Tributes have poured in from all over the world for legendary singer Tony Bennett, who died Friday at 96.
One of the most significant places in Bennett’s decorated career is the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco, where there is a growing memorial at his statue.
The Fairmont is special for Bennett and his career as its Venetian Ballroom is where he sang his iconic hit "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" for the first time back in 1961. The hotel has had a partnership with Bennett throughout the years: One of the suites is named after him and a section of Mason Street where the hotel sits was renamed Tony Bennett Way years ago.
His passing has hit close to home for some staff at the Fairmont who had the pleasure of meeting him. One of those people is the hotel's spokesperson Michelle Heston. She says Bennett's energy was infectious.
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"What an amazing man. What a legend," said Heston, who added that she met Bennett on several occasions and saw him perform at the Venetian. "He filled a room. He had charm, he was sophisticated, and he was a very kind man."
The special statue at the Fairmont and the renamed street were unveiled in 2016.
Mayor London Breed, who declared "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" the city's official song, released a statement after hearing the news of Bennett's passing Friday:
"Tony Bennett provided us with a song, a spirit, and a magic that is intertwined with the history of San Francisco and who we are. His contributions to this City go far beyond words on a page or melodies in the air. From the first day he sung 'I Left My Heart in San Francisco' at the Fairmont Hotel and through all the decades since, Tony Bennett embodied a love for this City shared by all San Franciscans. Today we honor his memory and celebrate his legacy that will stay with us forever."
The Giants also posted a tribute to Bennett on social media:
Former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown said what he will miss the most about his friend Bennett are the impromptu phone calls about performances and events.
Brown said Bennett was more than an iconic singer. He was a World War II veteran, a proud painter and an early civil rights activist.
"He was one of the few white entertainers that people like Harry Belafonte could call upon to participate, that Jesse Jackson could call upon to participate," Brown said.
On Friday afternoon, flags at City Hall flew at half-staff to honor Bennett and his "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" played over PA systems across the city, including at the Fairmont, other hotels and at City Hall.
Bennett's tribute song to San Francisco, his biggest hit, had become an unofficial anthem for the City by the Bay, though it's just one of the many hits across a career that has spanned eight decades.
Bennett was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2016. He is survived by his wife, Susan Benedetto, his two sons, Danny and Dae Bennett, his daughters Johanna Bennett and Antonia Bennett and nine grandchildren.
