RIP Tony Bennett (1926 - 2023)

Sad news, legendary crooner and frequent Muppet guest Tony Bennet has died. 

 

Bennet was discovered in 1950 by future Muppet Show guest Bob Hope, after Pearl Bailey another future Muppet Show guest, had asked him to open her show.

He was best known for his signature 1962 hit “I Left My Heart in San Francisco,” and was one of the top pop performers in the ‘50s and early ‘60s. He saw his career surge anew in the ‘90s and in the new millennium.

He won 18 Grammy Awards (36 total nominations), was a Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award recipient in 2001, two Emmy Awards,  a Kennedy Center Honoree in 2005, and a National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master in 2006.

In 1995 he began his frequent collaborations with the Muppets by signing about "Little Things" in Sesame Street. 

The following year he guest starred on Muppets Tonight. Where he song a duet of "Firefly" with Kermit. This led to Kermit appearing on Bennett's 1998 album, "The Playground."

 On Muppets Tonight he also appeared on Jonny Fiama's Talk Show

 

Bennet of course being Jonny Fiama's idol: 

In 1997, he returned to Sesame Street to help "Slimey to the Moon."

Bennett also performed appeared at the first Sesame Workshop Benefit in 2003,

cameoed during "We're Doing a Sequel" in 2014's Muppets Most Wanted.

and sang a duet of "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" with Miss Piggy at the 2016 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Tony Bennet was 96.