Patricia Beech was formerly married to the iconic musician, Tony Bennett. Their marriage lasted for 17 years before they got divorced in 1971. They exchanged their vows at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City. However, two years before their divorce, Beech filed a lawsuit against Bennett, citing his infidelity as the reason for their separation.
Who was Patricia Beech?
Tony Bennett’s first wife was Patricia Beech. Before their meeting, she balanced a career as a model with studying art at Ohio University. However, she eventually transitioned to being a devoted mother.
Bennett first laid eyes on Beech while performing at Moe’s Main in Cleveland, Ohio. Despite her being on a date at the time, Bennett described being captivated by her appearance in his book, The Good Life.
He wrote,
“I met and fell in love with a young woman named Patricia Beech in July of 1951. I was singing at Moe’s Main Street in Cleveland, Ohio, and one night she came in with a date. I could see her from the stage — she was sitting ringside — and I was taken with her beauty.”
At the time of their marriage at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City, Patricia Beech was 19 years old and studying art. They had two children together, including sons Danny Bennett and Dae Bennett.
Marriage & Divorce With Tony Bennett
According to the source, Tony shared details about his former wife in his autobiography, The Good Life, published in 1998, despite Patricia’s general preference for privacy regarding her personal life.
According to reports, Tony talked about his engagement in his book. He wrote,
“I was headlining the Paramount again for the Christmas holidays. So during my show, I announced my intentions to the world which was a surprise to Patricia.”
The singer added,
I was fortunate that she wanted to marry me as much as I wanted to marry her.”
Tony Bennett and Patricia Beech, his first wife, were parents to D’Andrea “Danny” Bennett (born in 1954) and Daegal “Dae” Bennett (born in 1955). In his book, Tony Bennett discussed the impact that his first child Patricia Beech had on their lifestyle.
“When the new baby came, we felt that Patricia needed to stay at home with the kid, especially since I was scheduled to start an extensive tour … and after the tour, Patricia and I decided it was time to get a house in the suburbs where the kids could spread out.”
Despite Tony Bennett’s efforts, his marriage to Patricia Beech ultimately failed and they divorced in 1971 due to the strain caused by Bennett’s frequent touring. In an attempt to salvage their relationship, Bennett and Beech spent time apart when Bennett moved into a separate apartment in 1965.
After Bennett returned to his hometown with Beech, they appeared to be getting along better. However, he began communicating with Sandra Grant, who eventually became his second wife.
When Beech found out about Grant’s interactions with another woman, she filed for divorce from Bennett. In his second marriage, the renowned vocalist had two additional children — Joanna Bennett (born in 1969) and Antonia Bennett (born in 1971).
