Ellen DeGeneres, Billy Joel And More Pay Tribute To Tony Bennett

The music world lost a legend today, as Tony Bennett, whose remarkable eight-decade career resulted in more than 70 albums, 20 Grammy Awards and two Primetime Emmys, died July 21 at the age of 96. With a career as storied as his, it goes without saying that he crossed paths with numerous fellow musicians and celebrities in his lifetime, and many of them, including Ellen DeGeneres, Billy Joel, and Elton John are joining fans in paying tribute to the iconic singer for his contributions to the world.

Those remembering the “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” crooner spanned multiple sectors, from entertainment icons to former presidents and even Muppets. Retired talk show host Ellen DeGeneres sent love to Tony Bennett’s family, saying on Threads: 

Billy Joel — a musical legend in his own right, who appeared on Tony Bennett’s Duets: An American Classic — wrote multiple tweets in honor of the singer, noting how his unique voice transitioned from jazz to pop and praising him for championing songwriters. He also remembered him as “one of the nicest human beings I’ve ever known,” tweeting: 

Sir Elton John, who also appeared on Tony Bennett’s first Duets album, shared a memory of the two of them, and he too sent condolences to Bennett's family, as he called the artist “irreplaceable”:  

Barack Obama tweeted that he was honored to have had Tony Bennett perform at his inauguration, and Bill Clinton released a statement on his philanthropy, saying he "lived his remarkable life with perfect pitch." 

Rolling Stones icon Keith Richards added his own tribute, posting a photo with the singer from 2015: 

Sesame Street’s official Twitter account paid homage to the Tony Bennett, sharing a video of his appearance in a 1998 episode, where he sang to Big Bird: 

That’s certainly not where the singer’s history with the Muppets began or ended, though. Miss Piggy tweeted that she was “deeply honored” to have dueted with him several times, while Kermit the Frog called their performance on Muppets Tonight in the '90s one of the highlights of his career: 

There’s no questioning Tony Bennett’s impact on the music world, as Mariah Carey — his duet partner on "When Do the Bells Ring for Me" — called him one of the most “legendary singers of the past century”: 

With "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" being possibly Tony Bennett's most famous tune, it was to be expected that the people of California were also feeling the loss. The San Francisco Giants baseball team honored the man they called a "true legend," tweeting:

San Francisco may be favor that popular song, but that wasn't the one that David Letterman referenced in his tribute. He opted to share a different tune in remembrance of the musician, and one appropriate for the day. The late-night legend tweeted: 

Tony Bennett, born Anthony Dominick Benedetto, passed away July 21 at his home in New York following a seven-year battle with Alzheimer’s Disease. Our condolences go out to his friends, family and all who have been affected by his death.