Tony Bennett’s decades-long career: 70-plus albums and record-breaking music

Tony Bennett led a storied career, recording more than 70 albums and earning 19 Grammy Awards throughout his decades in the spotlight.

Bennett passed away Friday at the age of 96, according to a post shared on the singer’s Instagram page. He was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2016, but no official cause of death has been given.

“Tony left us today but he was still singing the other day at his piano and his last song was, ‘Because of You,’ his first #1 hit,” the caption read. “Tony, because of you we have your songs in our heart forever.”

TONY BENNETT AND LADY GAGA: THE MUSIC DUO’S LEGENDARY COLLABORATION

Here’s a look at Tony Bennett’s career highs:

Tony Bennett released more than 70 albums

Bennett’s goal for his career was to create “a hit catalog rather than hit records.” He certainly accomplished that by releasing over 70 albums after launching his career in 1949. The singer’s breakthrough moment occurred in 1951 after he released “Because of You,” which would become Bennett’s first No. 1 hit.

Some of his most popular releases include “I Left My Heart in San Francisco,” “Love for Sale,” “Cheek to Cheek” and “Duets II.”

His final album, “Love for Sale,” was recorded with his longtime friend and collaborator, Lady Gaga, and released in 2021. The album was actually the pair’s second album. Gaga recorded “Cheek to Cheek” with Bennett in 2014.

Bennett sold over 50 million records worldwide. At the time of his death, Celebrity Net Worth estimated his fortune to be approximately $200 million.

Tony Bennett earned 19 Grammys throughout his career

Bennett was awarded 19 Grammys throughout his career. “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” earned the musician his first Grammy in 1962. He won record of the year and best male solo vocal performance. “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” was later inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1994.

Bennett was honored with the Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2001.

Tony Bennett breaks his own record for oldest living performer with a No. 1 album

In 2014, Bennett broke the record for oldest living performer with a No. 1 album — again — after releasing “Cheek to Cheek.” The album hit the top spot of the Billboard Hot 200.

Just three years earlier, Bennett’s album “Duets II” topped the charts.

Tony Bennett breaks a Guinness World Record

With the release of his second collaboration with Gaga, “Love for Sale,” Bennett broke a Guinness World Record for the oldest person to release an album of new material. He was 95 years and 60 days old when the album was released on Oct. 1, 2021.

The release also helped Bennett break the record of longest-running top-10 album on the Billboard 200 chart for any living person.

Tony Bennett performs his last concert

Bennett performed for his final time in 2021, alongside collaborator Lady Gaga. The event, “One Last Time: An Event with Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga,” took place at New York’s Radio City Music Hall on Nov. 28. The two performed their work together, including, “Love for Sale.”

Despite battling Alzheimer’s for years at that point, Bennett gave an amazing performance that had “hardly a stumble over a single lyric.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.