Tony Bennett Health Problems Before Death: Singer Struggled Due to These Issues Aside From Alzheimer's

Tony Bennett Health Problems Before Death: Singer Struggled Due to These Issues Aside From Alzheimer's
JOSEPH PREZIOSO/AFP via Getty Images

Tony Bennett, the legendary singer who battled Alzheimer's disease for seven years, suffered from different health conditions years before his death.

Bennett's death shocked the music industry as the iconic crooner passed away following his long battle with Alzheimer's disease since he was diagnosed with it in 2016. He officially confirmed his retirement at the age of 95 in 2021, with his son Danny sharing that the patriarch would no longer hold concerts after his collaboration with Lady Gaga in his Radio City concerts, "One Last Time: An Evening With Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga."

Although he remained active prior to his demise, the singer suffered more issues aside from the brain disorder.

Tony Bennett Suffered These Before Death

The world only learned about Bennett's Alzheimer's disease diagnosis in 2021, when his family told different news outlets about his progressive condition. His wife, Susan Benedetto, also revealed that the singer was unaware of his health problem before his death.

Aside from his health problems, the "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" crooner revealed in his 1998 memoir, "The Good Life," that he struggled with drug addiction during the 1970s when he and his family with his second wife, Sandra Grant, moved to Hollywood.

"At first, it seemed like the hip thing to do, but as time went on, it got harder and harder to refuse it when it was offered," he detailed. "Compounded with my pot-smoking, the whole thing started to sneak up on me."

Following the death of his friend and musician Bill Evans due to an overdose, Bennett said it made him think about his own struggles with drug use and helped him do something about it.

He told San Diego Tribune in a 2016 interview about his decision to stop doing drugs. Per the "I've Got You Under My Skin" singer, he learned from that experience that he had not been doing the right thing.

Tony Bennett Also Struggled With Depression

On top of his drug use, Bennett also endured depression after his divorce from his first wife, Patricia Beech. He only opened up about his battle in his memoir, "Just Getting Started," which he released in 2016.

He called the Christmas of 1965 the worst day in his life as he and his then-wife split. His depression worsened years later when he had to deal with several issues with his career and finances, leading him to almost die before his actual death this year.

Bennett ultimately succumbed at the age of 96, a few days shy of what would have been his 97th birthday, after his battle with Alzheimer's disease.

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