New York celebrates first-ever Tony Bennett day

Governor Andrew Cuomo named Aug. 3 Tony Bennett Day on Tuesday. Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP

By Jacob Kaye

He may have left his heart in San Francisco but Tony Bennett’s hometown still has love for him.

Governor Andrew Cuomo issued a proclamation Tuesday marking Aug. 3 as Tony Bennett Day, the same day the Astoria-born performer celebrated his 95th birthday.

"Music and the arts have long been an essential piece of the fabric of New York, and you would be hard-pressed to find someone who has made more of a contribution in this space than Tony Bennett," Cuomo said in a statement.

"Not only is Tony a born and bred New Yorker who has been dazzling audiences with beautiful music for more than six decades, but he has always stayed true to his humble New York roots and can always be spotted throughout the City whether he is working on his next painting in Central Park, or just chatting with fans on the street,” he added.

Born Anthony Dominick Benedetto, the award winning singer cut his teeth performing as a singing waiter in Riccardo’s by the Bridge. As a teen, Bennett was drafted into the Army and served during World War II.

Bennett returned to his native Astoria after being discharged from the Army and performed in clubs and restaurants in the neighborhood and throughout the city before launching one of the most successful musical careers of the past century.

But still he remained true to his roots.

In the early 2000s, Bennett and his wife Susan Benedetto helped found the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts in Astoria.

Bennett has been nominated for 13 Grammy Awards and has sold over 50 million albums throughout his seven-decade career.

It was announced earlier this year that Bennett was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2016. He has continued to perform and record since being diagnosed.