by his caretaker last July.
The 20-time Grammy winner wore a blue Nike T-shirt, a black Nike zip-up jacket, and black Adidas sweatpants.
Tony had a solemn expression as he sat in the wheelchair with his hands clasped over his lap.
The iconic musician's death was announced on Friday.
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A cause of death has not been determined. He was two weeks shy of his 97th birthday.
Tony is survived by his wife Susan Crow, 56, and his four children from previous marriages.
The performer shares sons Danny and Dae with his first wife, Patricia Beech, and daughters Joanna and Antonia with his ex-wife, Sandra Grant.
Tony married Susan in 2007. The couple met backstage at one of Tony's concerts, according to his 2016 memoir Just Getting Started.
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HEARTFELT VIDEO
The Rags To Riches singer shared a heartfelt video on Instagram just hours before his death.
Tony's official Instagram account showed a clip of him giving an emotional performance of The Way You Look Tonight onstage in front of a New York audience.
While the iconic singer belted out the lyrics, jazz artist Bill Charlap played the piano.
The caption stated: "Sharing a special memory from 2015 - serenading New York with the remarkable Bill Charlap, performing 'The Way You Look Tonight.' A night to remember!"
Tony, who served during the final stages of World War II, was considered one of the greatest performers of the 20th century.
His peer Frank Sinatra called him the greatest popular singer in the world.
MUSICAL LEGEND
He began his career as a crooner of commercial pop tunes and eventually signed with Columbia Records.
His first smash hit came in 1951 with Because of You, which gained popularity on jukeboxes, then reached number one on the pop charts, selling over a million copies.
Tony's career continued to skyrocket during the late 1950s with albums such as The Beat of My Heart and Basie Wings, Bennett Sings.
His career took a hit during the mid-1960s with the evaluation of the rock music genre, however, he bounced back in the late 1980s when he expanded his reach to a younger, hip audience.
During this time, Tony continued to put out award-winning albums, including Portrait of the Artist, the Frank Sinatra homage Perfectly Frank, and the Fred Astaire tribute Steppin' Out.
His homage albums both achieved gold status and won Grammys for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance and further established Bennett as a classic American great.
In his later years, he memorably performed a duet on the jazz standard Body and Soul with the late Amy Winehouse.
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He also released a full-length duet album with Diana Krall and a pair of recordings with Lady Gaga.
Tony's last public appearance came in August 2021, with the Bad Romance singer at Radio City Music Hall.
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