“I tell Tony every day that he saved my life”: When Lady Gaga revealed Tony Bennett stopped her from quitting music

American pop and jazz sensation Tony Bennett passed away today, i.e., July 21, 2023, after a long battle with Alzheimer’s. The musician was considered one of the finest and most influential figures in the history of American music, having had a glittering career spanning seven decades and multiple genres. From his breakthrough in 1951 to his resurgence with Lady Gaga in the late 2010s, Tony Bennett has touched lives and souls across all generations in America.

Lady Gaga was a big part of Tony's resurgence in the later phase of his career, with the singer having performed his final concerts in August 2021 alongside the A Star is Born actress. Moreover, he managed to inspire and touch Lady Gaga's life with his presence, which was revealed by the 37-year-old singer in an interview with Parade in 2014.

Lady Gaga revealed:

"Six months ago I didn't even want to sing anymore,...[Bennett said] Do you know what Duke Ellington said? He said, 'Number one, don't quit. Number two, listen to number one."

She continued:

"Right! The other day, Tony said, 'I've ­never once in my career not wanted to do this.' It stung. Six months ago I didn't feel that way. I tell Tony every day that he saved my life."

The singer then continued to elaborate on her relationship with Tony Bennett, who has 20 Grammy Awards to his name.

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Lady Gaga told in an interview how Tony Bennett had wanted her "friendship" and "voice" out of their relationship

Lady Gaga was all praises about Tony Bennett when she spoke about their collaboration back in 2014. She singled the singer out from the rest of the industry, stating:

"I'm not going to say any names, but people get irrational when it comes to ­money—with how they treat you, with what they expect from you,...But if you help an artist, it doesn't give you the right, once the artist is big, to take advantage of them...was so sad. I couldn't sleep. I felt dead,...And then I spent a lot of time with Tony. He wanted nothing but my friendship and my voice."

She also added how when the music comes into play, Bennett becomes an entirely different person who is professional and knows what he is doing.

"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."

Love for Sale was sadly the last album that Bennett made before he retired. This album was also a part of the collaboration with Lady Gaga, which was released in 2021. The Radio City show also became his last concert.

As mentioned earlier, after a decades-long career, Tony Bennett passed away, aged 96, on July 21, 2023. Seven of his albums hit the Top 10 on the Billboard charts. His success can be attributed to how he cared about people when he made his music.

Back in 2006, he told Associated Press that his main goal was always connecting and entertaining the audiences:

"I enjoy entertaining the audience, making them forget their problems...I think people ... are touched if they hear something that’s sincere and honest and maybe has a little sense of humor. ... I just like to make people feel good when I perform."

As it is, Tony Bennett will remain an icon in the music industry for centuries to come.