Tony Bennett Preps For His Last Concert With Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga
Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images

"60 Minutes" was able to follow Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga when they were preparing for what would likely be the legend's final act in his career.

With the help of the legend's family and his friend Lady Gaga, they were able to rehearse for two concerts held at Radio City Music Hall. As per "60 Minutes" via CBS News, the singer's family believed that Bennett's story could "give hope to others struggling with Alzheimer's."

Bennett's family announced that he had Alzheimer's disease in February, and this has put a few fans of the 94-year-old singer in hopes of seeing him on stage once again.

Bennett During Rehearsal

For Bennett, the past seven decades he spent singing jazz and swings were "lost in the fog of dementia from Alzheimer's." This had him ending up spending his time in his New York apartment looking through books and old photos.

The website also reported that by June, his disease progressed and his wife, Susan Crow Benedetto, told the outlet that she wasn't sure exactly what would happen at the said concert. However, they recalled an "incredible" moment when the singer's accompanist, Lee Musiker, played a song, putting Bennett back with "no notes, no cue cards," singing for an hour-long from memory.

The "I Left My Heart In San Francisco" singer remembered the songs, but when talking about remembering how to perform in front of people, his duo Lady Gaga knew it wouldn't be easy.

The "Poker Face" singer even said, "For the first couple of weeks that I saw Tony since COVID, he called me, "Sweetheart." But I wasn't sure he knew who I was."

"When that music comes on (SNAP), it's-- something happens to him. He knows exactly what he's doing. And what's important for me, actually, just to make sure that I don't get in the way of that," she added.

The Show Goes On

On the opening night in August, it was also Bennett's 95th birthday. The 6,000 seats of Radio City Music Hall were filled with people, and Lady Gaga opened the show.

Behind the stage, his wife, Benedetto, still did her best to remind her husband what was happening. "Well once he saw the audience, and, you know, and he raises his hands, he's-- I knew we were alright because he became himself. He just turned on. You know, it was like a light switch," she told the show.

Sadly, as per the source, Bennett had no memory of playing at the venue.

At 95, Bennett still gets recognition for his album with Lady Gaga. The duo was able to get six Grammy award nominations, including Album of the Year, becoming the oldest performer nominated in the category.


READ MORE: 'When We Were Young' Concert Is the Next 'Fyre' Festival? Theories Arise Over 'Too Good to Be True' Punk Event
Tags
Lady Gaga, Tony Bennett, Lady Gaga & Tony Bennett
Join the Discussion
Real Time Analytics