Tony Bennett retires from performing on 'doctor's orders,' cancels upcoming concerts

NEW YORK — Tony Bennett has retired from performing, his son and longtime manager Danny Bennett has confirmed. Just a week after the legendary crooner joined frequent collaborator Lady Gaga for two sold-out shows at Manhattan's Radio City Music Hall, his son says that the 95-year-old performer will no longer return to the stage and that upcoming tour dates are canceled. The much-anticipated New York shows — "One Last Time: An Evening With Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga" — were being billed as the singer's final shows in the Big Apple. He was, however, still scheduled to keep touring and performing at other venues along the East Coast. But after an announcement that Bennett would cancel the remainder of his 2021 tour, his son said that the Astoria-born singer was effectively retiring from the stage. "There won't be any additional concerts," Danny Bennett told Variety. "This was a hard decision for us to make, as he is a capable performer. This is, however, doctors' orders." The Grammy-winning musician, whose chart-topping career spans seven decades, told AARP Magazine earlier this year that he had been living with Alzheimer's disease for the last four years. "His continued health is the most important part of this," his son explained. "And when we heard the doctors — when Tony's wife, Susan heard them — she said, 'Absolutely not.' He'll be doing other things, but not those upcoming shows. It's not the singing aspect but, rather, the traveling. Look, he gets tired. The decision is being made that doing concerts now is just too much for him. We don't want him to fall on stage, for instance — something as simple as that." Danny Bennett, who has managed his father for over 40 years, said that he still has the voice that has earned him 20 Grammys — including a Lifetime Achievement Award. "We're not worried about him being able to sing. We are worried, from a physical stand point… about human nature," he added. "Tony's 95." Bennett's six-date fall tour was scheduled to begin Sept. 25 with a show in Mashantucket, Connecticut, before traveling to Staten Island, New York; Bensalem, Pennsylvania; Bethesda, Maryland; and conclude in December, with two concerts in Oklahoma. Ticket holders should check with the local venues for information regarding refunds. For the Oct. 17 show at Staten Island's St. George Theatre, no action is required. "(Refunds) will be processed to the original method of payment used at time of purchase, once funds are received from the event organizer, which is usually completed within 30 days," according to Ticketmaster. ——— ©2021 New York Daily News. Visit at nydailynews.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.