Tony Bennett, 'best singer in the business,' defied pop music trends

Tony Bennett, who died Friday, was an eminent and timeless stylist whose devotion to classic American songs and knack for creating new standards such as “I Left My Heart In San Francisco.” His decadeslong career brought him admirers from Frank Sinatra to Lady Gaga. The last of the great saloon singers of the mid-20th century, Mr. Bennett often said his lifelong ambition was to create “a hit catalog rather than hit records.” He released more than 70 albums, bringing him 19 competitive Grammys – all but two after he reached...