What You Can Learn From the Marriage of Tony Bennett and Susan Crow :
The May-December marriage of 80-year old Tony Bennett and 47-year old Susan Crow, after 20 years together, shows that for some, it is never too late to tie the knot.Born:
Tony Bennett aka Anthony Dominick Benedetto: August 3, 1926 in the Astoria section of Queens, New York.Susan Crow: Abt 1960.
Wedding and Honeymoon:
Tony and Susan were married in a private civil ceremony in New York City on June 21, 2007. Mario and Matilda Cuomo were their witnesses.Susan and Tony honeymooned in Italy for about a month.
Children:
Tony has four children.- D'Andrea "Danny" Bennett: Born in February 1954 in the Bronx, New York. Producer and Tony's manager. His mother is Patricia Beech.
- Daegal "Dae" Bennett: Recording engineer. His mother is Patricia Beech.
- Joanna Bennett: Born in January 1970. Her mother is Sandra Grant.
- Antonia Bennett: Born in April 1978, Antonia is a jazz singer. Her mother is Sandra Grant. Antonia's official Web Site
Previous Marriages:
Tony has two previous marriages.- Patricia Beech: After meeting one another in Cleveland after one of his performances, Tony and Patricia, an artist, were married on February 12, 1952 at St. Patrick's cathedral. Tony was 25 years old and Patricia was 18 years old. They honeymooned in the Bahamas for five days. The San Mateo Times reported their marriage with the headline, "Tony Bennett Weds Bobby Soxer." They separated in 1965 and their divorce was final in December 1971. They had two sons together.
- Sandra Elaine Grant: Tony met Sandra, a model and actress, in 1965 on a blind date arranged by a mutual friend at the Beverly Hills Hotel. Tony and Sandra were married on December 29, 1971. Sandra, who had been married and divorced before meeting Tony, filed for divorce from Tony in December 1979. They had two daughters together.
Occupations:
Tony: An award winning singer, Tony also excels as a painter. Tony served in the U.S. Army during World War II. Among his many good works, Tony helped to establish the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts in September 2001.Tony Bennett: What My Heart Has Seen (1996)
by Tony Bennett
The Good Life: The Autobiography of Tony Bennett (1998)
by Tony Bennett, with Will Friedwald
Susan: Teacher, manager of jazz artists.
Tony and Susan are the founders of Exploring the Arts, Inc., an organization with the purpose of using arts education to transform the lives of young people.
Residence:
Tony and Susan rent a Manhattan apartment overlooking Central Park.Tony Bennett Quotes About Marriage:
Tony on the secret of his relationship with Susan: "She likes the way I sing. She has good ears and she likes good music."Source: Scott Huver, People.com, "Tony Bennett, Wife Plan Italian Honeymoon", June 29, 2007.
Susan about Tony: "he's always romantic -- everyday."
Source: Scott Huver, People.com, "Tony Bennett, Wife Plan Italian Honeymoon", June 29, 2007.
Tony about why his first two marriages failed: "The long separations when I left home to play the clubs killed both marriages. But I had to go on the road. I was in vaudeville, and a vaudevillian goes where the work is. But for a marriage to work, both parties have to be there ... Asked why neither of his wives opted to travel with him, Bennett responds sadly, "I asked them to, but everyone thought that was nuts. Everyone but me."
Source: Good Housekeeping, "He keeps coming back like a song", 4/1/95.
Tony about falling in love with Sandra: "It took time for us to fall in love. It took four hours."
Source: Marian Christy, The San Mateo Times, "Tony Bennett: Life On the Up-Beat", 12/24/1973.
Tony about divorce: "His divorces were "very treacherous," he says. "Divorce smashes something. And it affects everyone--kids as well as grown-ups. One of my few regrets is that I wasn't with my children as much as I would have liked. But I did stay involved with them. I truly tried to be a good father and some of my most wonderful moments were with them. My children are my true joy and blessing. And they understand my need to work."
Source: Good Housekeeping, "He keeps coming back like a song", 4/1/95.
