Tony Bennett's wife Susan Benedetto breaks silence on his death

Tony Bennett's wife, Susan Benedetto is paying tribute to her beloved husband.

US music legend has died at the age of 96 in New York City, his representative has confirmed to the media.

On Friday night, she and his son, Danny, from his first marriage to Patricia Beech, released a statement on his Instagram, which read: 'Thank you to all the fans, friends and colleagues of Tony's who celebrated his life and humanity and shared their love of him and his musical legacy.'

'From his first performances as a singing waiter in Queens to his last performances in 2021 at Radio City Music Hall, Tony delighted in performing the songs he loved and making people happy. And as sad as today has been for all of us we can find joy in Tony's legacy forever' they continued.

Within an hour, the post received more than 29,335 likes and a thousands of comments from fans, who took to social media to describe the 19-time Grammy winner as an 'icon' and a 'class act.'

The eminent musician was born in Long Island City, Queens in 1926, and went on to enjoy a decades-long career that saw him collaborating with everyone from Frank Sinatra to Lady Gaga.

He passed away in his hometown of New York, his publicist Sylvia Weiner confirmed.

Benedetto was Tony Bennett's third and final wife before he sadly died in July 2023.