When Tony Bennett died on July 21 at 96, the name that sprung to mind for many was Lady Gaga. His long-time collaborator, the pop superstar was the last person to share the stage with Bennett, as chronicled in their emotional 60 Minutes segment. Nine days after his death, Gaga has shared a tribute to Bennett on social media, saying, “I will miss my friend forever.†The two first collaborated on the 2014 album Cheek to Cheek.“I will miss singing with him, recording with him, talking with him, being on stage together,†Gaga said in her post. “With Tony, I got to live my life in a time warp. Tony & I had this magical power. We transported ourselves to another era, modernized the music together, & gave it all new life as a singing duo. But it wasnt an act. Our relationship was very real. Sure he taught me about music, about showbiz life, but he also showed me how to keep my spirits high and my head screwed on straight. ‘Straight ahead,’ he’d say.â€
Bennett was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2016, but kept singing, often with Gaga, like on their 2021 Cheek to Cheek follow-up Love for Sale or their 2021 Radio City Music Hall performance, his last. “Losing Tony to Alzheimer’s has been painful but it was also really beautiful,†Gaga said of this time. “An era of memory loss is such a sacred time in a persons life. There’s such a feeling of vulnerability and a desire to preserve dignity. All I wanted was for Tony to remember how much I loved him and how grateful I was to have him in my life. But, as that faded slowly I knew deep down he was sharing with me the most vulnerable moment in his life that he could — being willing to sing with me when his nature was changing so deeply. I’ll never forget this experience.â€