Musician Tony Bennett announced Monday that he has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.
Bennett first started showing signs of the disease back in 2015, according to an article published by AARP. The singer, who is 94, shared the article on his personal Twitter account.
Life is a gift – even with Alzheimer’s. Thank you to Susan and my family for their support, and @AARP The Magazine for telling my story.
Read more here:https://t.co/R05A4jc5BF⁰
???? Kelsey Bennett pic.twitter.com/ApxBCpGv0y
— Tony Bennett (@itstonybennett) February 1, 2021
“Life is a gift — even with Alzheimer’s. Thank you to Susan and my family for their support, and @AARP The Magazine for telling my story,” Bennett shared on Twitter. (RELATED: Dr. Oz Reveals His Mother Was Diagnosed With Alzheimer’s Disease)
Bennett was first diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2016, but continued to perform, according to the AARP article. The musician was encouraged by his doctors to continue to practice and perform music.
“Both Susan and Danny said that backstage, Tony could seem utterly mystified about his whereabouts. But the moment he heard the announcer’s voice boom ‘Ladies and gentlemen — Tony Bennett!’ he would transform himself into performance mode, stride out into the spotlight, smiling and acknowledging the audience’s applause,” John Colapinto wrote for AARP.
Bennett last performed publicly on March 11, 2020, right before the coronavirus pandemic hit the United States.
Bennett will be releasing new music soon, a new collaboration with Lady Gaga. The two released the album “Cheek to Cheek” in 2014. The music for the new collaboration with Lady Gaga was recorded between 2018 and 2020, AARP reported.